Gump Hof

The name Mediaevum refers to the Middle Ages, when minstrels such as Oswald von Wolkenstein sang of the wine from the Gump Hof – as a symbol of lightness and freshness. It is precisely this philosophy that Markus Prackwieser’s Vernatsch from the everyday Mediaevum range embodies: uncomplicated wines that enrich life without any pretensions to grand drama. The grapes grow on calcareous moraine soils over quartz porphyry in the southern Eisack Valley. After a short cold maceration, the wine ferments for a week in stainless-steel tanks, followed by malolactic fermentation and six to eight months’ ageing – two-thirds in steel and one-third in large wooden barrels.

The Gump Hof is situated at the foot of the Schlern, the iconic Dolomite massif to the east of Bolzano, which dominates the entire surrounding area with its flat summit. 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 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.

Where Pinot Blanc ends, Sauvignon begins. At altitudes of 450 to 550 metres, on the steepest slopes at the foot of the Schlern, it grows on espalier vines at a density of 7,500 vines per hectare, on the same limestone moraines over quartz porphyry, but a little higher up and noticeably cooler. This produces a different character: not the gentle delicacy of Pinot Blanc, but tension and density. A vibrant acidity that creates a pull on the palate. Gentle pressing, fermented in stainless steel, 8 months on the fine lees. The result is a Sauvignon that demonstrates what altitude and porphyry can do for this grape variety.

Praesulis Pinot Bianco is remarkably attractive. A luminous silver with straw-yellow hues. The bouquet offers peach, with subtle hints of red berries and sweet sage. On the palate, it is juicy, racy and salty, with great drive and a precise finish, accompanied by a blend of candied lime and salty minerals that cut through its silky textures. The finish is long and remarkably fresh, with a salty note balanced by a hint of candied citrus. It is already showing itself very well and possesses a fine balance with a long and steady development. SUPERIORE.DE

Where cool Dolomite winds meet Mediterranean influence, Markus Prackwieser has been writing wine history with quiet consistency at the Gump Hof since 2000. The farm, which was first mentioned in a document in 1546, is spectacularly situated on the steep slopes of the southern Eisack Valley at the foot of the Schlern massif – vineyards with a 50 to 70 per cent gradient at 400 to 500 metres, which require pure manual labour. The experimental winegrower draws his inspiration from Burgundy, the Wachau and the Loire Valley, from the legendary Didier Dagueneau. The Praesulis Gewürztraminer 2024 grows on calcareous moraine soils over quartz porphyry. After a short maceration and gentle pressing, the wine ferments and matures for ten months in steel tanks on the fine lees.

Praesulis Sauvignon Blanc unfolds in the glass with hints of aromatic herbs and lemon zest, accompanied by gooseberries, grapefruit and elderberries. Soothingly smooth and with a pleasant inner sweetness, it blends candied lemon with tart melon and lively acidity to create a robust yet juicy style on the palate. It finishes with vibrant tension and good length, leaving behind concentrated citrus fruit and lovely floral notes. Wonderfully elegant and well-balanced. SUPERIORE.DE

The Praesulis Pinot Nero is the latest addition to the Gump Hof wine family – a challenge that Markus Prackwieser has only been taking on for a few years. Because Pinot Noir in the cool altitudes of the southern Eisack Valley is a venture that requires patience and courage. The grapes grow at 550 metres above sea level on calcareous moraine soils over quartz porphyry – those steep slopes that benefit from Mediterranean warmth during the day but are ventilated at night by the cool downdraughts from the Dolomites. A week of cold maceration is followed by two weeks of fermentation and maceration on the skins. The wine then matures for twelve months in barriques with malolactic fermentation.

Renaissance – the name says it all. Markus Prackwieser leaves it to historians to decide whether Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli or Michelangelo were wine lovers. But their universal genius inspires him: only in the very best years, when all the factors are in perfect harmony, does he create these artistic wines – masterpieces that shine with versatility and finesse. The Sauvignon Blanc Riserva Renaissance represents this philosophy in its purest form. The grapes grow on calcareous moraine soils over quartz porphyry at an altitude of 400 to 550 metres, where Mediterranean warmth prevails during the day and cool Dolomite winds provide crystalline freshness at night. After a short maceration and gentle pressing, the wine ferments completely in tonneau. Then comes the decisive step: twelve months of ageing in large oak barrels on the first lees, followed by a further ten months in steel tanks on the fine lees. This patient maturation gives the wine that extra mellowness and finesse that sets it apart from all others.

Pinot Blanc – the supreme discipline of South Tyrol. The grape variety is considered the "number one white wine in South Tyrol" for good reason, and Markus Prackwieser's Renaissance Pinot Blanc Riserva elevates it to a level that few can match. Once again, it is the philosophy of the great Renaissance masters that is the inspiration here: universal expertise, perfection in detail, timeless beauty. Only in the very best years, when the terroir is at its most expressive, is this wine created – a work of art that needs two years to mature to perfection. The grapes come from the steepest plots of the Gump Hof, where calcareous moraines lie on solid quartz porphyry and the vines are exposed to the winds at an altitude of 400 to 550 metres. After gentle pressing, the must ferments completely in the large tonneau. Then comes the time that sets this wine apart from all others: twelve months in large wooden barrels on the first lees, a further ten months in steel tanks on the fine lees, followed by at least one year of bottle ageing before release. This patient ageing, which lasts over two years, gives the wine that extra mellowness, depth and finesse that distinguishes greatness from greatness.

Pinot Noir at high alpine altitudes – a risk that few take and even fewer master. Markus Prackwieser is one of those rare winemakers who breathe South Tyrolean mountain flavour into the Burgundian temperament of this capricious grape variety. His Renaissance Pinot Nero Riserva is more than just a wine – it is the interaction of soil, microclimate and winegrower, manifested in liquid form. And as with all Renaissance wines, it is only in special years, when the terroir reveals its greatest personality, that this wine is allowed to impress with its very own identity after long ageing in barriques. The grapes come from the highest plots of the Gump Hof, where Pinot Noir grows at 500 to 550 metres on calcareous moraines over quartz porphyry. The vinification follows Burgundian principles with alpine consistency: one week of cold maceration, followed by two weeks of fermentation and maceration in stainless steel tanks – forty per cent whole-cluster fermentation, the sophisticated technique that produces floral notes, spice and silky tannins. This is followed by eighteen months in barriques, half in new barrels, with malolactic fermentation. After blending, the wines mature for a further five months in large wooden barrels before at least one year of bottle ageing completes their development.

Pinot Noir at high alpine altitudes – a risk that few take and even fewer master. Markus Prackwieser is one of those rare winemakers who breathe South Tyrolean mountain flavour into the Burgundian temperament of this capricious grape variety. His Renaissance Pinot Nero Riserva is more than just a wine – it is the interaction of soil, microclimate and winegrower, manifested in liquid form. And as with all Renaissance wines, it is only in special years, when the terroir reveals its greatest personality, that this wine is allowed to impress with its very own identity after long ageing in barriques. The grapes come from the highest plots of the Gump Hof, where Pinot Noir grows at 500 to 550 metres on calcareous moraines over quartz porphyry. The vinification follows Burgundian principles with alpine consistency: one week of cold maceration, followed by two weeks of fermentation and maceration in stainless steel tanks – forty per cent whole-cluster fermentation, the sophisticated technique that produces floral notes, spice and silky tannins. This is followed by eighteen months in barriques, half in new barrels, with malolactic fermentation. After blending, the wines mature for a further five months in large wooden barrels before at least one year of bottle ageing completes their development.