Wines from South Tyrol and Trentino

High above Bolzano, where the steep porphyry slopes of the Ritten rise 650 metres into the alpine air, one of the most characterful Gewürztraminer wines in South Tyrol thrives. Kleinstein is the result of uncompromising selection: cellar master Stephan Filippi only chooses grapes from those sites where the volcanic terroir and the extreme day-night temperature fluctuations elicit the full aromatic power of the royal grape variety. These privileged plots on the Ritten tell a geological story: volcanic primary rock and mineral-rich weathered soils create a terroir of rare intensity. The Gewürztraminer grapes ripen here under the South Tyrolean sun, while cool mountain winds provide the freshness that gives this premium wine its impressive balance.

Pinot Grigio from South Tyrol – this is in a different league to many of the pleasing mass-produced wines from the Veneto. At Tiefenbrunner, the grapes come from selected hillside vineyards south of Margreid and in Kurtatsch, at an altitude of 220 to 400 metres, facing south to south-east. Calcareous soils and the typical South Tyrolean interplay of warm days and cool Alpine nights give the wine its characterful minerality. Ageing in large wooden barrels on the fine lees gives this Pinot Gris its special texture – round and elegant at the same time, with a creamy finish without masking the fruit.

Chardonnay Turmhof has a multi-layered bouquet of clear, well-defined apple and pear flavours, flowers and grasses. Creamy on the palate, yet fresh and mountain-mineral, lively and harmonious. Flavours of baked apple, dried flowers and mountain minerality give this wine a special note. Turmhof Chardonnay finishes savoury and crisp, leaving a salty note and a hint of nectarine. SUPERIORE.DE

Margreid lies in the extreme south of South Tyrol – and thus climatically in a different world to the Alpine altitudes near Nals. Warm summers, mild winters and the Ora every afternoon: the warm south wind from Lake Garda that blows through the vineyards, ventilates the vines and keeps the harvesthealthy. This is exactly what Chardonnay loves. The vineyards on the gentle slope between 220 and 350 metres, facing south-southeast, stand on white, broodinglimestone gravel soil with a high humus content – a terroir that allows for fullness and aromatic intensity at the same time. Cellar master Harald Schraffl focuses on ageing with a sense of proportion: fermentation in 30-hectolitre wooden barrels for three weeks, followed by eight months of maturation on the fine lees. The creaminess comes from the yeast, not the wood.

Tramin, a small village in the South Tyrolean lowlands – and one of the great namesakes of the wine world. It is here, at the foot of the Dolomites, that Gewürztraminer originated. It is no coincidence that the Cantina Terlan has included this wine in its "Tradition" line: it is part of the region's DNA. The grapes grow at an altitude of 270 to 450 metres, in vineyards between the Alpine north and the Mediterranean south – a location that creates pronounced temperature differences between day and night and gives Gewürztraminer precisely the tension that distinguishes it from its fuller-bodied relatives. Hand-picked, gentle pressing, slow fermentation in steel, 6–7 months on the lees.

The Vernatsch from Manincor comes from the monopoly position "der Keil" on Lake Kaltern – one of the warmest vineyards in South Tyrol. At an altitude of 250 metres, old vines are rooted in traditional pergola training on calcareous, sandy loam soils. The south-facing aspect with a direct view of the lake ensures optimum heat accumulation and perfect ripening conditions. After a wet spring in 2024 and a hot summer, the golden autumn brought physiologically ripe grapes with moderate alcohol and a cool character. The grapes were harvested by hand in mid-September at an ideal degree of ripeness and a yield of 60 hectolitres per hectare. The destemmed grapes ferment spontaneously with wild yeasts in open wooden vats. During the one-week mash fermentation at a moderate 24°C, the cap is gently punctured only once a day – minimal intervention for maximum fruit clarity. The wine then matures for five months on the fine lees in large wooden barrels, where the flavours are refined and the natural elegance of the Vernatsch comes to full fruition.

The French grape variety has felt at home in the southern Eisack Valley since the end of the 19th century. At the Ebnerhof, Sauvignon grows on barren, stone-rich gravel and marl soil – it is precisely this sparseness that makes the difference. The Unterthiner family works with consistent yield regulation, manual defoliation and thinning out in order to obtain concentrated grape material. In the cellar, they rely on temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks to preserve the freshness typical of the variety.

A classic journey into the longing world of the South Tyrolean mountains: bright lemon yellow with golden yellow accents. Pinot Blanc Anna Turmhof, with flavours of pear, peach and floral notes, is an unusually soft and beautiful wine, rich and concentrated, with class and refinement. Its fresh acidity is a lively accompaniment to the very captivating and complex finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Sparkling light yellow colour with green reflections. Clear, very broad aroma of apple, citrus, meadow herbs and pear fruit, rich on the palate and with the powerful, taut freshness and invigorating fruit acidity typical of the high altitudes of the Venosta Valley. SUPERIORE.DE

South of Margreid lies the "15er" vineyard, which is characterised by deposits from the Fenner stream and the Adige river and has been planted largely with Merlot vines since 1957. Its location enjoys particularly good aeration thanks to the warm wind from Lake Garda, the Ora, which gives the wine a delicate structure and great finesse. Cherry red in colour with a ruby red sheen. Impressive bouquet of concentrated fruit, pepper and vegetal notes. The body is pleasantly medium-bodied, precise and balanced, with a fine bittersweet flavour and convincing freshness. SUPERIORE.DE

Lagrein is the great autochthonous red wine variety of South Tyrol – and at Tiefenbrunner it finds ideal conditions. The grapes come from the slopes of Entiklar and Margreider Leiten, at an altitude of 220 to 350 metres, where limestone gravel soils from moraine deposits provide mineral depth. Some of the vines were planted back in 1967 – experience you can taste. Maceration in stainless steel is followed by malolactic fermentation, after which the wine matures for eight months in large and small wooden barrels. The result: a Lagrein that combines power with elegance.

Markus Prackwieser's Sauvignon vines grow on calcareous moraines with solid quartz porphyry at the foot of the Schlern massif, approx. 400-480 metres above sea level. Sparkling, light straw yellow colour. Very intense, appealing nose of tomato leaves, sage, a little thyme and white asparagus. Salty and freshly vibrant on the palate, densely woven, showing distinctly fragrant components, fine gooseberry, juicy and full of tension. SUPERIORE.DE

Here the name becomes the programme: Michael Graf Goëss-Enzenberg gave this wine its title because it tastes like Manincor itself. The essence of the hills that surround the estate, the view over Lake Kaltern, the strength and warmth of the warmest vineyards in South Tyrol – all come together in this glass. Grapes from Manincor and Panholzerhof, both at 250 metres, south-eastern slopes with sandy clay soils full of limestone gravel and glacial deposits. Lagrein, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon – three grape varieties, one home. Each batch is vinified separately, partly spontaneously with wild yeasts in wooden, concrete and stainless steel vats. Ten days of gentle maceration, only dipped once a day for fine-grained tannins. Matured for twelve months in used wooden barrels of various sizes.

La Contessa is a South Tyrolean white wine with soul and origin, produced from biodynamically farmed vineyards near Kaltern. Grown on loamy-sandy soils at an altitude of 300-400 metres, the cuvée of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc combines alpine freshness with southern charm. The 2024 vintage was characterised by a cool spring and a balanced ripening phase, which allowed for aromatic clarity and fine structure.

"Zero Infinito" stands for zero chemical intervention and infinity. Years of research and experimentation have led to this extraordinary project, in which the grapes of the fungus-resistant Solaris grape variety are transformed into wine without any additives: no treatment in the vineyard, no use of sulphur dioxide, no commercial yeasts, no clarifying agents, no filtering and no antioxidants! The grapes for this sparkling wine made according to the Méthode Ancestrale (Pet Nat) with yeast lees come from the south-west facing Maso Rella vineyard, which lies at an altitude of 800 to 900 metres.

The vines for Pinot Grigio Punggl thrive on soils with a high clay content south of Margreid. Bright straw yellow in colour with a brilliant core. Spicy, fruity aromas with notes of nuts, honey and fresh flowers lend it elegance and charm. Full-bodied and mineral flavour with a juicy structure and long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Buchholz – in the Austrian land register of 1858, the name already referred to the valley slopes above Salurn, where terraced vineyards lie on dolomite sedimentary rock between 400 and 800 metres above sea level. Peter Zemmer, whose family has been making wine in Kurtinig an der Weinstraße since 1928, has chosen this heterogeneous location for his Chardonnay: A mosaic of microclimates and soils that combines alpine freshness with southern ripeness. In the morning, the breeze from the north cools, in the afternoon the "Ora" from the south warms: a daily breathing space that gives the grapes time. The vinification remains deliberately restrained: short cold maceration to preserve the fruit, fermentation at 19°C in large wooden barrels.

Fine Sauvignon Blanc from grapes grown on limestone gravel soils in Kurtatsch and loamy sandy soils in Völser Aicha. Rich flavours of elderflower, gooseberry, green pepper, sage and mint. An elegant wine, pleasantly mineral, fresh and juicy with well-balanced acidity. SUPERIORE.DE