01.08.2023
Superlative – the wines of Alto Adige
From the highest vineyards to the oldest wineries
Did you know that the largest vine in the world is deeply rooted in the village of Prissiano, near Merano? Or that Alto Adige’s oldest winery has been working since 1142? Discover fascinating facts about the superlative wines of Alto Adige and learn more about this great winegrowing region.
For centuries now...
…the “Versoaln” vine has been growing at Katzenzungen Castle in Prissiano, entwined around a traditional chestnut-wood pergola as it pushes its shoots skywards. Located on the northern slope of the castle, its leafy canopy covers an area of 300 m² and therefore earning the title of the world’s largest vine. While its other title of world’s oldest vine is unofficial as its age – some 600 years – the legend says.
Airy grapevines
The rugged Dolomites and the gentle vineyards make up the mountainous landscape of Alto Adige. On one of its hillsides – in Europe’s highest Müller-Thurgau vineyard above the village of Magrè - the aromatic Müller-Thurgau Feldmarschall von Fenner from the Tiefenbrunner Estate Winery is produced. The south-facing slope and the protection against the north wind provided by the cliffs emerge in the wine’s unmistakably powerful, fresh aromas.
Situated at an altitude of 1,200 metres, the Arunda Sektkellerei, Europe’s highest sparkling wine producer, produces sparkling wines whose character is also shaped by their location: the natural temperature fluctuations allow the grapes to ripen gently and give them elegance and complexity.
Modernity meets tradition
The Novacella Monastery Winery, one of the oldest active wineries in the world and the oldest in Alto Adige, has been in existence since 1142: its values, which are rooted in the monastery’s centuries-old traditions are now open to the new and continue to be reflected in the DOC locally produced wines.
The varieties of Alto Adige
The biggest, the highest, the oldest: but which are the most widely cultivated grape varieties in Alto Adige? With 677 hectares (12% of the region’s vineyard area), the full-bodied Pinot Grigio is the most grown white wine variety in Alto Adige. There are two front-runners among the red wine varieties: the elegant Pinot Noir and the indigenous Lagrein, each covering 10% of the province’s vineyard area.
For centuries now...
…the “Versoaln” vine has been growing at Katzenzungen Castle in Prissiano, entwined around a traditional chestnut-wood pergola as it pushes its shoots skywards. Located on the northern slope of the castle, its leafy canopy covers an area of 300 m² and therefore earning the title of the world’s largest vine. While its other title of world’s oldest vine is unofficial as its age – some 600 years – the legend says.
Airy grapevines
The rugged Dolomites and the gentle vineyards make up the mountainous landscape of Alto Adige. On one of its hillsides – in Europe’s highest Müller-Thurgau vineyard above the village of Magrè - the aromatic Müller-Thurgau Feldmarschall von Fenner from the Tiefenbrunner Estate Winery is produced. The south-facing slope and the protection against the north wind provided by the cliffs emerge in the wine’s unmistakably powerful, fresh aromas.
Situated at an altitude of 1,200 metres, the Arunda Sektkellerei, Europe’s highest sparkling wine producer, produces sparkling wines whose character is also shaped by their location: the natural temperature fluctuations allow the grapes to ripen gently and give them elegance and complexity.
Modernity meets tradition
The Novacella Monastery Winery, one of the oldest active wineries in the world and the oldest in Alto Adige, has been in existence since 1142: its values, which are rooted in the monastery’s centuries-old traditions are now open to the new and continue to be reflected in the DOC locally produced wines.
The varieties of Alto Adige
The biggest, the highest, the oldest: but which are the most widely cultivated grape varieties in Alto Adige? With 677 hectares (12% of the region’s vineyard area), the full-bodied Pinot Grigio is the most grown white wine variety in Alto Adige. There are two front-runners among the red wine varieties: the elegant Pinot Noir and the indigenous Lagrein, each covering 10% of the province’s vineyard area.
© Header Photo: IDM/Südtirol Wein/Tiberio Sorvillo
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