Alois Lageder

Pinot Grigio, also called Grauburgunder or Pinot Gris, is currently the most commonly cultivated white wine variety in Alto Adige. The sites subject to Mediterranean influences around Magrè and Salorno have predominantly chalky soils with a high sand and gravel content and are perfect for cultivating this grape variety from the noble Pinot family.

With the VERSALTO Pinot Bianco, we play with contrasts. The grapes are cultivated in areas with greatly varied climatic and geological characteristics. Some are from the Bassa Atesina, marked by calcareous soils and a Mediterranean climate, while others originate in the Merano region, notable for its volcanic rock and Alpine climate. The vineyards are predominantly located over 550m (1,804ft) above sea level, embracing the concept of “verso l'alto” (Italian for “upwards”).

Mimuèt means “to my taste” in Ladin, one of the three official languages of Alto Adige. We firmly believe that Alto Adige offers ideal conditions for the cultivation of Pinot Noir grapes. Therefore, given these advantageous conditions, this variety is a significant focus for us. Our objective is to produce wines that exude freshness and precision. To achieve this, we play with cooler vineyard locations and focus on timing the harvest just right, when the grapes are still crisp and full of life. We intentionally avoid using shrivelled, overripe berries and include the whole grape, stalk included, in the vinification process. This gives our Pinot Noir the necessary freshness and vibrancy.

With the GAUN Chardonnay, we focus on salinity and tension. A portion of the wine is fermented while in contact with whole grapes, incorporating tannins from the skins and stems to accentuate its freshness. The wine’s name harks back to the 17th century and pays homage to the Gaun family, the original owners of the Löwengang Estate.

We give the RÖMIGBERG Schiava time to mature in the cellar, enhancing its complexity while retaining the grape variety’s characteristic lightness. This versatile red is perfect for various occasions. We drink it chilled on hot summer days, but it is also an elegant accompaniment to a meal.

Traditionally, this variety has mainly been cultivated on volcanic sandy soils in Alto Adige. However, calcareous soils also bring out impressive qualities in the Sauvignon Blanc grape. The style of our Sauvignons is characterised by the interplay of limestone soil and volcanic weathered rock. We focus on salinity over aroma.

Until the 1970s this native grape variety was central to wine-making in Alto Adige, which is why it was long considered a red wine region. As the grapes prefer the shade, we continue to train the Schiava vines with pergola trellis system. The wines have freshness, light and rounded tannins and a moderate alcohol content and are ideal companions to light fare.

We like fresh wines. That’s why we’ve been growing Lagrein in the little-known area of the Magrè talus cone for the last ten years. The dolomite limestone in the soils of the cone is crucial for developing the fruity, fresh and well-rounded profile of our wine. The name Conus comes from the Latin word for “cone”, alluding to the geological formation of the Magrè talus cone.

Alto Adige is one of the few wine-growing areas of Italy with optimum conditions for this grape variety, which is why it is today one of the main local red wines. Pinot Noir prefers cool, well ventilated sites and calcareous gravel soils with a high loam content. Our Pinot Noir comes from selected sites in Appiano, Pochi and Cortaccia and, more than any other wine, offers a convincing combination of finesse and body.

The vineyards occupy a site atop a gentle hill. The natural features, including elevation, exposure, the soil, microclimate and good ventilation, create a mix that is ideal for the Pinot Noir vine, which is a traditional variety in the area. There it produces a lively, multilayered and delicate Pinot Noir wine in a style combining elegance, body, minerality and saltiness.

This wine is all about the joy of experimenting and bringing different components together. One part of the grapes was pressed immediately after their arrival at the estate, another part was kept on the skins for 15 hours and the third part was in contact with stems and skins for about one year. We combine different components in order to create a fresh, lively and precise Pinot Grigio also in future.

The Löwengang Chardonnay has played a major role in the success of the wine estate and in establishing Alto Adige's status as a quality wine region. In the 1980s it became the first white wine from the region to be successfully positioned at an international level. The vineyard comprises several smaller plots, which every year react differently to the influences of the local climate. It is our task to respond accordingly and combine them in such a way that a new masterpiece is created with every vintage.

The main component of our Casòn Bianco is the Viognier grape variety, which has ripened very harmoniously and with typical character in the last few years. The complementary varieties in the blend include Petit Manseng, Roussanne, Marsanne or Chenin Blanc. They all have small and thick-skinned berries in loose clusters, which make them highly resistant. Even at higher temperatures they have lower concentrations of sugar and a good acid structure. With regard to future developments, that makes them a useful addition to the range of grape varieties in Alto Adige.

This grape variety was created in the 1930s by Prof. Luigi Manzoni, Director of the Conegliano Research Centre, as a cross between Riesling and Pinot Bianco. Its characteristics include loose-berried clusters, thick skins, high acid levels and lower concentrations of sugar. Today’s increasingly extreme weather patterns accordingly make this grape variety very attractive for Alto Adige. By leaving the grape juice in contact with the skins for several days, we have been able to give the wine a still more striking profile.

Two almost forgotten, indigenous grape varieties are given a new life with this Comet: Fraueler and Versoaln. A few years ago, we replanted these grape varieties in our vineyards. As for Versoaln, we have drawn on the shoots and DNA of the ancient and probably biggest vine in the world: the vine that has been unfolding at Castel Katzenzunge over an area of around 320 square metres for over 360 years. The two grape varieties also gave the Comet its name: Miss stands for Fraueler (reminding us of the South Tyrolian word for miss) and SOA for Versoaln.

This Comet has become somewhat of a classic. Whole-cluster processing plays an important role also in this vintage, but after leaving the wine in contact with the skins and whole cluster for about a year, we drew it off and bottled it, allowing the wine thus to mature in the bottle for more than two years. The grapes derive from the “Margreider Leiten” (hill site above Magrè).

Historically speaking, the value of the Vernatsch (Schiava) variety lies above all in the vineyard itself. In old vineyards, you can find many different types of the variety, such as Tschaggelevernatsch, Edelvernatsch, Grauvernatsch, Mittervernatsch and Großvernatsch. In most cases, the vineyard was complemented by other grape varieties such as Edelschwarze, Geschlafene, Lagrein and Teroldego. This mixed field blend – in German “Gemischter Satz” - creates and emphasizes the uniqueness of each individual vineyard. What makes this heterogeneity so special is that some of these varieties are perfectly ripe at the time of harvest, while others may already be overripe and others still unripe. Some grapes thus increase the sugar content, while others add tension to the wine thanks to their acidity. The Comet MAX · XIX derives from one of these old, rare treasures. As far as we could find out, the vineyard is said to have been newly planted around 1900 as a result of the phylloxera epidemic and then supplemented over the decades as individual vines died off. The oldest vines in the vineyard must therefore be 120 years old. It is impressive to see how they wrap their long arms around the pergola structure. This high-quality, extremely complex Vernatsch was created from the grapes of this vineyard. The name MAX is a tribute to the person who has loved and cared for the vineyard all his life: Max Giovanett. He has been our vintner from the middle of the 20th century until the end of his life. His daughter Erika entrusted the vineyard to us in order to cultivate and maintain this treasure for the future.

Our Pet-Nat (Pétillant Naturel) has become a Comet classic and, thus, an integral part of the range. What exactly is Pet-Nat? It’s the most traditional form of sparkling wine. Each bottle is unique, as the still-fermenting must is decanted into a bottle, and fermentation is completed there. The MUS · XXIII is made from the grape varieties Moscato Giallo (55%), Tannat (25%) and Souvignier Gris (20%).