Wines from South Tyrol and Trentino

Harmonious, velvety Pinot Noir from vineyards at an altitude of around 450 metres. These hills with special conglomerate soils of clay and limestone and the very suitable microclimate form the ideal conditions for a clear Pinot Nero full of character. Bright ruby to garnet red in colour. Fine, ripe aroma of dark berries and sour cherry. Harmonious and soft on the palate with a good balance of fruit and body. SUPERIORE.DE

Dellago comes from Pinot Bianco plots personally selected by cellar master Stephan Filippi on characteristic porphyry and limestone soils, where Archduke Johann of Austria established Pinot Blanc in South Tyrol as early as 1850. The special terroir with its distinctive temperature fluctuations between warm days and cool nights gives the hand-picked grapes the mineral precision that characterises Dellago. After careful manual harvesting, the grapes are gently pressed and vinified in two parts: The majority matures traditionally in stainless steel tanks on the fine lees, while a small but decisive proportion undergoes alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation in French barriques – a subtle use of wood gives the wine additional structure and complexity without overpowering its Burgundian elegance.

Merus – latin for "pure, unmixed". Tiefenbrunner's entry-level line stands for varietal character and natural elegance, bottled young and immediately accessible. This classic Bordeaux assemblage of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot comes from the vineyards of the South Tyrolean lowlands, the southernmost part of the province. The Brenntal and Frauenriegel vineyards near Kurtatsch, at an altitude of 210 to 380 metres, yield grapes from calcareous moraine soils. Vinification in stainless steel and concrete, followed by brief ageing in large wooden barrels – the result: freshness without heaviness.

The evening downdrafts from the Mendel Mountains give the entire terroir of the St. Michael-Eppan Winery its distinctive character. They ensure cool nights and endow the grapes with those exceptional qualities that define the wines' aromas, their unmistakable freshness and their longevity. The downwind is the natural force that sweeps across the vineyard every day, positively influencing the climate and supporting the valuable work of the winegrowers at the cooperative winery.

Documented since 1370, Lagrein epitomises authentic South Tyrol like no other grape variety. This autochthonous variety, related to Syrah and resulting from a natural cross with Teroldego, finds optimal conditions in the alluvial soils of Bolzano, Ora and Magreid. The natural cultivation of the selected partner farms respects the characteristic intensity of this Burgundy-coloured variety. Traditional mash fermentation at a controlled temperature in steel tanks, followed by malolactic fermentation and twelve months of ageing in large wooden barrels, results in a Lagrein with a classic character.

Renon (Ritten) is the high plateau to the east of Bolzano, where the town's inhabitants used to seek respite from the summer heat – and still do today. Whatever grows up here at 550 metres benefits from both the warmth of the steeply sloping porphyry rocks and the coolness of the high altitude. A combination that gives the Chardonnay what it cannot find in hot valley locations: aromatic depth and natural balance. Kleinstein is the farm that supplies these grapes, run by a young farmer from St. Justina who studied agricultural economics in Vienna, worked in environmental policy and then returned to his father's farm to convert it to organic farming. Terroir and biography in a single label. Gentle pressing, maturation on fine lees in stainless steel, with part of the alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation taking place in barriques – for texture without woody aromas.

"In the past, St. Magdalener – a traditional cuvée made from the two indigenous grape varieties Vernatsch and Lagrein – not only played a very important role in South Tyrolean viticulture but was also one of Italy's best-known red wines. Even today, this delicately fruity and characteristically elegant red wine, named after the growing region around the wine-growing village of St. Magdalena, has many admirers and is currently being rediscovered by many a connoisseur." Rudi Kofler (cellar master at Cantina Terlano)

Sand. The name says it all – both geologically and in terms of what it stands for. The Lagrein vineyards are situated in Gries, a district of Bolzano, at an altitude of 250 metres in that enclosed valley basin, which is one of the warmest sites in the whole of South Tyrol. Sandy alluvial soils from the Talfer river, interspersed with porphyry – a subsoil that stores heat, releases it slowly and gives the Lagrein the depth it needs to reach its full potential. Mediterranean, hot, with an intensity not found in the cooler, higher altitudes of the mountains. Lagrein is South Tyrol's most distinctive indigenous red grape variety: dark and fruity, rich in tannins, with a characteristic bitter almond note on final that makes it unmistakable. Hand-harvested, carefully destemmed, fermented in stainless steel with gentle pumping-over, followed by malolactic fermentation, then aged for seven months in 40-hectolitre wooden barrels.

South Tyrol's autochthonous king grape variety finds its ancestral terroir on the permeable gravel and crushed stone soils of the Bolzano valley floor at 250 metres. Here, where "Lagrinum" was first mentioned in a document as early as 1379, Lagrein thrives in its heartland – the warm, sun-drenched vineyards around Gries with their extreme day-night temperature fluctuations. The traditional mash fermentation in stainless steel with controlled fermentation and gentle mash movement, followed by malolactic fermentation and six months of ageing in large oak barrels, gives Rubeno its characteristic structure and elegance.

The Latin Merus stands for pure or genuine. All Merus wines have this claim and are characterised by varietal character and natural elegance. The grapes come from vineyards in the lowlands and are pressed in steel and concrete barrels. The result is wines that are open, fresh and accessible at an early stage. Bright golden yellow in colour. Distinctive bouquet of ripe grapes and candied fruit, accompanied by fine notes of honey, oriental spices, sage and rose petals. A full-bodied and harmonious wine with a respectable finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Gewürztraminer is the local variety of the South Tyrolean lowlands – and Kurtatsch is its home. Here, between Bolzano and Lake Garda, on the South Tyrolean Wine Route, the grape variety has found the Mediterranean warmth and Alpine freshness that make its distinctive bouquet possible in the first place. Tiefenbrunner has been cultivating it since 1968 – and Merus Gewürztraminer is its most accessible expression. Three sites give this wine its multi-layered character: Penon, Hofstatt and Rain at 400 to 650 metres with calcareous dolomite soils and eastern exposure – for freshness and minerality. Entiklar and the Margreider Leiten at 220 to 350 metres, on limestone gravel soils from moraine deposits – for structure and depth. Brenntal and Frauenriegel at 220 to 350 metres, on red, sandy loam soil – for warmth and fullness. Vinified in concrete vats, 5.0 g/l residual sugar – subtle, never sweet.

Stieler Pinot Grigio is produced from hand-picked grapes grown on the slopes of the Ritten at altitudes of between 500 and 600 metres, where vines over 25 years old impart all their experience to the grapes. During the development of the TAL cuvée, cellar master Filippi recognised the exceptional potential of these Ritten vineyards and used them to create a distinct single-vineyard wine. Gentle whole-bunch pressing and six months’ ageing on the fine lees in large oak barrels lend this Pinot Grigio its characteristic complexity.

Gewürztraminer is at home all over the world – in France, Germany, Austria and overseas. Yet it owes its name to a single place: Termeno, which the Romans called Tramin, in the heart of South Tyrol’s Unterland region. Here, in the warmest, most Mediterranean part of South Tyrol, the grape variety develops the aromatic intensity that makes it so distinctive. The Leiten vineyards of Nals Margreid lie precisely in this Unterland region: on broodingclay-gravel over limestone soils, a subsoil that stores heat and enhances the natural aromatics of Gewürztraminer. The climate is Mediterranean – — warm summers, mild winters, and the daily Ora breeze from Lake Garda as an invigorating element. Hand-harvested, clarified must, three weeks’ fermentation in stainless steel, five months on the fine lees.

Pinot Noir, as the South Tyroleans call it – and once you have understood why this grape variety sounds different in the Adige Valley than elsewhere, you will never forget it. The Tramin winery sources its Pinot Nero from slopes between 350 and 450 metres above sea level, on calcareous clay and gravel soils that store Mediterranean heat during the day and cool down quickly at night. This interplay of temperatures is not a climatic coincidence, but the actual tool: it preserves the freshness of the fruit, sharpens the flavours and keeps the tannins lean. Cellar master Willi Stürz – the quality conscience of the winery since the nineties – sees his Pinot Nero as a counter-model to heaviness: light, precise, with red fruit in the foreground.

Pinot Bianco was first introduced to South Tyrol as early as 1850 – and the Schulthaus vineyard, situated above Castel Moos in Appiano Monte, is probably the most historic Pinot Bianco site in the entire municipality. The Schulthauser has been bottled as a wine in its own right since 1982 – and has since become one of the best-known expressions of this grape variety in South Tyrol. The vineyards are situated at altitudes of 540 to 620 metres, facing south-east, on limestone gravel soils with a slight clay content – high enough for the evening downdrafts from the Mendel Mountains to exert their cooling effect every day. Hand-harvested at the end of September. In the cellar: 85% fermented in stainless steel, 15% in large wooden casks with malolactic fermentation. In February, the wines are blended to create a wine that combines creamy smoothness and pronounced acidity in a rare harmony.

At the Löwenpass, tradition and lightness meet in a red wine of enchanting informality. Produced biodynamically according to Demeter guidelines, this cuvée combines Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with Petit Verdot and the autochthonous Vernatsch to create a harmonious quartet of different characters. Grapes with a natural freshness come from the calcareous gravel soils of Margreid between 230 and 320 metres above sea level. Careful vinification with mash fermentation at controlled temperatures and twelve months of ageing in large barrels preserves the lively fruitiness.

The spectacular steep slope of Römigberg rises high above Lake Kaltern – a location that comes particularly close to the ideal of a closed farm organisation. Here, oxen graze between the vines and the traditional pergola training protects the thin-skinned Vernatsch grapes from intense sunlight. On gravel-rich dolomite limestone between 250 and 330 metres, a Vernatsch of exceptional finesse is produced under biodynamic Demeter cultivation. The spontaneous mash fermentation in wooden barrels and stainless steel tanks, partly on whole bunches, gives this autochthonous South Tyrolean classic a special complexity.

High above Bolzano stands the legendary Mockhof – a single vineyard that offers Sauvignon Bianco the perfect conditions in which to develop its full potential. Situated at an altitude of 500 metres on steep porphyry slopes, the vines benefit from extreme daytime temperatures and cool nights, which allow for an exceptionally slow ripening process. This exposed site is one of the latest-harvesting areas in South Tyrol – a factor that lends the Mock its characteristic aromatic complexity. Cellar master Stephan Filippi vinifies this single-vineyard wine with the utmost care: gentle pressing, temperature-controlled fermentation and ageing exclusively in stainless steel preserve the intensity typical of the grape variety.

In the vineyards of Eppan and Kaltern, between 350 and 500 metres above sea level, Pinot Noir finds the alpine conditions that allow it to mature into an elegant interpretation of the Burgundian grape variety. The grapes thrive on moraine debris with limestone and gravel in a temperate climate with cooling winds, which give the variety its characteristic freshness and aromatic clarity. The St. Michael-Eppan winery, one of the leading cooperatives in South Tyrol since 1907, cultivates its vineyards with respect for the grape and favours environmentally friendly cultivation with targeted yield regulation.

Gewürztraminer polarises opinion. Some love the opulence, the rose blossom, the exotic heaviness. Others avoid it for this very reason. Alois Lageder has a clear stance on this: Gewürztraminer should be aromatic – but not overwhelming. It should show juiciness, drinkability and mineral depth. No perfume that overwhelms. A grape variety that shows what it can do without forgetting its limits. The answer lies in the diversity of its origins: twelve winemaking partners in Margreid, Kurtatsch, Tramin and the Eisack Valley – 230 to 740 metres above sea level, calcareous and volcanic soils side by side in rare diversity. The warm Unterland sites provide substance and fruit, while the cooler Eisack Valley delivers freshness and finesse. Temperature-controlled fermentation in steel and partly in large wooden barrels, a small percentage fermented and macerated on the intact grapes. Matured mainly in steel on the fine lees for around four months.

Lagrein is the autochthonous grape par excellence of South Tyrol. Nowhere else in the world does this grape variety grow in significant quantities – it belongs to this region as completely as hardly any other variety belongs to a place. Its strengths: an intense, bright ruby colour, an immediately recognisable aroma of wild berries and violets, a fine spiciness and a freshness that still has something to say to the palate after the last sip. Hofstätter vinifies Lagrein in a style that has characterised the house since 1907: precise, balanced, with a genuine varietal profile instead of elaborate cellar technology.