The southernmost cultivation area of Alto Adige is not only the largest, but also the warmest. And no wonder: at Salorno, the southernmost village in Alto Adige, the grapes grow at an elevation of only 200 m. (650 ft.) above sea level. The mild influence of nearby Lake Garda makes it possible to grow late-ripening varieties here, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, that yield full-bodied, well-balanced wines. Interestingly enough, in the Bassa Atesina we also find the province’s highest vineyards. High above the village of Margrè, on the slopes of the Fennberg mountain, Müller Thurgau vines grow at over 1,000 meters (3,300 feet).
Between these extremes, other varieties find their preferred growing conditions. The villages of Mazzon and Montagna are regarded as strongholds of Pinot Noir. And in Termeno, ancestral home of the Gewürztraminer, that grape is experiencing an international upswing.
| Vineyard area: |
1,860 ha. / 4,596 acres (36% of province total) |
| Vineyard elevations: |
200-1,000 m. (650-3,300 ft.) above sea level |
| Soils: |
limestone and dolomite; from Tramin to Kurtatsch mixed with loamy rubble; in the far south, sandy marl |
| Production: |
67% white wine, 33% red wine |
| Most important varieties: |
Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Schiava, Gewürztraminer ; Pinot Noir
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