Wines from South Tyrol and Trentino

Pinot Grigio is sometimes mass-produced in northern Italy. Millions of bottles, pale style, interchangeable. And then there is the Cantina Terlan, alongside a few other serious winegrowers. At 270 to 350 metres, on the gently sloping porphyry slopes around Terlan, the Ruländer – as its old, more appropriate name – tells a different story. Hand-picked, gentle pressing, slow fermentation in steel, 5-7 months on the fine lees: a vinification that gives the grape variety room to show itself.

South Tyrol's now second most important red grape variety finds its perfect stage on the sun-drenched slopes of Andriano between 300 and 450 metres above sea level. Here, where calcareous clay soils meet dolomite rock, the Burgundian aristocrat unfolds its full alpine finesse. The unique microclimate of this altitude gives the thin-skinned berries their characteristic elegance and aromatic depth. The hand-picked grapes are gently destemmed and fermented at a controlled temperature to preserve the delicate flavours. A six-month refinement in stainless steel tanks on the fine lees gives this Pinot Nero additional texture and complexity.

The name Lepus – Latin for 'hare' – refers to the heraldic animal of the Haas family, who have been based in the picturesque village of Montagna, south of Bolzano, since 1880. What began as a small family business developed under Franz Haas into one of South Tyrol's most visionary wineries, causing a stir with its striking artist-designed labels by Riccardo Schweizer and its consistent use of screw caps. Lepus embodies the classic elegance of South Tyrolean white wine: made from 100% Pinot Bianco, the grapes come from vineyards in three different sites at altitudes of between 400 and 800 metres around Montagna, facing south and south-west on geologically diverse soils – ranging from loose sandy soils to dense, weathered porphyry. Vinification takes place 80% in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks and 20% in small oak barriques, followed by several months of ageing on the lees.

The Gump Hof is situated at the foot of the Schlern, the iconic Dolomite massif to the east of Bolzano, which, with its flat summit, dominates the entire surrounding area. First mentioned in records in 1546 and owned by the Prackwieser family for over 200 years, Markus took over the estate from his father in 2000 – following wine study trips to the Wachau, Burgundy and the Loire Valley, which shaped his approach. The name Mediaevum says it all: the Middle Ages, from the Latin, and thus a commitment to a landscape and a history of viticulture that began long before modern South Tyrol. The vineyards are situated at altitudes of 400 to 500 metres, on calcareous moraines overlying compact quartz porphyry, with a slope gradient of 45 to 55 per cent. Gentle pressing, stainless steel, 8 months on the fine lees.

A real rarity: Ebnerhof is home to the southernmost Grüner-Veltliner vineyards in South Tyrol. What is mainstream in Austria is exclusive in the Isarco Valley – the grape variety has felt at home here for generations, but only a few winegrowers dare to try their hand at it. The Unterthiner family cultivates this Austrian legend on mineral-rich, gravelly soils at an altitude of 500 to 550 metres, where the special soil conditions give the wine its unmistakable signature. After gentle processing, the must ferments at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks, after which the wine matures on the fine lees – partly in small wooden barrels –which gives it additional depth.

Medium golden yellow. A spicy, intense nose with aromas of roses, lychee and lily blossoms. On the palate, it is full-bodied and round with a rich, creamy texture. Spicy and mineral notes are complemented by fresh acidity, alongside hints of apricot and honeydew melon. Gewürztraminer Stoass finishes harmoniously with a delicately fruity and smooth finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Riesling (Riesing renano, not Riesling italico) is regarded as the soul of Northern Europe – moselle, Rhine, Alsace. The fact that it finds a completely unique voice in the hills of Trentino is down to two men who started out in Faedo in 1975, and two soils that could hardly be more different. In Cembra, Maso Besleri, Località Val Bona, the vines grow on volcanic porphyry – —dark, grainy, rich in rounded pebbles. The slopes have a gradient of up to 50 per cent: heroic in every respect, Guyot training, 6,000 vines per hectare. In Faedo, Località Palai, the soil is the exact opposite: limestone and dolomite of marine origin, sedimentary, light in colour and providing structure.

700 metres. That is the altitude at which one of Pojer e Sandri’s two Pinot Noir vineyards is situated – in Palai, south-facing, on local limestone soil, swept by the Ora del Garda. For Pinot Nero in Trentino, this is exceptionally high. Long, cool nights, marked temperature fluctuations, and a slow ripening process that gives the grape variety exactly the time it needs to develop elegance and freshness. The second vineyard is in Faedo itself, in Località Rocol, at 300 metres – lower, warmer, and more full-bodied. Together, these two sites produce a Pinot Nero that fully embodies Faedo. Since 2002, the winery has been using a proprietary, patented process: Iperriduzione – the entire processing of the grapes takes place without oxygen, exclusively in stainless steel tanks. No external intervention – the grape’s natural protective compounds do the work. Fresh, clear, consistent.

The great Bordeaux estates have shown the way: a so-called "second wine" is not simply a wine that didn't make the grade. It offers a different perspective. Younger vines, different plots, shorter ageing – resulting in a wine that is meant to be drunk sooner, has a fresher character and reveals a different facet of the same terroir. Tenuta San Leonardo introduced this concept to the Dolomites in 2005.

In 1975, Mario Pojer and Fiorentino Sandri purchased two hectares of vineyards in Faedo, a hill situated between the Adige Valley and the Val di Cembra. Many were sceptical: Faedo was considered unsuitable for quality winegrowing. The pair remained undeterred. Today, Faedo is one of Trentino’s most sought-after wine-growing sites – and Pojer e Sandri is one of Italy’s most innovative wineries. The Traminer is grown on two sites: Faedo, Località Coveli, at 300 metres, south-west facing, on porphyritic-volcanic soil with sandy layers of dark, gravel-rich rock. And Cembra, Località Valbona, at 450 metres – cooler, providing structure. The Ora del Garda, the daily wind from Lake Garda, ventilates the vineyards and keeps the aromas fresh. Gewürztraminer from Alsatian clones, Pergoletta Trentina Aperta and Guyot, 6,000 to 6,500 vines per hectare. Vinification follows a principle developed in-house: grape washing and pressing in a controlled atmosphere – without any exogenous antioxidants. The grape variety speaks for itself; nothing masks it.

High above Bolzano, where the steep porphyry slopes of the Ritten rise 650 metres into the Alpine air, one of South Tyrol’s most distinctive Gewürztraminers thrives. Kleinstein is the result of uncompromising selection: Cellar master Stephan Filippi selects grapes exclusively from those vineyards where the volcanic terroir and the extreme day-night temperature fluctuations draw out the full aromatic power of this regal grape variety. These privileged plots on the Ritten tell a geological story: Ancient volcanic rock and mineral-rich weathered soils create a terroir of rare intensity. Here, the Gewürztraminer grapes ripen under the South Tyrolean sun, whilst cool mountain breezes provide the freshness that gives this premium wine its impressive balance.

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 very south of South Tyrol – and is therefore, in terms of climate, a world away from the high Alpine regions near Nals. Warm summers, mild winters, and every afternoon the Ora: the warm southerly wind from Lake Garda that sweeps through the vineyards, aerating the vines and keeping the harvesthealthy. Chardonnay thrives on precisely this. The vineyards, situated on a gentle slope at altitudes between 220 and 350 metres and facing south-southeast, are planted on brooding, white limestone gravel soil with a high humus content – a terroir that fosters both richness and aromatic intensity. Cellar master Harald Schraffl favours a measured approach to vinification: fermentation in 30-hectolitre wooden barrels over three weeks, followed by eight months' ageing on the fine lees. The creaminess comes from the lees, 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 historic fortified tower in the centre of Entiklar, which gives the winery its name and its middle line its character: structured, expressive, from selected vineyards. One step above the Merus – and you can feel it. Turmhof Chardonnay comes from the same three vineyard sites as Merus, but with a lower yield: 50 to 60 hectolitres per hectare instead of 65 to 75. The altitude range of 210 to 650 metres remains the same – calcareous dolomite soils in Penon, Hofstatt and Rain, calcareous gravel soils from moraine deposits in Entiklar and on the Margreider Leiten, sandy-calcareous alluvial soils in Margreid, Punggl and Kurtinig. What distinguishes Turmhof from Merus is also decided in the cellar: partial ageing in large oak barrels.

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.

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.

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.