Vinelandscape

Bozen and the surrounding area
Framed by vineyards and orchards, the provincial capital of Bozen, where the rivers Etsch and Eisack merge, is situated in a wide valley basin. Bozen’s fame as a city of wine is based on two autochthonous wines: the St. Magdalene and the Lagrein.

Some of the best vineyard regions of South Tyrol are the hills and slopes of the St. Magdalena region just above Bozen. Altogether, there are approximately 300 hectares of vineyards from which the St. Magdalene wine is produced. On the other side of Bozen, in the suburb of Gries, the South Tyrolean Lagrein has found its home in the deep and well aired stony grounds of the Talfer and Eisack rivers. The Lagrein wine from around Bozen is cultivated on approximately 250 hectares.

Überetsch_Upper Etsch region 
The Überetsch area, for many a byword for South Tyrol’s traditional wine cultivation, is situated at the foot of the Mendel mountain range at the soft hills of the Western Etsch Valley between Bozen and Tramin. The wine-producing villages of Eppan and Kaltern are both rich in tradition and at the same time are the largest wine-producers in South Tyrol. The idyllic and famous Lake Kaltern makes an impressive Mediterranean backdrop.

Eppan with approximately 950 hectares of vineyards is the largest wine village in the country. Just as each individual fraction offers a different characteristic in the large villages of St. Michael, St. Pauls, Girlan with Schreckbichl and Frangart, so each vineyard is varied and unique. Kaltern, with 760 hectares of vineyards, is the second largest wine village in South Tyrol, and is a byword for many for South Tyrolean wine as a whole: not only due to its famous lake, but also for its magnificent wine-growing conditions.

The Unterland_Lowlands
About one third of the wine-growing area in South Tyrol (approximately 1,700 hectares) is found in the wine villages of the lowlands in the South of Südtirol. Salurn with 400 hectares, Tramin with 380 hectares and Kurtatsch with 280 hectares are found at the top of the list. They are followed by Margreid, Neumarkt, Montan, Auer and Kurtinig, Pfatten and Branzoll.

The individual vineyards with their different soils and many micro-climates allow the cultivation of the entire grape assortment available. Despite this broad variety, there are some grapes, which are prominent and which find particularly suitable conditions for growth: such as the Gewürztraminer, Ruländer and Chardonnay in the white wines and the Cabernet and Merlot, as well as the Pinot Nero with its classic growing region in the higher locations of Montan and Salurn, for red wines.

Central Etsch valley
In the central part of the Etsch Valley between Bozen and Meran, lies the Terlan basin, which is famous for its white wines. The porphyry soil of the Terlan hills, covered by the river sand, with its warm and well-aired climate, allows special white wines to grow. These are full-bodied and contain particular mineral substances.

The villages of Terlan and Andrian are right in the centre of the white wine cultivation area. The Pinot Bianco and the classic Terlan Sauvignon are in the forefront, followed by Chardonnay and the 'Terlan' without classification (at least 50% of Pinot Bianco and/or Chardonnay), Riesling, Müller Thurgau and Silvaner. Also the red wines of the central Etsch Valley have something to offer. Due to the climatic conditions and the sandy loamy soil in the lower locations, these are full-bodied and well structured.