Wines from South Tyrol and Trentino

Phileo is the Greek word for love, for affection, for sincerity in a relationship. Franz Pratzner did not choose this name by chance. He derived it from Filomena – his mother, the woman who shaped, moulded and lived the Falkenstein estate for decades. A wine as homage – it could hardly be more personal. The Phileo vines are planted on the Falkenstein vineyard itself, at 650 metres, south-facing, on a soil of gneiss, granite and slate – one of the most mineral-rich soils in the entire Vinschgau Sonnenberg. 9,000 vines per hectare, Guyot training, one kilogramme per vine. Maximum density, minimum quantity. What the vines achieve in this barren landscape is brought to the glass through malolactic fermentation and the targeted, restrained use of wood – creamy, structured, with a long ageing potential.

The name "retus" comes from "Rhaetia" or "Raetia", the name of the Roman province. In Celtic, "reit" refers to a mountain village. Bright straw green colour. Wild herbs, orange peel, green fruit and spices on the nose. Round and broad on the attack, then more straightforward and restrained in the centre, with a sufficiently salty edge and harmonious acidity to buffer the subtle fruit sweetness. The finish is long with flint and stone notes. Great Sauvignon Bianco with a refreshingly alpine character. SUPERIORE.DE

Named after the ancient Roman wine festivals, Passito Vinalia is a sweet dessert wine that goes particularly well with South Tyrolean apple strudel. The strictly selected grapes, which are air-dried after the harvest, come from the sun-drenched vineyards on the slopes of Bolzano at 300 to 400 metres above sea level. They are gently pressed around 4 months after the harvest and then fermented in used French barriques.

Eppan-Berg Schulthaus Pinot Bianco is a true classic among South Tyrolean Pinot Blancs. Its success began in 1982, when it was first vinified and bottled. A perfect, delicately fruity and fresh wine that is a pleasure to savour with its creamy softness and racy acidity. Smells of fresh spring green, the generous palate is characterised by mirabelle plum, nectarine and a vibrant freshness that leads to a refreshing finish with lemon and minerals. SUPERIORE.DE

The Sauvignon Blanc vines for this complex Riserva in small quantities (approx. 3,000 bottles) grow on grey porphyry and sandy-limestone rock flour in the "Kathreinerfelder" vineyard in Fiè allo Sciliar. Lemon yellow in colour with warm reflections. Complex bouquet of flint, preserved lemon, passion fruit, ripe apricot and melon. On the palate, this top Sauvignon presents itself with depth, precision, minerality and a long, ripe finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Lezér means "light" and so it is – in the most delicate sense. Light ruby red in colour, red berries and an interesting hint of violets on the nose. Smoke, freshly cut wood and a fine creaminess on the palate. A thoroughly fresh red wine right through to the finish, which goes well with warm weather and uncomplicated Mediterranean cuisine, especially when slightly chilled. The ageing in different containers such as amphora, cement tank and wooden barrel gives it an additional appeal and an unmistakable profile. SUPERIORE.DE

This rare premium Gin comes from Lake Garda, its name is derived from Luccio, a widespread pike species there. Originally only produced for a bartender friend from the region, the demand increased to such an extent that it was decided to increase the production volume sensitively.

Tenuta San Leonardo is a name that stands for red wine. For generations, the Guerrieri Gonzaga family in Avio, in southern Trentino, has been cultivating a Bordeaux blend that is considered by connoisseurs to be among the best wines in Italy. The fact that the house also makes white wine (and rosato) – and with the same precision – far fewer people know. Vette di San Leonardo owes its name to the peaks that surround the vineyards. Vette – summits, peaks – is the image San Leonardo has chosen for this Sauvignon Blanc: high, clear, unmistakable. The grapes come from Roveré della Luna, a village on the border between Trentino and Alto Adige, which is one of the best Sauvignon Blanc vineyards in northern Italy. The Dolomites as a backdrop, cool nights, a long ripening process on the vine. Hand-picked in September. Only steel, no wood. Five months sur lie on the fine lees – for texture and depth without external ageing.

Fayé – is the old dialect name for Faedo. The place that is the focus of everything here bears its oldest name in this wine. And the wine embodies the place: on the labels, in the terroir, in the choice of grape varieties blended here. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon sets the framework: structure, dark fruit, longevity. Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Lagrein fill it out – and that is the crucial point. For Lagrein is no international guest. It is indigenous, at home exclusively in Trentino-South Tyrol, and it gives Fayé an identity that no pure Bordeaux cuvée could ever have. A red wine that is rooted in the international scene yet remains deeply rooted in its local terroir.

The great estates in Bordeaux have shown the way: a so-called "second wine" is not the wine that didn't make it. It is another argument. Younger vines, different plots, shorter ageing periods – and thus a wine that is drunk earlier, appears fresher and shows a different side of the same terroir. Tenuta San Leonardo brought this concept to the Dolomites in 2005.

Pinot Nero has always been a challenge for every winemaker. It is a grape variety that places the highest demands on soil, climate and winemaking expertise. The Burgundian noble grape has been cultivated in South Tyrol since 1850, where it has become the region's most important red wine under the name Blauburgunder. Only the best and oldest vineyards in Eppan and the surrounding area are selected for the Sanct Valentin Pinot Nero, which has been part of the winery's prestige line since 1995 – sites between 400 and 550 metres on moraine debris and calcareous gravel. Minimal yields and meticulous care in the vineyard form the basis for a wine of exceptional finesse. The grapes are harvested by hand from the end of September to the beginning of October. After three days of cold maceration, fermentation begins in stainless steel tanks, followed by gentle pressing. Malolactic fermentation and subsequent maturation take place in barriques and tonneaux. After around twelve months, the wine is blended before maturing for a further six months in large wooden barrels – a combination that combines structure with Burgundian class.

At an altitude of 1,030 metres, where apple trees still stood thirty years ago, one of Italy’s most remarkable Pinot Noirs is now grown. Peter Zemmer took the plunge a good decade ago: he planted Burgundy vines on the south-facing slopes at the Koflhof in Aldein – —an experiment at an altitude that is exceptional even by South Tyrolean standards. The first vintages remained unofficial; in 2016, hail struck. But since 2017, Vigna Kofl has demonstrated what is possible when porphyry soils meet dolomite carbonate and the daily ‘Ora’ breeze from the south provides that cool tension that Pinot Noir loves so much. The vinification follows the rhythm of the vineyard: seven days’ fermentation at a controlled temperature, gentle extraction through pumping over, then two careful rackings without a centrifuge – — a time-consuming process reserved for fine wines. Twelve months in French barriques, a further six in stainless steel, and finally half a year of bottle ageing.

In 1991, Alois Lageder succeeded in acquiring Casòn Hirschprunn, a historic estate that was mentioned in documents as early as the 13th century and today forms the spiritual heart of Lageder's biodynamic philosophy. Here, in the Renaissance palazzo in the middle of Magreid, where over 30 hectares of vineyards between 230 and 360 metres adorn the gentle slopes of the Margreider Schuttkegel, a revolution began in 1995: the first biodynamic experiments on Italian soil, which made the winery one of the pioneers of this holistic form of cultivation. "Tasting the unpredictable" – is how Alois Lageder himself defines the nature of this extraordinary white wine, which epitomises the joy of experimentation and innovative strength of the estate like no other.

Tor di Lupo, the Wolf's Gate – a name that inspires respect. The flagship of Andriano was one of the very first premium Lagrein in South Tyrol. You could say that it is a primeval rock of South Tyrolean quality winegrowing. Since the early days, the winery has produced this Riserva from grapes from Gries near Bolzano, the classic home of Lagrein.

Following its acclaimed comeback in 2022, the next vintage confirms it: the Linticlarus Chardonnay is back – and is here to stay. The selective harvest from the finest Chardonnay plots in Entiklar, at an altitude of 300 to 340 metres in the immediate vicinity of the legendary Vigna AU, produces a wine of remarkable elegance. The glacial moraine soils, with their high limestone content and natural salts, shape the wine’s character. Twelve months’ ageing in barriques and tonneaux lend structure and finesse without overpowering the fruit.

One of the really great Chardonnays from South Tyrol: bright, intense light golden yellow in colour. In the powerful yet harmonious Chardonnay Baron Salvadori, the aromas of fine vanilla cream and ripe fruit change in quick succession. Fresh and round on the palate, the accentuated fruit is accompanied by balanced acidity, a fine salty vein and well-integrated wood spice. SUPERIORE.DE

First-class, ruby-red Pinot Noir with a garnet-red shimmer. Fine fruity bouquet of wild berries and cherries. An elegant red, well-proportioned and never overloaded, but with a clear identity and elegant character. SUPERIORE.DE

Anadûron – this is the Celtic name for Naturns. Translated, it means "settlement on the marsh". A strange name for a village that lies on dry primary rock, criss-crossed by porphyry, granite and slate, on steep south-facing slopes between 600 and 900 metres. Not a trace of the swamp. Instead, thousands of years of geology speak through every glass of this wine. Franz Pratzner has created Anadûron as a tribute to Naturns and the entire Adige Valley – a selection of the estate's best Riesling parcels, which differs from regular Riesling not only in the selection, but in every step of the vinification process. Grapes of hand-picked quality, spontaneous fermentation in French tonneaux – not in large acacia wood barrels – followed by twelve months of ageing in tonneaux, five months in steel and finally 31 months in the bottle. Around four years from harvestto glass. No other wine from the estate is given more time.

2022 was a vintage of concentration: dry winter, hot summer – small yields, but outstanding quality. The Tiefenbrunner family demonstrates this intensity in the Linticlarus cuvée in an impressive way. The classic Bordeaux assemblage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in equal parts grows on the south-southeast-facing slopes of Entiklar, at an altitude of 260 to 300 metres. The broodingmoraine soil – loamy sand with a high lime content – stores the heat of the day and slowly releases it at night. The result: perfect phenolic ripeness with preserved freshness. Mash fermentation in concrete is followed by 12 months in barriques, 6 months in large wooden barrels and a further year of bottle ageing.

The strong ruby-red Pinot Nero Schweizer, which is only produced in the best vintages, is a masterpiece. Its bouquet is large, complex and reminiscent of very ripe small wild berries. These special flavours are also found in the mouth, in combination with ripe, candied dark cherry and delicate floral and red berry notes. Juicy, wide-ranging palate, mouth-filling and with delicate, sveltenuances and an inviting and slightly tannic body which, together with the well-proportioned acidity, gives the wine a long life. SUPERIORE.DE