At the top of the world: the reds and whites produced by our highly dedicated winemakers have won praise all over the globe. Prestigious wine guides consistently award the very top marks to wine from South Tyrol.
Thanks to the power of the sun and the passion, knowledge and innovative spirit of our winemakers, we produce wines that the whole world is talking about. For instance, global wine guides such as Decanter, Robert Parker and Vinum regularly award the best possible scores to ours. They were mentioned no fewer than 108 times in 2023, scoring 95 out of a possible 100 points.
There’s a lot you can experience in our wine region – on a hike or cycling tour along the Alto Adige Wine Road, for instance, or on a visit to a winery. Meet some winemakers, try some wines and learn all about our world of wine.
Our wines are popular all around the world. Some of them are made from grapes that have been growing here for millennia. How they are made, why they are unique and where you can taste them.
Our grapes are jam-packed with history. We mastered the art of turning them into exquisite wines no less than 2,500 years ago. South Tyrolean families are still tending their vineyards and producing wines, some of which have won prestigious awards. If you journey through the region, you’re bound to notice the many grapevines. Spread over 5,800 hectares, we have around 20 different varieties thriving at between 200 and 1,000 metres above sea level. Maybe you’ve already heard of the indigenous grape varities Vernatsch and Lagrein? These red wines are famous well beyond the borders of South Tyrol.
While our reds captivate the senses with their fruity bouquet, our whites impress with their mineral-fresh taste. Around 98% of our wines are classified as DOC wines (Denomination of Controlled Origin in Italy). For years, they have received the highest number of points in Italy’s most prestigious wine guides relative to their cultivation area. This is due to the cultivation methods handed down from generation to generation and the innovative spirit of our winemakers, who are experts at making use of our climate of extremes, our varying altitudes and our different soil types. Some places where you can get to know our quality wines include the MeranoWineFestival, a guided vineyard tour and a wine tasting in one of the wineries along the Alto Adige Wine Road – or why not simply get some delivered straight to your front door?
A cycle route made just for you
Cycling through the unique vineyard landscape of Alto Adige is an incomparable experience – and one that is yet more enjoyable and enriching when you set off with one of the region’s Bike Wine Ambassadors. As specially trained wine connoisseurs, they'll take you on individually planned bike tours to explore the wonderful world of wine in all of Alto Adige’s winegrowing regions.
Culinary tradition is an integral part of our food and drink culture. It’s not just our farmers and innkeepers who have had a connection to our homeland and its pleasures for generations – we’ve also got some varietals of grape that are as old as the hills but by no means set in their ways.
These indigenous varietals include the two reds Vernatsch and Lagrein. “Indigenous” means that they have always been here in our region.
White Gewürztraminer is another of our native grape varieties and amongst our most sought-after wines. With notes of rose, clove, lychee and tropical fruits, it is all that an aromatic varietal should be.
Ancient but never bland: Lagrein, our oldest indigenous wine varietal, impresses with its long history, velvety richness and spicy yet fruity aromas.
With deep roots in the wine city of Bolzano/Bozen, Lagrein is one of our oldest indigenous varietals. This fruity and spicy red has been a well-known speciality of our capital since as long ago as the 14th century. It thrives particularly well in the clayey soils that can be found in the warm spots in the valley basin at Gries-Quirein/Gries-San Quirinio, a district of Bolzano/Bozen.
Alto Adige Lagrein has a distinctive dark garnet-red colour. It tastes of forest berries, black cherries and violets, unfurling a velvety richness on the palate and a soft acidity. Aged in small oak barrels, it is pleasantly spicy and goes well with game, roast meats or hard cheese. Our winegrowers make it as a single-varietal South Tyrolean Lagrein and as a rosé, when it is called Lagrein Kretzer.
Straightforward yet profound: Vernatsch is a loyal companion to South Tyrol’s traditional cuisine.
Vernatsch, our leading indigenous varietal, grows best in alluvial and gravelly soils on slopes up to 500 metres above sea level, primarily beside the Kalterer See lake, in the vicinity of Meran/Merano and around St. Magdalena near Bolzano/Bozen. It is regarded as South Tyrol’s most traditional wine and has been served on our tables since as long ago as the 16th century. We love it as an easy-to-drink wine that is an excellent accompaniment to food, such as a typical Marende snack featuring Speck Alto Adige and cheese. A light wine with notes of violets, forest berries and almonds, it is also a popular aperitif when served chilled.
Having once dominated our wine industry, Vernatsch now only makes up around 10% of the harvest. This has vastly improved its quality, and it has been enjoying something of a renaissance for several years now. Incidentally, it is also found as the single-parcel wines Kalterersee and St. Magdalener (southern slopes near Bolzano), for which a small amount of Lagrein or Pinot Noir is added to it.
The people who make our wines are just as fascinating and multifaceted as their products, if not more so. Find out what drives them and what’s particularly important to them when it comes to their wines. Profiles of our winemakers.
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