For wine to mature underground in the cellar is not especially impressive. But the fact that this wine cellar was created by hand is, in fact, extremely impressive. To that extent, the wine cellar of the Dominikus Estate Winery in Caldaro is something special. And the wines that come into existence there are, as well, not least of which is the Dominikus Lago di Caldaro superiore, which was also named “Schiava of the Year. ”

Georg Morandell is responsible for the wines of the Dominikus Estate Winery in Caldaro, but the infrastructure in San Giuseppe al Lago is the work of his father. “His life’s work,” as Morandell puts it. With only a pick and shovel, the elder Morandell spent over thirty years digging out a wine cellar under his vineyard. “An unbelievable human accomplishment,” Georg Morandell finds it to be.

He inherited from his father not just a unique winery, but also a passion for wine. “For decades, we have been making wine ourselves from the grapes from our vineyards, and we sell our wine exclusively from the estate,” the winegrower says. All of the work is carried out by the family – with a great deal of experience and a healthy portion of know-how.

Thus what is created are top-quality wines filled with character: Pinot Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Schiava, Lagrein – and the Dominikus sparkling wine, for which Morandell is again and again traversing new paths. “In 2017, I tried for the first time to age a portion of our grapes in clay amphorae,” the winegrower recalls. He place the amphorae in a niche in his cellar labyrinth and awaited the result with excitement. His conclusion: “In the clay caves, the wine can mature at a constant temperature and ideal humidity – just like centuries ago.”