South Tyrol fully focused on the quality of its wines, which have been produced on its territory for almost three thousand years.

South Tyrol is the oldest wine-growing area in the German-speaking area with a history reaching 3,000. years. The Romans inherited a century-old tradition of winemaking and learned it from rhetoricians who, back in those days, used wooden barrels to transport and store wine. In the Middle Ages, monasteries, in particular from southern Germany and Austria, who bought wine from their estates to grow wine, made special contributions to wine growing.

Near-perfect conditions

Vineyards are spread over areas lying at different heights (from 200 to 1,000 m above sea level). They are sunlit on average for 300 days a year, the amount of rainfall varies from 500 to 800 mm. Various types of soil and more than twenty grapevines make it possible to produce a whole spectrum of leading wines, among the best in Europe. In addition to internationally known species such as merlot, blauburgunder, chardonnay or sauvignon, native grapevines such as vernatsch, lagrein and gewürztraminer are also grown here. The grape harvest in South Tyrol runs from early September to mid-October.

Worth knowing

Every year in South Tyrol, wine cooperatives, vineyards and independent wine growers produce 325,500 hectoliters of wine. In addition, there are 150,000 bottles of sparkling wine, which are produced according to the classic technology of fermentation in bottles.

DOC quality seal

The active activities of South Tyrolean wine growers are accompanied by statutory measures. Since 1963, the cultivation, production and distribution of DOC-compliant wine (DOC=Denominazione di Origine Controllata) are under legal protection.
All wines from the DOC growing area are subject to strict controls. They start in the vineyard, where the maximum yield per hectare for each grape variety is precisely set, and they go back to stringent wine-making guidelines, for example precisely specifying minimum alcohol content, acidity level and sugar-free extract content, which is regularly checked at the use of chemical-sensory analyzes. An expression of the combined and successful efforts to ensure quality is the fact thatthat 98.8% of all vines in South Tyrol are classified under the DOC. South Tyrol is unquestionably a leader in this respect. Wine connoisseurs and lovers know this, which is why they combine South Tyrolean wine with taste and quality.

Grapevines

red grape species
Vernatsch
the most widely grown indigenous grape variety in South Tyrol; cultivation acreage: 1,450 hectares; distribution: in all regions of South Tyrol
Lagrein
in second place among native red grape varieties; cultivated area of ​​396 hectares; occurrence: Bozner Talkessel, Unterland, Überetsch, Etschtal
Blauburgunder (pinot noir)
acreage of crops: 334 hectares; occurrence: mainly in Unterland and Überetsch
Merlot
cultivation area: 226; occurrence: Unterland, Überetsch, Bozner Talkessel, Etschtal
Cabernet Sauvignon
cultivation area: 191 hectares; occurrence: Unterland, Überetsch, Bozner Talkessel, Etschtal; Rosenmuskateller 12 hectares and Malvasier 2 hectares

white grape species
Pinot Grigio (Ruländer)
the most widely cultivated white grape variety South Tyrol; cultivation acreage: 511 hectares; occurrence: in all growing regions of South Tyrol, mainly in Unterland and Überetsch
Weißburgunder
cultivation area: 478 hectares; distribution: all of South Tyrol except Eisacktal
Chardonnay
Crop area: 464 hectares; occurrence: Unterland and Überetsch, also Bozner Talkessel, Etschtal
Gewürztraminer
native South Tyrolean grapevine; cultivation acreage: 400 hectares; distribution: mainly Unterland and Überetsch (Tramin, Kurtatsch), but also in other South Tyrolean growing regions
Sauvignon
cultivation area: 257 hectares; occurrence: mainly in Unterland and Überetsch, but also in Bozner Talkessel, Etschtal and Vinschgau
Müller-Thurgau
cultivation area: 183 hectares; occurrence: Unterland, Überetsch, Bozner Talkessel, Etschtal, Eisacktal, Vinschgau, Meran
Sylvaner
cultivation area: 71 hectares; occurrence: Eisacktal, Etschtal and Bozner Talkessel

Category:

What do you eat