Ask any wine connoisseur — and non — to name some of Italy’s most renowned wine regions, and chances are Tuscany (Chianti), Piedmont (Barolo), and Veneto (Valpolicella) will be top of mind.
Not as frequently mentioned? Alto-Adige, also known as South Tyrol, in the country’s northwest. An alpine wonderland bordering Austria, this is the northern part of Trentino Alto-Adige, and Italy’s northernmost province. It is also, in many ways, a universe away from the rest of the Bel Paese, with an identity heavily influenced by Germanic cultures (German is spoken alongside Italian in most places) and wild, majestic landscapes of forests and jagged mountain ranges in lieu of Renaissance towns and ancient Roman ruins.
Yet, just like Italy’s other 19 regions, wine-making is serious business here — not to mention unique, with grape varieties like Gewürztraminer, Vernatsch, Lagrein, Sylvaner, Müller-Thurgau, and Riesling that are hard to find elsewhere on the Italian peninsula.
Spending some time to get to know them is easy. Bolzano, South Tyrol’s capital, has a well-connected train station and a small regional airport one could fly into from other parts of the boot, as well as from Germany, Switzerland, and a handful of northern European cities.
I decided to drive the four hours from Milan, where I live, passing through apple orchards and miles upon miles of vines, some of which are perilously perched atop sun-kissed hillsides. Over the course of four days, I discovered a vibrant, diverse, and proud viticulture scene that’s as exciting as that of Italy’s bigger players — and just as tantalizing.
Day 1 & 2: Bolzano and its nearby wineries
Compact, with charming narrow streets and medieval buildings — plus an imposing Gothic cathedral that’s among Italy’s most notable — Bolzano is the ideal gateway to South Tyrol’s wine region. The town brims with bustling cafés, enoteche (wine bars), and traditional restaurants like Wirtshaus Vögele and Cavallino Bianco, which make the perfect introduction to South Tyrolean fare and tipples.
I start here, leisurely strolling the centro storico before popping by the bar of the hip, four-star Parkhotel Luna Mondschein, whose wine menu highlights regional producers. I try a glass of ‘Miau Miau,’ a pet-nat (a natural sparkling wine that is made with as little intervention as possible) from Pranzegg, a small biodynamic winery on the outskirts of Bolzano. It’s tart, fresh, delicious, and made with Lagrein, one of the grape varieties indigenous to South Tyrol. The following day, I am at their estate for a guided tasting and tour.
Owner Martin Gojer personally takes four of us through some of Pranzegg’s vineyards, pointing to the mix of steep slopes and valleys as just some of the main elements characterizing South Tyrolean wines. “The different altitudes and climates yield widely different vines,” he says. “Add to that the difference in soil, flora and fauna, and, when you combine everything, you obtain wines that are in between the Alpine and the Mediterranean. Pretty distinctive.”
Indeed, Pranzegg’s wines — a good mix of whites, rose and reds — are characterful and eminently drinkable. So are those of Pitzner Winery, an uber-contemporary winery just outside Bolzano, and my next stop. Located in the former arms plant of the imposing Castel Cornedo (Burg Karneid), which looms over it from a rocky outcrop high above, it was founded by brothers Markus and Thomas Puff just over a decade ago, and currently spans five individual vineyards across five hectares of land, each with their own microclimate.
I sample some of their bottles in their sleek enoteca, picking their St Magdalener Malanders (95% Vernatsch and 5% Lagrein) to bring home with me and make a note to book a stay at one of their three luxe, minimalist suites on my next visit. For now, however, I have one more winery to visit: Egger-Ramer, a 10-minute car ride away.
If Pranzegg and Pitzner are young and progressive, Egger-Ramer is steeped in tradition, having been established in 1880. Here, generations have honed the making of one wine in particular — Lagrein, their flagship. I try the Kretzer, their rosé version, and add it to my fast-growing collection of South Tyrolean bottles. Before hitting the road once more, I spend some time taking in the surrounding landscape, hectare upon hectare of sun-drenched vineyards. It’s spectacular, and wildly impressive for such an underrated part of Italy.
If you’re unsure what to order, opt to add a wine pairing to the chef’s five-course tasting menu: you’ll be served a series of excellent local wines alongside inventive dishes such as alpine veal with tarragon, fermented quince and tiger nut, or salmon trout with lemongrass, buckwheat and crosne.
That’s only confirmed further at dinner at 1908, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the hamlet of Soprabolzano, on the plateau above Bolzano. Discreetly refined and with a strong eye towards ethical, seasonal, and sustainable dishes — aside from its one star it also boasts a Michelin green star — the locale has a wine list featuring almost 400 labels from the region, which can be paired with the chef’s tasting menu. If one needed proof of South Tyrol’s lofty viticulture ambitions, this would definitely be it.
Day 3 & 4: South Tyrol’s Wine Road
Day 3 of my trip takes me to the heart of the region’s wine-making practice: South Tyrol’s Wein Strasse, its Wine Road. A 150 km (93-mile)-long route surrounded by 4,400 hectares (17 square miles) of vineyards, this is where most South Tyrolean wines are produced, thanks to some 5,000 wine farmers who work throughout the year — bar a short break in winter — to tend, harvest, and pick top-quality grapes for 70 local wineries.
The drive through it is breathtaking. On either side of the well-kept road are craggy mountain ranges, lofty medieval castles that seem to be jutting into the sky, impossibly green farm fields, and fairy-tale alpine villages — 16 of them, to be exact.
The elegant Appiano is my first stop. Once the summer residence of the Austrian aristocracy, the town counts over 180 castles and manors in its immediate surroundings, and, with a vine surface of 941 hectares (3.6 square miles), represents the region’s largest wine-growing community. I drive by St. Michael-Eppan winery, an institution in the area as it’s been around since 1907, and visit its cavernous cellar, where, besides the wines, I’m drawn to the four beautifully carved antique barrels depicting historical events from 1907 onward. They’re an exquisite reminder of the long history behind wine-making here.
Nearby Michelin-starred Osteria Acquarol, whose philosophy is based on serving only a few dishes made with ingredients from independent local producers and the restaurant’s own vegetable garden, is a great lunch option after the winery, and a satisfying interlude to what’s yet to come. Just like at 1908, a tasting menu — there are four of them, varying in price depending on the number of dishes — is the best way to experience it, even better if combined with a wine pairing. Barbecued spring onions, corn tempura perch, and semifreddo with goat cacioricotta cheese, raspberries, rhubarb, and apple balsamic vinegar are just some of the dishes I'm still thinking about today.
The afternoon is a succession of winery visits along the Wine Road, from small and organic like Thomas Niedermayr to big and grand like architecture-forward Kurtatsch and old-school Cantina Girlan, a cooperative-style winery founded in 1923 in a restored 16th-century manor, where a collective of 200 wine producers bring in their grapes to make wine.
Each is a pleasure to explore, and a tad inebriating, too: (small) tastings range from anything from 1 to 2 euros per tipple at most wineries, so getting to try different bottles is easy (my husband and I take turns being designated drivers).
The following day, my Wine Road tour continued. I make my way down to Manincor, another gorgeous winery housed in a 400-year-old manor house where count and countess Michael and Sophie Goëss-Enzenberg have been making wine since 1996. The place is stunning, surrounded by the family’s vineyards and flanked by a modern cellar built deep into the ground, “to minimize our impact on the landscape,” says Sophie, who shows me around. “We are a biodynamic winery, so it was important for us to make our wines in a space that’s mindful of what is around it” she explains. “Respecting nature is key in our approach to wine-producing.”
That ethos is the same I found at Pranzegg and Thomas Niedermayr — and, it seems, a common thread across the Wine Road. Paradeis Alois Lageder, found in a dreamy Renaissance palace in the quaint village of Magrè, practices biodynamic viticulture and it’s set to become fully biodynamic within the next few years. “We see the winery as a farm organism, a living microcosm with a diversity of plants and animals,” reads its website, and walking through it that’s immediately apparent. Its on-site restaurant, too, is fully organic, and open for alfresco lunches in a leafy courtyard shrouded by lavender, rosemary, and lemon plants.
Patrick Uccelli, nestled on a hill just outside Salorno, the southernmost town on the Wine Road, produces delightful certified organic and biodynamic natural wines. Guests can enjoy them on a breezy, shaded terrace with open views of the vineyards below — probably one of South Tyrol’s most panoramic spots.
Considering how small the region is, the commitment towards sustainable wine-making is remarkably strong.
I wrap up my wine tour at Lake Caldaro, South Tyrol’s largest body of water, home to more wineries and, in the nearby town by the same name (also known as Kaltern in German) to the South Tyrolean Wine Museum — said to be the oldest wine museum in Italy. Immersing myself in the area’s 3,000-year-old wine-making history is a fitting ending to take stock of what I’ve tried and seen over the past four days.
Even more fitting is dining at lakeshore restaurant Seehof Keller, a restored centuries-old winery with yet another unmissable (lake view) terrace and curated rustic vibes throughout. Eating under a pergola, with vast stretches of vines all around and a glass of Müller-Thurgau in front of me, I can't help but think of how unique South Tyrol is; a perfect blend of different cultures, climates, and perspectives. It’s no wonder the wine is so good.
Where To Stay:
Adler Lodge Ritten
A luxe mountain retreat in Soprabolzano, Adler Lodge Ritten features contemporary accommodations with stunning views of the Dolomites, plus a gourmet restaurant, indoor and outdoor pool, woodland saunas, and zen-like spa facilities.
Seehotel-Ambach
A must for architecture enthusiasts — it was designed in 1973 by the then South Tyrolean star architect Othmar Barth — the Seehotel-Ambach is on Lake Caldaro, and combines eclectic 1970s design with uninterrupted lake views. One of the most unique properties in South Tyrol.
When To Go:
Summer is a beautiful time to visit, but also when tourists from Germany, Italy, and the U.K. arrive in droves. Visit during shoulder season (specifically late May and early June or September through October) to avoid the crowds and surging prices, though the weather can be a little more unpredictable.
Fall is when vintage and fruit harvest peaks, and when a variety of local festivals and celebrations take place, like Speckfest (Bacon festival), The Merano Grape Festival, and cattle drives. Winter, while beloved by those into snowsports (the area has 30 ski resorts), is not ideal for vineyard visits as many take a break during this time. It’s best to call ahead.
How To Get Around:
A car is the best way to get around, though this means taking it easy on the tastings or organizing a designated driver. Also note that roads can get pretty busy with tour buses and cyclists, as biking and guided tours are also popular ways of exploring the area.
How To Get There:
While South Tyrol is home to the regional Bolzano/Bozen airport, Innsbruck in Austria is the closest major airport, and about an hour’s drive. The airports of Verona and Venice in Italy are between 2.5 and 3.5 hours away, respectively, and additional airports slightly further afield include Munich, Zurich, Bologna, and Milan. If you want to come by train, all IC and EC trains stop in Bolzano and Bressanone.