Wines from South Tyrol and Trentino

The vines for this Chardonnay grow on volcanic rock in the Pianezzi, Coveli, Molini and Palai parcels at an altitude of 300-750 metres. Straw yellow in colour with greenish reflections. Intense fruity nose of apple, banana and pineapple, with a hint of flint and hay. Open and round flavour with well-integrated acidity and mineral-sour citrus notes. It's like drinking a Chardonnay from a mountain spring. SUPERIORE.DE

The Palai area is one of the most representative areas for the production of Müller-Thurgau in Italy due to its microclimatic characteristics and the influence of the Cembra and Isarco valleys. In order to preserve its varietal characteristics (aromas and natural antioxidants), the grapes are processed using the hyper-reduction technique (in the absence of oxygen) developed and patented by the company.

Stone. The word needs no explanation – and certainly not in South Tyrol. The name describes the soil on which these vines grow: a 150 metre deep alluvial fan that the Sirmian and Nalles streams have carried down from the mountains into the valley over thousands of years. Alluvial rock, clay, marl – a soil that stores water well, releases heat slowly and gives the Sauvignon Blanc that salty minerality that is immediately recognisable in the glass. The vineyards are located in Nalles, between Bolzano and Merano, at 330 to 400 metres above sea level, exposed to the east-southeast. The climate is the typical South Tyrolean paradox: warm to hot during the day, noticeably cool at night – the temperature fluctuations create aromatic precision and preserve freshness. 100% Sauvignon Blanc, hand-picked, fermented in steel for around three weeks, then matured on the lees for five months before bottling.

The 2023 vintage brought a balanced climate with warm days and cool nights, which harmoniously combined freshness and ripeness. Martin Foradori's Merlot is characterised by cool noblesse and a clear structure. Dark berries, fine herbs and a hint of graphite characterise the bouquet. The ageing partly in large wooden barrels and partly in cement eggs gives the wine depth without excess weight. The palate is juicy, precise and supported by silky tannins - a South Tyrolean Merlot of quiet sovereignty and terroir-related elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

Rhine Riesling in South Tyrol? What sounds unusual at first glance makes perfect sense in the valley floor around Kurtinig. The loose, well-aerated sandy soils with calcareous gravel offer ideal conditions for the demanding Rheinriesling. The microclimate does the rest: the warm afternoon wind from Lake Garda alternates with cool morning breezes from the north, ensuring constant ventilation from April to October. The grapes undergo a 6–8-hour cold maceration before pressing – a process that releases the fine fruit flavours from the skins. Fermentation takes place at a controlled 19 °C in stainless steel.

450 metres above sea level, on stony limestone soils around Tramin and Montan: this is where Sauvignon Blanc finds those striking day-night fluctuations that make its aromatic intensity possible in the first place. The mild, sunny climate of Bassa Atesina ensures optimum ripeness, while cool nights preserve the flavours. In the cellar, the grapes undergo an 8–10-hour cold maceration – longer than the other white wines from the estate –to release the full flavour potential from the skins. After gentle pressing and natural sedimentation, the must ferments at 19 °C in stainless steel.

The aromatic soul of South Tyrol. Gewürztraminer is considered the most typical of all South Tyrolean white wines – full-bodied and unmistakably aromatic. At Peter Zemmer, this grape variety grows on low-growing rootstock in the Guyot system, in the best vineyard sites on the valley floor around Kurtinig at 220–230 metres above sea level. The favourable location, ideal sunshine and good aeration of the grapes create ideal conditions for this demanding variety. After destemming, a six to eight-hour cold maceration follows, which transfers the valuable flavours from the skins into the must and intensifies the characteristic bouquet. Gentle pressing and subsequent fermentation at a controlled temperature of 19 °C in stainless steel preserve the varietal aromas in all their splendour.

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

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.

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.

The evening fall winds of the Mendel Mountains characterise the entire terroir of the St. Michael-Eppan winery. They ensure cool nights and give the grapes the extraordinary characteristics that characterise the aromas, unmistakable freshness and longevity of the wines. The fall wind is the natural force that blows over the vineyard every day, positively influencing the climate and supporting the valuable work of the winegrowers at the cooperative winery.

This great Chardonnay comes from the Kleinstein estate in Signat near Bolzano. Bright yellow in colour with green reflections, a wonderfully fruity bouquet with aromas of apple, pineapple and banana. The typical flavour of a fresh Chardonnay on the palate: clear, elegant, full and pleasantly dry, with a long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

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.