St. Michael-Eppan

Lake Kaltern is the warmest lake in the Alps. This is not a tourist exaggeration, but a geological fact – and of crucial importance for the vineyards around its shores. The water stores the heat of the summer and gives it back in the cooler autumn nights. This microclimate has made the area the most famous growing region for Vernatsch grapes for centuries. The St. Michael-Eppan winery, founded in 1907 and now run by 340 member families, sources its grapes for this wine from the Sattel vineyard site – those gently sloping vineyards between Eppan and the lake, at 420 to 480 metres, south-east to south-west exposure, on moraine debris soils from the last ice age. The vines are up to 50 years old. Harvesting takes place at the beginning of October, by hand – and the word "Auslese" in the name says it all: Only the ripest grapes go into this wine, vinified separately from the rest of the harvest. Only steel, no wood – the fruit should speak for itself.

The steep slopes of St. Magdalena near Bolzano, between 300 and 350 metres above sea level, are home to this legendary South Tyrolean red wine speciality. The autochthonous Vernatsch grape thrives here in ideal climatic conditions on moraine debris soils facing south and south-east. The cuvée of 90% Vernatsch and 10% Lagrein is vinified by the renowned St. Michael-Eppan winery, which has been one of the leading co-operatives in South Tyrol since 1907. The grapes are hand-picked at the beginning of October and carefully selected. After fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation before being matured in steel tanks.

Pagis" becomes "Fallwind". The Fallwind wines are ambassadors of their terroir and reflect the strengths of the growing region in a unique way. Most of them are selected sites where viticulture has been practised for centuries. Strict quality guidelines, low yields, intensive manual work in the vineyard as well as gentle and individual maturation in the cellar make them what they are: Wines full of character, precise and unique, which convince every connoisseur with their varietal characteristics.

Pinot Grigio has an image problem. Somewhere between mass production in Veneto and its reputation as a run-of-the-mill international wine, the impression has taken hold that it is a wine without ambition. Anyone wishing to correct this impression should look to South Tyrol. In Alto Adige, the variety – originally from Burgundy – has found a terroir that gives it what it cannot get elsewhere: cool nights, altitudes between 300 and 500 metres, calcareous soils, and alpine precision. Cellar master Hans Terzer, one of the leading figures in South Tyrolean white wine for decades, has clearly defined the style: clean, single-varietal, and distinct in character. The St. Michael-Eppan Winery, founded in 1907 and supported by 340 member families, has turned this into one of its best-selling wines – and rightly so. 100% Pinot Grigio, fermented and aged exclusively in stainless steel.

Appiano is the largest wine-growing community in South Tyrol – and the St. Michael-Eppan winery is its centrepiece. Together, 330 member companies cultivate 385 hectares on sunny slopes between 250 and 900 metres above sea level. What unites them is not just the geography, but the conviction that quality is created in the vineyard – and that Eppan offers the right conditions for this. The Chardonnay grows at around 400 metres above sea level along the famous South Tyrolean Wine Route, on moraine soils from the Ice Age – calcareous, well-aerated, with a natural ability to ripen slowly. Hand-picked, processed in stainless steel: fresh and typical of the variety.

Pinot Bianco is the most cultivated white wine variety at the St. Michael-Eppan winery – and there is a reason for this. At altitudes of 480 to 650 metres in the municipality of Appiano, the grape variety finds exactly what it needs: calcareous gravel soils with a light clay content, south-east exposure and the cool night winds that blow down from the Mendel Mountains. These winds are the invisible tool of the terroir – they slow down the ripening process and maintain the freshness that distinguishes Pinot Bianco at this altitude from all others. Hand-picked, vinification in steel. Typical of the variety, clean, easy to drink.

The history of Lagrein cultivation in Alto Adige dates back to the 14th century. The Lagrein from St. Michael-Eppan is a characterful representative of its grape variety - powerful, but well-managed, with regional typicity and a clear profile. Grown on brooding, sandy-loamy soils in the Bolzano and Appiano area, the wine shows what South Tyrol's indigenous red wine variety can achieve in good hands. The 2024 vintage brought a balanced ripeness that allowed for freshness and depth in equal measure. After the classic mash fermentation, the wine matured for several months in large wooden barrels, which lends structure without overpowering the fruit.

Tramin gave this grape variety its name. A village on the South Tyrolean Wine Route that has been renowned for its aromatic Gewürztraminer for centuries. Eppan is South Tyrol's largest wine-growing municipality – and has been home to the St. Michael-Eppan Winery for over a hundred years. The co-operative sources its grapes from its members' individual vineyards stretching from Cortaccia via Termeno and Kaltern to Eppan, at altitudes of 300 to 500 metres with a south-southeast aspect, on calcareous gravelly soils with a slight clay content. Hand-harvested in mid-September, fermented and matured in stainless steel. Dry-styled, with pure aromatics.

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.

Pinot Bianco was first introduced to South Tyrol as early as 1850 – and the Schulthaus vineyard, above Castel Moos in Appiano Monte, is probably the most historic site for Pinot Bianco in the entire municipality. The Schulthauser has been bottled as a wine in its own right since 1982 – and since then it has 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.

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.

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. The Fallwind wines are ambassadors for their terroir and uniquely reflect the strengths of the growing region. Most are sourced from selected vineyards where wine has been grown for centuries. Strict quality guidelines, low yields, intensive manual labour in the vineyard, and gentle, individual ageing in the cellar make them what they are: wines full of character, precise and unique, which win over every connoisseur with their varietal characteristics.

Fallwind wines are ambassadors for their terroir and reflect the strengths of the growing region in a unique way. Most are produced from selected vineyards where wine has been grown for centuries. Strict quality guidelines, low yields, intensive manual labour in the vineyard, and gentle, individual vinification in the cellar make them what they are: wines full of character, precise and unique, which will win over every connoisseur with their varietal characteristics.

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. The Fallwind wines are ambassadors of their terroir and uniquely reflect the strengths of the growing region. Most are sourced from selected vineyards where wine has been grown for centuries. Strict quality guidelines, low yields, intensive manual labour in the vineyard, and gentle, individual vinification in the cellar make them what they are: wines full of character, precise and unique, which win over every connoisseur with their varietal characteristics.

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. 

Downdraught. The name is not marketing – it is pure meteorology. Every evening, cool air masses descend from the Mendel Mountains and sweep over the vineyards of Appiano, Caldaro and Cortaccia. These evening downdraughts give the entire terroir of the winery its character: they slow down ripening, maintain freshness and give the wines the flavour and longevity that cannot be taken for granted in this region. Merlot and Cabernet have been grown here since 1850, and the two varieties are vinified separately for the Riserva – in stainless steel tanks, followed by malolactic fermentation and ageing in barriques and tonneaux. After around a year, they are blended and mature further in steel. The Merlot brings soft tannins and fullness, the Cabernet structure and reverberation. The vineyards are located in the warmest areas of the municipalities of Appiano, Caldaro and Cortaccia, south to south-east facing, on calcareous gravel and moraine soils.

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.

This wine owes its name to the evening downdrafts of the Mendel Mountains – that natural force which sweeps across the vineyards of Eppan, Kaltern and Pinzon every evening, lending the entire terroir its unmistakable character. These cool breezes create marked temperature fluctuations between day and night, shaping the grapes' aromas and lending the wines that exceptional freshness and longevity which make them true ambassadors of their origin. At altitudes of between 350 and 550 metres, on moraine deposits and calcareous gravel, the Pinot Nero thrives under these special conditions to produce a Riserva of Burgundian elegance. Following fermentation in stainless-steel tanks, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation during a twelve-month ageing period in barriques and tonneaux. This is followed by blending, before further ageing takes place in concrete tanks. The Riserva classification requires a minimum of two years' total ageing.

In South Tyrol, the name St. Valentin has long stood for more than just a premium range – it is a promise. A promise of precision, a commitment to terroir, and the determination to draw the maximum expression from well-known grape varieties. With Pinot Grigio, this is achieved in an almost understated manner – without drama, but with depth and character. The vines for the St. Valentin Pinot Grigio grow on selected, higher-altitude plots around Eppan, where calcareous gravel soils, alpine altitude and long hours of sunshine create an exceptional interplay. A Pinot Grigio that does not aim for quick fruitiness or casual appeal, but rather for structure, minerality and longevity. After harvest, fermentation takes place partly in stainless steel and partly in large wooden casks – the subsequent ageing on the fine lees lends it substance and a hint of creamy elegance.

Since 1986, the Gewürztraminer has been one of the founding wines of the legendary Sanct Valentin range – the premium collection with which cellar master Hans Terzer once set a new benchmark for South Tyrolean premium wines. From carefully selected vineyards in the municipality of Eppan, where the grape variety finds ideal conditions on calcareous gravel at altitudes of between 450 and 600 metres, the winery selects only the very best grapes for this wine. What sets it apart, alongside its aromatic intensity, is its remarkable longevity – a quality that distinguishes it from many other Gewürztraminers and promises a magnificent drinking experience even after years of bottle ageing. The grapes are hand-harvested with rigorous selection. A short maceration is followed by gentle pressing, before temperature-controlled fermentation begins. The wine is aged exclusively in stainless steel tanks.

1989 marked the debut of the St. Michael-Eppan Winery's most famous wine. Cellar master Hans Terzer created the Sauvignon Sanct Valentin as the flagship wine of the top-tier range of the same name: selected plots on the slopes of the Mendel Mountains, strict quality guidelines, low yields and intensive manual labour. Since then, it has been regarded as one of Italy's most award-winning white wines – a title it earns anew year after year. Today, the responsibility lies with Jakob Gasser, who carries on this legacy with the same care. The vineyards on the foothills of the Mendel Mountains benefit daily from the fallwind – the cooling evening breezes that preserve freshness and aromatics and lend the Sauvignon its characteristic minerality. Hand-harvested, cold maceration of the skins, fermentation in stainless steel, ageing on the fine lees. Precision at every stage, with no intervention that masks the expression of the terroir.

In 1986, Hans Terzer took the bold step of vinifying a Chardonnay in the Burgundian style, a wine that was to set international standards. The grapes for this wine, which has since become the flagship of the Sanct Valentin range, come from the finest single vineyards in the municipality of Eppan, situated between 450 and 550 metres above sea level on calcareous gravel soils. Warm September days, cool nights – the microclimate of the South Tyrolean mountain vineyards lends the Chardonnay that aromatic depth and structure which allow it to mature year after year. Each plot is vinified separately. Fermentation begins in barriques, where malolactic fermentation also takes place, followed by eleven months on the fine lees – only then is the blend assembled, followed by a further eight months' ageing in stainless-steel tanks to perfect the balance between fruit, oak and minerality.