Alto Adige (wine)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

South Tyrol South Tyrol ( , ; ; ), officially the Autonomous Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol, is an autonomous administrative division, autonomous provinces of Italy, province in northern Italy. Together with Trentino, South Tyrol forms the autonomo ...
(called in
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
''Alto Adige'') is an autonomous province located in northeast
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
producing wine. This Austro-
Italian wine Italian wine () is produced in every region of Italy. Italy is the country with the widest variety of indigenous grapevine in the world, with an area of under vineyard cultivation, as well as the List of wine-producing regions#Countries, world's ...
region is noted for the distinct Austrian influences on the wine industry, due to the region's long history under the rule of
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
and
Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
s.M. Ewing-Mulligan & E. McCarthy ''Italian Wines for Dummies'', pp. 109-118. Hungry Minds 2001. . Because of its unique history and location within the southern
Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...
and
Dolomites The Dolomites ( ), also known as the Dolomite Mountains, Dolomite Alps or Dolomitic Alps, are a mountain range in northeastern Italy. They form part of the Southern Limestone Alps and extend from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Va ...
, in this region grows a wide range of
grape varieties This list of grape varieties includes cultivated grapes, whether used for wine, or eating as a table grape, fresh or dried (raisin, currant, sultana). For a complete list of all grape species, including those unimportant to agriculture, see ''V ...
that are not usually seen in other parts of Italy. These include
Müller-Thurgau Müller-Thurgau () is a white grape variety (sp. ''Vitis vinifera'') which was created by Hermann Müller from the Swiss Canton of Thurgau in 1882 at the Geisenheim Grape Breeding Institute in Germany. It is a crossing of Riesling with Made ...
, Vernatsch,
Lagrein Lagrein () is a red wine grape variety native to the valleys of South Tyrol, northern Italy. Along with Marzemino, it is a descendant of Teroldego, and related to Syrah, Pinot noir and Dureza. The name suggests its origins lie in the Lagarin ...
, Sylvaner,
Riesling Riesling ( , ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling ...
(known in Italian as ''Riesling Renano''),
Gewürztraminer Gewürztraminer () is an aromatic wine grape variety, used in white wines, and which performs best in cooler climates. In English, it is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz ( ; although this is never the case in German, because mean ...
(known in Italian as ''Traminer Aromatico'')P. Saunders ''Wine Label Language'' pp. 120–212 Firefly Books 2004. . and Blatterle.


Winemaking

Winemaking Winemaking, wine-making, or vinification is the production of wine, starting with the selection of the fruit, its Ethanol fermentation, fermentation into alcohol, and the bottling of the finished liquid. The history of wine-making stretches over ...
in
Tyrol Tyrol ( ; historically the Tyrole; ; ) is a historical region in the Alps of Northern Italy and western Austria. The area was historically the core of the County of Tyrol, part of the Holy Roman Empire, Austrian Empire and Austria-Hungary, f ...
has a long tradition: the first evidence dates back to the period before the Romans. The South Tyrolean winegrowing area is highly influenced by the
Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
, which in the Adige Valley (
Überetsch-Unterland Überetsch-Unterland ( ; ) is a district (; ) in the southern part of the Italy, Italian province of South Tyrol. It comprises the valley of the Adige river from Bolzano in the north to Salorno in the south. Overview The hilly Überetsch region, ...
,
Überetsch The Überetsch (; ) is a hilly section of the Etschtal in South Tyrol, northern Italy. It lies south-west of Bolzano and is a known tourist destination, famous for its wines, castles and lakes (Kalterer See, Montiggler Seen). The municipalities ...
, Bozen,
Terlan Terlan (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy. Geography The municipal area is situated within the Adige Valley, about northwest of the city of Bolzano. Terlan is famous for its Italian wine, wine and asparagus pro ...
, Burggrafenamt) arrives up to
Meran Merano (, ; ) or Meran () is a (municipality) in South Tyrol, Northern Italy. Generally best known for its spa resorts, it is located within a basin, surrounded by mountains standing up to above sea level, at the entrance to the Passeier Va ...
. This allows a very versatile winemaking, which includes almost all the red grape varieties and a lot of white grape wines. The Vinschgau and the Eisacktal have a harsher climate and thus they're specialized in white wines. In South Tyrol there are three indigenous varieties: Schiava,
Gewürztraminer Gewürztraminer () is an aromatic wine grape variety, used in white wines, and which performs best in cooler climates. In English, it is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz ( ; although this is never the case in German, because mean ...
and
Lagrein Lagrein () is a red wine grape variety native to the valleys of South Tyrol, northern Italy. Along with Marzemino, it is a descendant of Teroldego, and related to Syrah, Pinot noir and Dureza. The name suggests its origins lie in the Lagarin ...
. A similar winegrowing region is Trentino wine in the south.


History

Findings of seeds dating back to the Iron Age (Stufels near
Brixen Brixen (; , ; or , ) is a town and communes of Italy, commune in South Tyrol, northern Italy, located about north of Bolzano. Geography Brixen is the third-largest city and oldest town in the province, with a population of nearly twenty-three t ...
) and archaeological findings dating back to 400 BC witness that winegrowing was practised in South Tyrol already 3,000 years ago. Probably the earliest sources date back to before the Romans and to the wine produced by the Rhaetian.
Cato the Elder Marcus Porcius Cato (, ; 234–149 BC), also known as Cato the Censor (), the Elder and the Wise, was a Roman soldier, Roman Senate, senator, and Roman historiography, historian known for his conservatism and opposition to Hellenization. He wa ...
in his ''De agri cultura'' highlighted the Rhaetian wine, before the territory was conquered by the Romans. During the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
flourished the wine production in what is now southern Alto Adige and were created the
Lagrein Lagrein () is a red wine grape variety native to the valleys of South Tyrol, northern Italy. Along with Marzemino, it is a descendant of Teroldego, and related to Syrah, Pinot noir and Dureza. The name suggests its origins lie in the Lagarin ...
, Schiava and
Teroldego Teroldego (, ) is a red Italian grape variety grown primarily in the northeastern region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy. Description Wine has been produced since ancient times in Campo Rotaliano, an alluvial plain between the rivers Adi ...
grape varieties. In 720 AD, under the commissioner Corbinio, first bishop of Freising, vineyards landed in Burggrafenamt. From the twelfth century the monasteries in southern
Germania Germania ( ; ), also more specifically called Magna Germania (English: ''Great Germania''), Germania Libera (English: ''Free Germania''), or Germanic Barbaricum to distinguish it from the Roman provinces of Germania Inferior and Germania Superio ...
and the aristocrats incentive the winemaking. In the late
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
and during the
Habsburg monarchy The Habsburg monarchy, also known as Habsburg Empire, or Habsburg Realm (), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities (composite monarchy) that were ruled by the House of Habsburg. From the 18th century it is ...
the production of wine in the south Tyrolean wineries flourished. The wine production and sale developed thanks to the activity of the families of winemakers from the nineteenth century and thanks to the cooperatives since the twentieth century. In the twentieth century there were several critical periods: first due to the
phylloxera Grape phylloxera is an insect pest of grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America. Grape phylloxera (''Daktulosphaira vitifoliae'' (Fitch 1855) belongs to the family Phylloxeridae, within the order Hemiptera, bugs); orig ...
and then in the First Post-war with the breakdown of the traditional markets (
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
,
Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
,
Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...
) with the initial fascist repression (as well as during the Second Post-war). In the 1930s there was a huge development of the wine industry in Alto Adige, but it was blocked by
WW2 World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising ...
. However with the mass production, the Italian wine industry consolidated from the 1950s until the 1980s. In the 1980s there was a deep crisis of the sales channels most common at the times, especially the sale of wine in tanks in
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
. Cellars changed their sales strategy. More quality wines were produced; quantity moved to the background and nowadays it hasn't value any longer. Decisive for the winemaking in South Tyrol was 1971, when people returned to the division and classification of wine zones according to the PDO rules. The quality production, pursued up until now since 20 years, as well as the spread of the bottling in bottles of 0,75 litres have earned this small wine area an excellent reputation. This is especially true for white wines in Italy, but also for the wine experts in the international markets. Th
South Tyrolean Wine Museum
in Kaltern offers an overview of the history and the traditional grape cultivation methods in South Tyrol. Since 1964 has been created the ''Wine way'', a famous tourism attraction that stretches from
Merano Merano (, ; ) or Meran () is a (municipality) in South Tyrol, Northern Italy. Generally best known for its Spa town, spa resorts, it is located within a Depression (geology), basin, surrounded by mountains standing up to Height above mean sea ...
to Salorno in southern Alto Adige.


Cultivation zones

South Tyrol (''Alto Adige'' in Italian) is a small but faceted
winegrowing Viticulture (, "vine-growing"), viniculture (, "wine-growing"), or winegrowing is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ...
region. Unique in its field in Italy, it is a region where 20 different grape varieties are cultivated on a land of , which yields 3.9 million cases (50,000 hectoliters) of wine. With its geographical position, between an Alpine climatic zone and a
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...
one and with vineyards growing at only above sea level, South Tyrol is Italy's smallest wine growing area. It has a high density of PDO wines (
Protected Designation of Origin The protected designation of origin (PDO) is a type of geographical indication of the European Union aimed at preserving the designations of origin of food-related products. The designation was created in 1992 and its main purpose is to designat ...
). The South Tyrolean wine growing zone is divided into 7 PDO sub-regions: *"Alto Adige
Merano Merano (, ; ) or Meran () is a (municipality) in South Tyrol, Northern Italy. Generally best known for its Spa town, spa resorts, it is located within a Depression (geology), basin, surrounded by mountains standing up to Height above mean sea ...
", around Merano; *"Alto Adige Val Venosta", whose vineyards are located west of Merano and south of
Adige The Adige is the second-longest river in Italy, after the Po. It rises near the Reschen Pass in the Vinschgau in the province of South Tyrol, near the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland, and flows through most of northeastern Italy ...
; *"Alto Adige Oltradige", located west of the
Eisack The Eisack (, ; ; or ) is a river in Northern Italy, the second largest river in South Tyrol. Its source is near the Brenner Pass, at an altitude of about 1990 m above sea level. The river draws water from an area of about 4,200 km2. After a ...
river into the Adige, and north of Lake Kaltern near Terlan; *"Alto Adige Valle Isarco", between Vahrn and
Völs am Schlern Völs am Schlern (; ; or ), often abbreviated to Völs, is a municipality in South Tyrol in northern Italy. It is located at the foot of the Schlern mountain, about east of Bolzano. Geography As of November 30, 2010, it had a population of 3,4 ...
; *"Alto Adige Colli di Bolzano", southwest of
Bolzano Bolzano ( ; ; or ) is the capital city of South Tyrol (officially the province of Bolzano), Northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third largest in historical Tyrol. The ...
; *"Alto Adige Santa Maddalena", northwest of the previous one. Among these zones and beyond, there are regions, which produce wines called simply " Alto Adige/Südtirol DOC". The protected designations of origin rule the labeling of the south Tyrolean wines, according to the origin and guarantee to consumers, resellers and sommelier the source of wine. Approximately 5,000 wine producers deliver their grapes to the 160 wineries, which produce a great variety of wine, red and sparkling wines, despite their small dimensions. Almost 70% of the south Tyrolean wine is produced in wineries run by social cooperatives, the remaining 25% comes from the association Alto Adige Estate Wineries, and the remaining 5% is produced by Alto Adige Independent Winegrowers.


Winemaking

Winemaking in South Tyrol is particularly intensive: often involving handwork, on steep terraced slopes, with environment-friendly techniques. Thanks to the so-called "integrated winegrowing", South Tyrolean farmers strengthen the natural defences of the vineyards, protecting beneficial insects and supporting their spread. Strict limitations of yields and the consistent conversion of the classical
pergola A pergola is most commonly used as an outdoor garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway, or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support crossbeams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are t ...
to the modern wire frame (Guyot) improved the quality of the grapes.


Varieties

58% of the Alto Adige's wines are made with white grape varieties:
Pinot Grigio Pinot gris, pinot grigio (, ), or ''Grauburgunder'' is a white wine , white wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. Thought to be a mutant clone of the pinot noir variety, it normally has a pinkish-gray hue, accounting for its ...
,
Gewürztraminer Gewürztraminer () is an aromatic wine grape variety, used in white wines, and which performs best in cooler climates. In English, it is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz ( ; although this is never the case in German, because mean ...
, Pinot bianco and
Chardonnay Chardonnay (, ; ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new a ...
are the most common. Also Sauvignon, Müller Thurgau, Sylvaner, Kerner,
Riesling Riesling ( , ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling ...
and Veltliner are produced. As regards the red grape varieties, in South Tyrol along with the two indigenous varieties of Schiava and
Lagrein Lagrein () is a red wine grape variety native to the valleys of South Tyrol, northern Italy. Along with Marzemino, it is a descendant of Teroldego, and related to Syrah, Pinot noir and Dureza. The name suggests its origins lie in the Lagarin ...
all other classic grape varieties have been produced for far more than one hundred years: Pinot nero,
Merlot Merlot ( ) is a dark-blue-colored wine grape variety that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name ''Merlot'' is thought to be a diminutive of , the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the color ...
,
Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon () is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebano ...
and
Cabernet Franc Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux (wine), Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone, as in the Loire (wine), Loire's C ...
. Nearly 42% of the grape-growing area is planted with red wine varieties. Varieties produced: *Pinot bianco (Weißburgunder) *Sauvignon *Gewürztraminer *Chardonnay *Pinot Grigio (Grauburgunder) *Riesling *Sylvaner *Veltliner *Kerner *Müller Thurgau *Moscato *Vernatsch (Schiava) *Pinot nero (Blauburgunder) *Lagrein *Merlot *Cabernet *Moscato rosa


See also


References


Bibliography

*Gosetti Fernanda, Righi Parenti Giovanni. ''Il vino a tavola e in cucina. Vini e ricette regionali di: Val d'Aosta, Piemonte, Liguria, Lombardia, Veneto, Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia''. Milano, AMZ, 1980. *Matthias Ladurner-Parthanes: Vom Perglwerk zur Torggl. Athesia, Bozen, 1972. *Stocker, Barbara: Der Wein und seine Geschichte. Thaur/Bozen: deleatur, Südtirol in Wort und Bild, 49. Jg., 3. Quartal/2005. *Andergassen, Gotthard: Südtiroler Weinbau und Weinwirtschaft um Mittelalter. Thaur/Bozen: deleatur, Südtirol in Wort und Bild, 49. Jg., 3. Quartal/2005. *Zwerger, Roland: Vom Weißen Lagrein über den „Weißterlinger“ zum Gewürztraminer. Kleine Südtiroler Sortengeschichte mit besonderer Berücksichtigung von Tramin. Bozen: Athesiadruck, Der Schlern 79/2005, Heft 8/9. *Nössing, Josef: Bozens Weinhandel im Mittelalter und in der Neuzeit. Linz: Druckerei R. Trauner, Stadt und Wein, 1996. *Freie Weinbauern Südtirol

15. Juni 2007. *Jens Priewe unter Mitarbeit von Christoph Tscholl: Die Weine von Südtirol. Der Guide für Kenner und Geniesser. Collection Rolf Heyne, Ausgabe 2006. . *Kilchmann, Martin: Weine aus Südtirol. Müller Rüschlikon, 1995. . *Meininger Einkaufsführer: Weine und Winzer aus Südtirol. Meininger Verlag, 2005. (PDF). *Busche Infoguide: Winzer & Weingüter. Deutschland, Elsass, Luxemburg, Österreich und Südtirol. 4. Auflage. Busche Verlag, 2006. . *Peter Moser: Falstaff Weinguide Österreich Südtirol. 2005/2006. Falstaff-Verlag. . *Andreas Otto Weber: Studien zum Weinbau der altbayerischen Klöster im Mittelalter. Steiner, 1999. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Trentino-Alto Adige Sudtirol wine Wine regions of Italy de:Südtirol (Weinbaugebiet) es:Alto Adige (region vinicola) it:Alto Adige (zona vitivinicola)