Wines from South Tyrol and Trentino

This beguiling Gewürztraminer is one of the most exciting growths in the wine world and the favourite of the Italians. Golden yellow with an aroma potpourri of roses, exotic fruits and oriental spices. Powerful and complex on the palate with discreet residual sweetness and a long finish. Gewürztraminer Sanct Valentin is an absolute top growth that promises wonderful drinking pleasure even after many years. SUPERIORE.DE

"Silent greatness. Noble is he who is self-sufficient. Perhaps a little demanding and in any case sensitive. But has many sought-after qualities: Clarity, freshness, complexity." Michael Graf Goëss-Enzenberg, Weingut Manincor

Eichhorn vineyard – the name sounds like South Tyrol, like centuries-old vines rooted in sandy loam soils on volcanic porphyry weathered rock. As with the Sauvignon, this parcel is also located within the Tenuta Lieben Aich in Terlan, 300 metres above sea level, south-west exposed to the mild breeze. But where Tannenberg aims for maximum mineral tension, Eichhorn seeks a balance between Alpine clarity and Mediterranean fullness. This is where Pinot Bianco – pinot Bianco, as South Tyroleans call it – a variety that oscillates between restraint and expression. After a wet spring and hot summer, 2024 brought a golden autumn that allowed for physiologically perfectly ripe grapes. The grapes were harvested by hand at the end of September, striking an ideal balance between ripeness, freshness and moderate alcohol – a vintage that combines cool character with ripe fruit. The yield was 50 hectolitres per hectare. The destemmed berries remain in the press for eight hours for maceration – this is shorter than for Sauvignons because Pinot Blanc is more subtle in its use of structure. Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts in wooden barrels, followed by nine months of ageing on the fine lees.

"The Löwengang Chardonnay is an expression of classic refinement: An elegant, fine wine with good complexity, great structure and a pronounced body, whose origin characterises its character. When the Chardonnay came onto the market and a suitable name was sought, it was clear that the Margreid vineyard should take centre stage. It was the perfect opportunity to revive the name Löwengang and give the newly created, high-quality wines this name." Alois Lageder

South Tyrol's Chardonnay legend writes another chapter. Since 1994, the Löwengang has characterised the perception of Alpine white wine excellence like no other. The historic estate above Margreids holds a secret: Chardonnay vines, whose roots reach up to five decades deep into the South Tyrolean soil, thrive on barren limestone soils between 230 and 330 metres. The warm microclimate with its nightly drops in temperature produces grapes of concentrated minerality. The Lageder family gives this terroir free rein. Organic farming without compromise, spontaneous fermentation in hand-picked barriques from the Tronçais and Vosges forests. One third new wood lends structure, while eleven months on the lees give the wine its silky texture. A further twelve months of ageing in the cellar bring the final harmony.

Mazon is not silent. If you listen carefully, you can hear something different in every vintage – sometimes warmth, sometimes coolness, sometimes the Alpine downdraughts that sweep across the plateau in the evening and sharpen the flavours of the grapes. The 2020 is a vintage that listens and responds: fresh, transparent, with a precision in the fruit that only emerges in calm conditions. The Barthenau estate, built 150 years ago by Ludwig Barth von Barthenau, has belonged to the Foradori-Hofstätter family for decades. The single vineyard Vigna San Urbano – south Tyrol's first officially classified single-vineyard wine, declared a "Vigna" by Paolo Foradori in 1987 – lies at the heart of this estate. Clay-limestone over the Werfen formation, vines over 65 years old, a site that gives the Pinot Nero what it needs: mineral subsoil, cool nights and the time it deserves. Harvested entirely by hand, completely destemmed. Fermentation in concrete vats, ten days of skin contact with remontage. Then twelve months in barrique, eight months in large cask, eight months in bottle – always in the cellars of Barthenau, where the temperature remains constant and the wine finds its own peace.

The world-famous Nussbaumer Gewürztraminer has been a true benchmark for years and is also a wine that impresses with its ageing potential. A bright yellow colour with greenish highlights. Perfectly typical of the variety – complex and deep, yet also lively and fresh with lovely nuances. The bouquet offers a wide range of aromas, from rose blossom to smoke and oriental spices. On the palate, it flows with silky smoothness, velvety and spicy, with a long finish – magnificent! SUPERIORE.DE

Pinot Blanc has been part of the Sanct Valentin line since 2001 – born out of the realisation that this long underestimated variety is capable of achieving extraordinary things at the high altitudes of Eppan-Berg. Between 450 and 600 metres, where limestone gravel and clay form the foundation, ten to thirty-two year old vines grow facing south-southeast. Extremely low yields from meticulously selected plots. Hand-picked at the end of September, then two different methods: one half fermented with malolactic fermentation and yeast storage in barriques and tonneaux, the other in large oak barrels. After just under a year, the wine is blended when it is clear what belongs together – then a further eight months of maturation in steel tanks to finalise the balance.

Lagrein and Gries belong together like Nebbiolo and Barolo. The Bolzano district of Gries is the ancestral home of this indigenous South Tyrolean grape variety – first mentioned in writing in 1379, since then hardly anywhere else as convincing as here. Rudi Kofler puts it in a nutshell: "The alluvial soils of Gries are ideal for Lagrein. Because the Gries terroir is unlike anything else in Terlan. No steep slopes, no porphyry rock – but flat, post-glacial alluvial soil in the sunny Bolzano valley basin, where the Adige, Eisack and Talfer rivers meet and summer temperatures of up to 40 degrees are not uncommon. Loamy-sandy soils, lime-free, brooding. A terroir that gives Lagrein warmth and ripeness without taking away its tension. Hand-picked, destemming, slow maceration in steel, malolactic fermentation – then 12 months of ageing: half in large wooden barrels and half in barriques, one third of which is new. Precision meets depth.

1989 marked the debut of the St. Michael-Eppan Winery's most famous wine. Cellar master Hans Terzer created the Sauvignon Sanct Valentin as the flagship wine of the top-tier range of the same name: selected plots on the slopes of the Mendel Mountains, strict quality guidelines, low yields and intensive manual labour. Since then, it has been regarded as one of Italy's most award-winning white wines – a title it earns anew year after year. Today, the responsibility lies with Jakob Gasser, who carries on this legacy with the same care. The vineyards on the foothills of the Mendel Mountains benefit daily from the fallwind – the cooling evening breezes that preserve freshness and aromatics and lend the Sauvignon its characteristic minerality. Hand-harvested, cold maceration of the skins, fermentation in stainless steel, ageing on the fine lees. Precision at every stage, with no intervention that masks the expression of the terroir.

In 1986, Hans Terzer took the bold step of vinifying a Chardonnay in the Burgundian style, a wine that was to set international standards. The grapes for this wine, which has since become the flagship of the Sanct Valentin range, come from the finest single vineyards in the municipality of Eppan, situated between 450 and 550 metres above sea level on calcareous gravel soils. Warm September days, cool nights – the microclimate of the South Tyrolean mountain vineyards lends the Chardonnay that aromatic depth and structure which allow it to mature year after year. Each plot is vinified separately. Fermentation begins in barriques, where malolactic fermentation also takes place, followed by eleven months on the fine lees – only then is the blend assembled, followed by a further eight months' ageing in stainless-steel tanks to perfect the balance between fruit, oak and minerality.

In South Tyrol, the name St. Valentin has long stood for more than just a premium range – it is a promise. A promise of precision, a commitment to terroir, and the determination to draw the maximum expression from well-known grape varieties. With Pinot Grigio, this is achieved in an almost understated manner – without drama, but with depth and character. The vines for the St. Valentin Pinot Grigio grow on selected, higher-altitude plots around Eppan, where calcareous gravel soils, alpine altitude and long hours of sunshine create an exceptional interplay. A Pinot Grigio that does not aim for quick fruitiness or casual appeal, but rather for structure, minerality and longevity. After harvest, fermentation takes place partly in stainless steel and partly in large wooden casks – the subsequent ageing on the fine lees lends it substance and a hint of creamy elegance.

Perlé Zero is a purist Trento Doc, which is concentrated on the essentials without any dosage. It embodies the essence of Chardonnay from the foothills of the Alps like no other sparkling wine in Trentino. Refined perlage with golden, luminous reflections. Clean, straightforward aroma of grapefruit, ginger and fresh pineapple, with hints of cumin and delicate herbs as it progresses. Dry, racy mouthfeel, very precise, then opens up with a fine spectrum of aromas, leading into a never-ending finish. The essence of a dry noble spumante and great Ferrari cinema from the first to the last glass! SUPERIORE.DE

In sun-drenched Siebeneich, where the gentle slopes at an altitude of just 250 metres benefit from the warm climate of the Bolzano valley floor, Merlot finds its South Tyrolean perfection. This privileged location not far from Terlan, characterised by dry, hot soils of weathered quartz porphyry, gives the Bordeaux grape variety the intensity and structure that lead it to mastery. The name suffix "Praun" – from the South Tyrolean dialect for "brown" – since the 2021 vintage refers to the phenolically perfectly ripe, dark brown seeds and the woody-brownish structure of the stems, unmistakable signs of optimal physiological ripeness and exceptional grape quality.

Andrius. Here, where in 1893 courageous winegrowers laid the first foundation stone of South Tyrolean co-operative history, a Sauvignon Blanc of rare strength and elegance is still produced today. The vines thrive on the calcareous slopes between 260 and 380 metres, where dolomite rock and Andrian porphyry characterise the terroir like two old friends who complement each other. It is the Mediterranean climate that shows its cooler side up here. Temperatures drop at night, allowing the vines to breathe. During the day, the South Tyrolean sun warms the stony soils – an interplay that gives the Sauvignon Bianco that special tension that characterises great wines. In the hands of cellar master Rudi Kofler, selected grapes from the oldest vineyards are turned into a wine of remarkable depth. Six months on the fine lees. Eighty per cent in stainless steel for freshness, twenty per cent in large wooden barrels for structure.

Sauvignon Andrius matures on the lees for six months and is a lively, well-structured white wine with great varietal typicity. Ripe peaches, dried apricots, juicy honeydew melon, candied almonds, flowers and a hint of mint and white pepper combine with the elegant style to create a remarkable overall picture. Great class! SUPERIORE.DE

The Carménère grape, which is hardly ever found in Italy and is normally found in the Médoc, is reinterpreted in a masterly way at Tenuta San Leonardo. Deep, dark ruby red, with a broad-shouldered bouquet of dark fruit and very harmonious spice. The barely noticeable acidity makes it round on the palate, silky smooth and extremely long and elegant. With this single-varietal red, too, the winery impressively demonstrates its lone class in the region. SUPERIORE.DE

"Colour and aroma that tell of blue berries from deep forests, velvety and length that make you forget time. Made from the autochthonous Lagrein grape." Michael Graf Goëss-Enzenberg, Weingut Manincor

In the gentle hills above Trento, where the Dolomites majestically watch over the Adige Valley, lies a vineyard called Fontanasanta, the "Holy Spring". Here, at an altitude of 400 metres and on calcareous clay soils, Elisabetta Foradori preserves one of Trentino's most precious treasures: the Nosiola, an ancient indigenous grape variety that was once at the heart of the region's wine culture but is now threatened with extinction. Only three hectares are dedicated to this rare variety. Nosiola, whose name is derived from the dialect word "nosela" for hazelnut, requires patience and sensitivity. In wet Alpine years, it can be capricious, but under Elisabetta's biodynamic guidance, it unfolds its full aromatic complexity. The vinification process follows the revolutionary Foradori philosophy: after hand-picking, the de-stemmed berries are placed in Spanish tinajas, where they ferment on the skins for eight months – a process that gives the Nosiola its characteristic golden yellow colour and structural depth. A short maturation in used acacia barrels rounds off the profile.

There are words that tell more than entire stories. Sgarzon: In the ancient dialect of Campo Rotaliano, it means "young shoot", "sapling" and embodies the essence of youthful vitality and the impetuous vigour of new beginnings. This name is the programme for a Teroldego that revolutionises conventional ideas about this powerful grape variety. Just one kilometre from the famous Morei vineyard as the crow flies, but completely different in character, is the 2.5-hectare Sgarzon vineyard. Here, the Noce River has deposited sandy sediments over thousands of years, creating a cooler, more open microzone. While other Teroldego vineyards are already harvesting their grapes, the Sgarzon berries ripen a week longer – a decisive difference that gives this wine its exceptional finesse.

Between light and shade, between strength and elegance, sometimes only a few hundred metres decide the character of a wine. Less than ten minutes' walk from Sgarzon, but geologically in a different world, lies Morei, "the dark one" in the old Trentino dialect. Here, on the warmer, rockier terrain of Campo Rotaliano, Elisabetta Foradori has been writing another exciting chapter in the Teroldego story since 1984. The name says it all: where Sgarzon embodies youthful freshness, Morei reveals the deep, mineral soul of this extraordinary grape variety. The 2.5-hectare plot rests on the ancient riverbed of the Noce, where thousands of years of erosion have left behind a mosaic of pebbles, sand and dolomite rock. This stony matrix stores the heat of the dolomite sun and releases it to the vines at night – a natural heat reservoir that gives Teroldego its characteristic depth and concentration.