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.

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.

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.