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The wine-growing tradition of Girlan, a small village near Bolzano with 2,800 inhabitants, has been documented since the Middle Ages. In the meantime, some of the best wineries in South Tyrol can be found there. Roland Brunner introduces them and their wines.

The region of South Tyrol is one of the top wine-growing areas in Italy in terms of quality. Certainly: Piedmont has Barolo, Barbaresco and many other wine jewels, Tuscany offers Brunello di Montalcino and outstanding Chianti. But a variety of independent, high-quality wines spread across the entire region, as South Tyrol currently has to offer, is something special. This diversity is what makes South Tyrol so appealing, but it is often difficult for wine lovers without insider knowledge to understand. Our irregularly published overview articles offer a remedy: they present the best producers of the sub-regions of South Tyrol in alphabetical order - this time from the historic wine village of Girlan.

Hartmann Donà

Hartmann Donà KG

Sales by telephone arrangement at

Tel: +39 329 2610628

Since spring 2021, Hartmann Donà has set up his winery in Lana between Terlan and Meran. As a winemaker, however, he has remained a Girlan native.

E-mail
Website

Insiders of the South Tyrolean wine scene have long known the name Hartmann Donà. In the 1990s, as cellar master of the Terlan Winery, he made a significant contribution to the fact that this winery, with its extremely long-lived white wines, is where it is today - at the top of the world. Hartmann Donà is a self-confident person who says about himself that "it is my strength to understand, interpret and work with the three unique characteristics of soil, grape varieties and climate". For Hartmann Donà, however, this self-confidence does not mean that he overrates his work. He is rather reserved in that respect and prefers to appreciate the achievements of others.

"Without the work of my predecessor Sebastian 'Wastl' Stocker as well as that of the people in charge in Terlan and the winegrowers who managed their vineyards in such a way that we could produce great wines from the grapes in the cellar, I would not have had a chance," he says. He remained true to this attitude even after his time in Terlan, when he was appointed consultant for wineries in South Tyrol and Italy. Parallel to this activity, he began to produce his own wines. And as a winemaker, it is above all his appreciation for natural processes that determines his work. A tour with him through his vineyards quickly makes it clear why he is also known as the 'vine whisperer'. He has a great attention to detail and, above all, a lot of respect for all living things. For Hartmann Donà, the vineyard is the place where "my values have their roots".

That is why he does not spare criticism when nature is shortchanged due to economic considerations. For example, a large walnut tree is allowed to remain in his vineyard, even if it bothers a neighbour that the tree provides unwanted shade for the vines. "The tree is an important habitat for insects and birds. If we want to farm naturally, they, like the tree itself, are an asset not only to the eye but also to the soul." His goal in vineyard work is to create "a lively, diverse ambience in which the vines feel comfortable and I don't have to 'do' much anymore." In the cellar, too, making is in the background; it is above all the 'time' factor that determines the course of things. Hartmann Donà calls it his "constant and careful companion".

In the creation of each wine, he is "preceded by the idea of developing something very special from the local grape varieties. For example, rediscovering and reinterpreting the partially forgotten and unrecognised potential of 40 to 50-year-old vines. This is the case with the local grape variety Vernatsch". This still often unrecognised South Tyrolean red wine tradition is close to Hartmann Donà's heart. That is why he started the 'Liquid Stone' project in 2018, with which he wants to show "how diverse our autochthonous grape variety is on different soils". For this purpose, Vernatsch grapes from three old vineyards (35-75 years old) are vinified separately. The 'Dolomit' grows at an altitude of 350 metres on loamy limestone gravel in Kurtatsch in South Tyrol, the 'Phyllit' stands on mineral slate gneiss from Oberplars near Meran, where it goes up to 650 metres, and the 'Granit' comes from 500-metre-high vineyards with granite from Lana in Burggrafenamt.

In addition to these Vernatsch varieties, there is a single-varietal Pinot Noir and the white wine cuvée 'Donà Blanc' made from Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay, as well as the 'Donà d'Or'. All wines require maturity and are therefore sold two years after the harvest at the earliest, the "Donà d'Or" even later. But you can - or should - still take your time drinking them - ten to fifteen years is the best drinking age for these wines.

His love of the local Vernatsch from old vines has also led Hartmann Donà to venture something that no one had tried before him: a bottle-fermented sparkling wine "Blanc de Rouge", made purely from Vernatsch and matured on the yeast for 24 to 30 months. Here, Hartmann Donà claims to compete with the growths from the well-known sparkling wine regions of Italy and France.

In addition to its long-lived wines, Hartmann Donà also produces six other wines that are made purely from the traditional South Tyrolean varieties of Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Lagrein. With these wines, Hartmann Donà attaches great importance to varietal typicity, fine elegance and easy drinking pleasure. That is why he attaches great importance to keeping the alcohol content within limits.

The wines of Hartmann Donà in the
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Girlan Winery

Winery Girlan

Producer Info

Tel: +39 0471 662403

E-mail
Website

Wine shop:
Mon.- Fri:
9:00-12:30 h & 14:30-18:30 h
Sat.: 9:00-12:30 hrs

Wine tastings possible; winery tours on request.

The Girlan Winery was founded in 1923 by 23 winegrowers from Girlan. This was done in order to make themselves independent of the commercial wineries and their price pressure. It proved to be a stroke of luck that the founding members succeeded in acquiring the historic 16th century estate from the estate of Ignaz Kofler. The connection to local tradition is not only evident in the care and use of this historic structure, but also in the priorities the winery sets for itself in wine production. The Girlan comrades were the first and are currently one of the few where the South Tyrolean classic Vernatsch plays an outstanding role in terms of quality. Here, with the Vernatsch "Fass Nr. 9", South Tyrolean winemaking history continued to be written. It was the first Vernatsch to be accepted by critics and wine professionals as a top-class wine. It was created when in 1961 the city fathers of Villach asked the winery if it could produce a full-bodied red wine for the 950th anniversary of the city. Valentin Spitaler, the cellar master at the time, filled barrel no. 9 with grapes from his own vineyards, for which - contrary to the common practice at the time - he relied on very low yields. Valentin Spitaler was successful, the Villach city fathers were satisfied and bought the barrel. The success of this wine continued, however, today's Vernatsch "Fass Nr. 9" no longer comes from just one barrel - the quantity of high-quality Vernatsch at the Girlan winery is now too large for that. Valentin Spitaler went one step further and pressed the "Gschleier" selection from grapes from 90 to 110-year-old vines. Due to the extremely low yields of these old vines, it is an intense, structured wine. It shows what Vernatsch, which is often described as an uncomplicated wine for drinking, is capable of. To celebrate 40 vintages of "Gschleier", the Girlan Winery invited wine experts from all over Europe and placed the 1976 vintage next to other top-class wines from the same year - including a Barolo from the Pira & Figli Winery and Château Figeac from Bordeaux. The experts were supposed to assign the origin, but they did not succeed. "I think this clearly proves the enormous potential of our autochthonous grape variety Vernatsch," emphasises marketing manager Marc Pfitscher.

In white wine, it is Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay where the winery sees the greatest potential. The White Burgundy feels particularly at home on the volcanic soils around Girlan. In addition to the basic wine, two selections are produced, the "Platt & Riegl" and the Riserva "Flora". Both are wines with dense, intense aromas that are at the same time very fine, delicate and floral. These characteristics are even more pronounced in the Riserva. Both wines should not be drunk too young.

Those responsible for Pinot Noir are even more ambitious than those for Vernatsch and Pinot Blanc. Here, the aim is to present a great wine alongside the high-quality selection wines "Patricia" and the Riserva "Trattmann", which need not shy away from any comparison - not even on an international top level. The grapes for these two wines come from the top Pinot Noir site Mazzon in the Unterland as well as from the volcanic soils of Girlan. The Mazzon gives the wines complexity and structure, the grapes provide pleasantly cooling elements in the wines. With the "Patricia", the emphasis is on spicy as well as straightforward, precise fruit. The Riserva ferments longer on the skins, partly with stems, and matures for two years in barriques and large wooden barrels. This adds a demanding character and greater ageing potential. Soft, ingratiating pleasures are not the goal. "We not only have the desire, but now also the know-how and the self-confidence to make Pinot Noir in a way that pleases us and not the masses. For mainstream, Pinot Noir - at least at the level we produce it - is not the right wine either," says cellar master Gerhard Kofler.

This self-confidence is also evident in the Girlaner's new Pinot Noir creation, the Riserva "Vigna Ganger". This is a wine whose ex-farm price of 130 euros proves that they want to be among the world's best. The grapes come exclusively from the vineyard (ital. Vigna) Ganger of the Trattmannhof in Mazon. After a long search and many experiments, this single vineyard was deemed the most suitable for the production of a wine at this level. The vines here have an average age of 25 years and give the wine enough substance and complexity. It was important to Gerhard Kofler and his team that the grapes come from a designated single vineyard. This makes them the only cooperative in South Tyrol to have designed their premium product as single vineyard. A maximum of 2,500 to 3,000 bottles are produced, depending on the vintage.

To demonstrate their Pinot Noir expertise, the Girlan Winery's range will be expanded with two more wines between the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022. In particular, the winery wants to put another Girlan exclamation mark with a single-vineyard Pinot Noir.

The wines of the Girlan W inery in the
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K. Martini & Son

K. Martini & Son

Producer Info

Direct sales:
Mon.-Fri:
8.00-12.00 h, 14.30-18.30 h
Sat.: 9.00-12.00 hrs

Address: Lammweg 28, 39057 Girlan
Lammweg 28, 39057 Girlan

Tel: +39 0471 663 156

E-mail
Website

In 1979 Gabriel Martini decided to give up his job as cellar master at the Gries Winery in Bolzano and devote himself to the family winery that his father Karl Martini had founded. Setting up the "K.Martini & Sohn" winery independently was a lot of work. "The first bottles were filled, sealed and labelled by hand. The structure was small from the start - and so there was no other way for us than to let the wines speak for themselves. Only quality and friendly service justify the existence of a small family business," says Lukas Martini, who is now responsible for wine production. Although around 250,000 bottles are produced annually, the winery is still a pure family business. Most of the grapes are supplied by contract winegrowers from Girlan, Eppan, Kaltern, the Bolzano area and the Eisack Valley. A small vineyard near Girlan is cultivated by the Martinis themselves. The range is divided into four selection lines: The Classic line, the Pure Origin wines, the Paladium selection and the Top line wines. In addition, there is the special bottling Weißburgunder 'Alte Reben'.

Lukas Martini attaches particular importance to "varietal typicity and a harmonious drink. The wines should have substance without losing the subtleties of the variety. One should be able to drink them light-heartedly with pleasure and at the same time be able to occupy oneself with them". This structure in the wines is achieved above all by using grapes from different sites. Exemplary for all wines - white as well as red - is the Sauvignon Blanc, whose grapes come from rather warm sites in Kaltern and Girlan as well as from up to 600 metres high, rather cool sites in Oberbozen. The former provide intense fruit and a certain structure, the latter bring animating freshness to the wine. In the cellar, rather little is done and care is taken that the wines can develop their potential as best as possible.

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Lorenz Martini Sparkling Wine Cellars

Roland Brunner

Direct sales by appointment by telephone.

Address:
Pranzollweg 2/D, I-39057 Girlan

Tel: +39 0471 664136

E-mail
Website

Lorenz Martini produces sparkling wine exclusively according to the traditional method of bottle fermentation. Although it is hardly known, it has a long history in South Tyrol. As early as 1902, the "South Tyrolean Champagne Cellar" was founded on the Wickenburg in Sankt Michael Eppan. Its purpose was to satisfy the demand of the Austro-Hungarian nobility, whose families needed sparkling wines for their celebrations at over 300 castles and estates in the Überetsch region. After the First World War, when South Tyrol belonged to Italy, trade with the north came to a standstill and with it the demand for sparkling wine. It was not until the end of the 1970s that a few pioneers such as Josef Reiterer/Arunda and Alois Ochsenreiter/Haderburg as well as the Kössler sparkling wine cellar in Sankt Pauls started producing high-quality sparkling wine again according to the classic method. Lorenz Martini joined them in the 1980s. Since 2000 he has had his own cellar in the centre of Girlan.

Since he does not live from sparkling wine production alone - he works as a cellar master at the Hans Rottensteiner winery in Bolzano - Lorenz Martini does not have to compromise on quality. So he approaches the matter with his own cheerful composure. "I want a strong sparkling wine with distinctive fruit, but above all the mature aromas that characterise good champagnes," he says, explaining his style. That is why Martini has always taken his time before releasing his "Comitissa" for sale. The name is meant to refer to the South Tyrolean sparkling wine's past associated with nobility. 36 months of bottle fermentation have always been the minimum for him, usually more. And his sparkling wines are always made as Pas Dosé (Extra Brut), i.e. with less than three grams of residual sugar. The prerequisite for this is the best grapes, which bring intense fruit aromas as well as the acidity necessary for a sparkling wine. He gets this from vineyards at an altitude of 550 to 800 metres in Buchholz near Salurn, in Eppan Berg and in Jenesien at the entrance to the Sarntal valley. The scattering over different zones initially has viticultural advantages: If it hails in one zone, the whole harvest is not at risk. But at the same time, this increases the aromatic complexity of the sparkling wines.

They are pressed from the three approved varieties for South Tyrolean sparkling wine - Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with Pinot Blanc accounting for the largest share at Lorenz Martini with about 50 percent. He values Pinot Blanc above all "for its nerve and character. This variety may be more restrained in terms of aroma than the other two, but it contributes a lot to the structure of a bottle-fermented sparkling wine, because maturity is an important taste component". And the 'Comitissa' sparkling wines can really mature excellently: During my visit in spring 2020, Lorenz Martini opened a 2010 and a 2008 alongside his current vintages - both showed aromas of maturity, but not a trace of tiredness. They developed more and more positively over two hours in the glass. Since 2002, this maturity potential has also been demonstrated by a special Riserva from Lorenz Martini, which is stored on the yeast for at least eight and sometimes up to ten years. Soon, this version of the South Tyrolean Edelschäumer, matured for a long time on the yeast, will also be legally registered as a DOC product with the name addition 'Gold' and will also be produced by other wineries.

Even though Lorenz Martini's sparkling wine cellar is a "one-man" or "one-family show", he is not a lone wolf - and he is far too communicative and sociable for that. Together with eight sparkling wine producers at the time, he founded the "South Tyrolean Sparkling Wine Association" in 1990, which now has nine members who are committed to absolute top quality and distinctive South Tyrolean originality.

The sparkling wines of Lorenz Martini in the
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Winery Ignaz Niedrist

Niedrist

Farm visit and wine tasting by appointment.

Address:
Runggweg 5
39057 Girlan (BZ)
Italy

Tel: +39 0471 664494

E-mail
Website

Ignaz Niedrist was cellar master at the Schreckbichl winery from 1985 to 1991 and experienced "probably some of the most exciting and interesting years of South Tyrolean viticulture", he reports. It was the time of rapid change in the South Tyrolean wine world from huge quantities of thin Vernatsch wines to high-quality wines from various grape varieties. His boss at the time in Schreckbichl, Luis Raifer, was one of the driving forces in this process of change. As interesting as this time was for Ignaz Niedrist at the time, he wanted to try out new things and was "always more of an individualist than a team player". In addition, his "freedom was - and still is - important to him". He used this freedom to replace Vernatsch, which dominated his vineyards, with Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon and Riesling. He did not have to plant Pinot Noir, which his uncle, from whom he had inherited the farm, had already planted in relatively large numbers. In 2006 he was able to acquire more vineyards in high locations in Eppan Berg on the opposite side of the valley. "This opened up new possibilities for us. The chalky soils with a high clay content and the cooler climate compared to Girlan offer the best conditions for exciting, expressive wines with a distinct character of origin, especially for the Burgundy varieties, but also for the Sauvignon."

Currently, the range consists of six white wines and three reds. The grapes for the Riesling and Pinot Blanc come exclusively from Eppan Berg. Two wines each are made from the Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon, as well as from the Sauvignon Blanc: a basic version - although the term 'basic' is an understatement for the quality of these wines - as well as single-vineyard selections from the highest-lying plots in Eppan Berg called "Limes". The name is meant to refer to the border location, which gives the wines their special character as well as greater ageing potential. They are only sold after one year of ageing in wooden barrels on the fine lees and can be stored for another 10 to 15 years without any problems. For the Sauvignon 'Porphyry and Lime', the grapes come both from Eppan Berg and from the Girlan sites with their porphyry soils of volcanic origin. The white wine cuvée 'Trias' consists not only of grapes from different sites but also of different varieties. Chardonnay, Petite Manseng and Manzoni Bianco are combined here. In the future, the Burgundy fan Ignaz Niedrist will offer a single-varietal Chardonnay Riserva called 'vom Kalk' from the best lots of his Chardonnay grapes. During his visits to Burgundy, Ignaz Niedrist learned to appreciate single-vineyard propagation. "It is very important to me, because in contrast to clone propagation, in which only one vine is propagated at a time, in single-vine propagation 500 vines, for example, are selected from 1,000 vines in a vineyard and propagated. This results in a kind of photograph of the vineyard with great diversity and enormous genetic richness. And the wines thank you for this diversity with complexity, harmony and character."

In the red wines, the Burgundy variety plays the leading role. There are two Pinot Noir versions: One from the Girlan sites and one from Eppan Berg. The Girlan version shows red berry fruit and spicy play in the mouth, is a little more tannic and therefore usually needs a little more time until it is ready to drink. It is very vital with a firm structure and a long finish. The Pinot Noir from the limestone shows pronounced cherry notes, cool Burgundy fruit, presents itself smooth, dense and silky. Both are produced as Riserva. The red wine range is completed by the South Tyrolean classic Lagrein, whose grapes come from the farm of Elisabeth Niedrist's family in Gries, one of the best Lagrein regions. Ignaz Niedrist is breaking new ground with Syrah, which he is the only one to have planted in Girlan. The volcanic moraine debris soils are ideally suited for this variety and the climatic development suggests that this heat-loving variety should be planted here. "Even though I'm alone in this and can't benefit from shared experiences with other colleagues, I'm convinced that a trial with Syrah is worthwhile." Even after 30 years, Ignaz Niedrist has remained true to his individualism and his urge to try out new things.

Schreckbichl Winery - Cantina Colterenzio

Schreckbichl

Producer Info

Address:
Weinstrasse 8
39057 Girlan / Appiano (BZ)

Tel: +39 0471 664 246

E-mail
Website

Tasting and sale in the Wine Shop
Opening hours:
Mon.- Fri:
9.00 - 12.00 h & 14.30 - 18.00 h
Sat.: 9 .00 - 12.30 hrs

Continuously updated opening hours at: Wine Shop

When I started exploring the Italian wine world in the mid-1980s, South Tyrol was just a stopover on the way to Tuscany, Piedmont or Friuli. In South Tyrol you could always have a leisurely snack, but to drink there was - with a few exceptions - usually only thin Vernatsch. One of the few exceptions were the Cornell wines from the Schreckbichl winery. Even their purist, modern exterior - a stylised black tower on a white background - was strikingly different from the colourful Heile-Weinwelt labels prevalent at the time and made it clear that something was very different here. The contents of the bottle confirmed this - they were intense, full-bodied Chardonnay, Lagrein and Cabernet wines that caused quite a stir among experts. The main person responsible for these wines was Luis Raifer, who had been appointed managing director by the winery in 1979 after a study trip to California. Luis Raifer introduced new quality standards with reduced yields using the Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc varieties on a pilot vineyard. In the cellar, the wines were vinified according to new methods. At that time, this meant above all: a lot of new wood. "By today's standards, certainly far too much," confirms Luis Raifer. "But they experimented a lot back then. The wines attracted attention in the Italian trade publications, but also internationally, and so they were good for our business, but also for the overall development of the wine country of South Tyrol.

Today everything is a bit calmer, finer and more differentiated. No wine is dominated by wood anymore and they are all less opulent, but finer, more elegant and more like you imagine wines from an alpine growing region to be." It wasn't easy in those days. The winegrowers, who had to lay the foundation for higher quality with their grapes, were used to delivering high yields for decades. This was changed with a new payment method based on quality, as well as with intensive counselling and training. Together with the qualitative development of the wines, a sensitisation for ecology took place. For those responsible at the winery, it has always been clear that expressive wine can only thrive in living soil. Thus, new, sustainable methods of plant protection were applied in the vineyards of the quality group and the knowledge gained was recommended to all members.

The range is divided into three quality lines: "Classic", "Selection" and the "Lafoa" wines. Since 2011, there has also been the LR, a cuvée made from the winery's best Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon grapes. Named after Luis Raifer, this wine is supposed to embody his idea of a great white wine: "Remarkable, powerful structure combined with feminine elegance and femininity as well as great ageing potential." The "Classic" line consists of single-varietal wines from the growing region. They are vinified exclusively in steel tanks, the aim being lots of fruit and varietal typicity. A speciality here is the "Pfefferer", a dry Goldmuskateller with a delicately aromatic, peppery note. The selection wines come from selected vineyards with low yields. Depending on the variety, the wines mature in stainless steel tanks or in wooden barrels. The aim here is to express the character of the area and of each individual variety, especially after a longer maturing period. The top line "Lafóa" is named after the vineyard where Luis Raifer planted the new grape varieties in the 1980s. In doing so, he set new standards that significantly changed the South Tyrolean wine world for the better. The "Lafoa" line currently consists of four wines: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer and a Cabernet Sauvignon. Another will follow in autumn 2021. The aim here is to produce wines of powerful structure, finesse and great ageing potential.

The wines of the Schreckbichl Winery in the
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Strickerhof - Kasseroller family

Kasseroller

Farm tour and tasting by appointment.

Address:
Via Bolzano 62
39010 Frangart/Eppan

Tel: +39 0471 633402

E-mail

In 1996 Karl Kasseroller decided to radically ban chemicals from his vineyards and orchards. At that time he was one of the first in South Tyrol to take this path and had to listen to a lot from his colleagues. However, the health of his family - and his own - were more important to Karl Kasseroller than the opinion of his neighbours. So he consistently went through with the conversion to organic. "With apples, it was not a big economic problem, because the lower yield was more than compensated for by the higher price of organic produce. With wine it was more difficult, because here it is primarily the quality of the wine and the image of the winery that determines the price - organic plays a rather subordinate role for consumers." Since the name Strickerhof was rather unknown, Karl Kasseroller could - and wanted to - only score points with quality in order to attract attention. He is succeeding better and better.

In the meantime, his son Lorenz, who is studying viticulture in Geisenheim, is involved in the business and committed to it. He goes his own way and tries out things that his father is reserved about, but also curious about: Orange Wine, for example. As part of his training in fruit growing and viticulture at the Laimburg College for Fruit, Wine and Horticulture, Lorenz Kasseroller produced an Orange Wine from the Goldmuskateller variety in 2016. It immediately won the "Top Gold" award at the "International Organic Wine Award".

The winery's range includes the South Tyrolean classics Goldmuskateller, Vernatsch, Lagrein, Chardonnay as well as wines from the fungus-resistant varieties Bronner, Sauvignier Gris and Chambourcin. They currently account for a third of total production. If it were up to Karl Kasseroller, it could be more. Because "I don't have to spray practically anything and the quality is in no way inferior to that of conventional varieties. But many consumers haven't realised that yet, so they go more for the names they're familiar with."

A speciality of the Strickerhof is "111", a bottle-fermented sparkling wine made from Chardonnay. It is produced by South Tyrolean sparkling wine legend Josef Reiterer in Europe's highest sparkling wine cellar in Mölten. Depending on the vintage, it matures on the yeast for 24 to 36 months. It is called "111" because in 2015, the first year of production, the Strickerhof celebrated its 111th anniversary. In addition to wine, apricots, cherries and apples are cultivated, which are either sold pure or processed into juices, schnapps, Hildegard products and vinegar.

Winery Josef Weger

Winery Josef Weger

Producer Info

Address:
Jesuheimstraße 17,
I-39057 Girlan

Tel: +39 0471 662 416

E-mail
Website

The Wegerhof is one of the traditional wineries in South Tyrol. It was founded in 1820 by Josef Weger, the great-grandfather of the current owner Johannes Weger. He took over the business in 1990 and radically reorganised it. Until then, only Vernatsch was produced here and - as was customary at the time - in large quantities. Huge concrete tanks with capacities of up to 52,000 litres dominated the picture in the wine cellar. "Today, almost our entire production would fit into such a tank," says Johannes Weger. The quantity of wine was drastically reduced, other varieties were added, above all the Burgundy varieties best suited to the Girlan sites as well as Sauvignon Blanc. They are particularly close to Johannes Weger's heart because "on the one hand, they are what makes us special here in Girlan, but also because I appreciate fine, elegant wines and these varieties are predestined for that."

As with most private wineries of this size, the range includes a wide spectrum of South Tyrolean wine. In addition to grapes from the winery's own vineyards in Girlan, long-term suppliers from the Unterland region in the south, from Kaltern and the surrounding area, and from the Bolzano region deliver to the Wegerhof. Johannes Weger currently offers 16 different wines, divided into two selection lines. The classic line consists of fruit-driven white wines, rosés and reds with typical varieties of the respective South Tyrolean subzones. The selection line "Maso delle Rose" (Rose Farm) - named after the family coat of arms in which a rose is drawn - offers wines from the Burgundy varieties that ripen particularly well in Girlan, a Sauvignon, a Gewürztraminer, a Merlot from Girlan vineyards as well as the Cabernet, Merlot and Lagrein Cuvée Joanni, whose grapes come from the warm sites of the Bolzano valley basin. In the wines of the "Maso delle Rose" line, the typical taste of the respective variety should not present itself directly and immediately as in the case of a fresh, young wine, but should be combined with complexity and depth, with something new to discover with every sip. And they should have a certain - depending on the variety different - aging ability."

A small museum on the estate offers interesting insights into the history of wine production on the Wegerhof. Guests are offered "all-round care": in the historic building from the 12th century, spacious flats are available for visitors. in the inner courtyard, in addition to the wines of the Wegerhof, you can taste many high-quality growths from South Tyrol and Italy by the glass with Mediterranean dishes in the Weger wine tavern.

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