Wine-Growing

The St. Magdalener grows in a very special location: on the moraine-decked slopes of a small, gentle hill with aerate, sandy soils that easily soak up the rays of the sun.

The location on the south-eastern hillside guarantees ideal insolation and optimal ripening of the grapes in autumn. The vines are trained along the “Pergola” system with approx. 5,000 vines per hectare.
Traditionally, St. Magdalener consists of four varieties of the same type of Vernatsch grape (Italian: schiava): Groß-, Mitter-, Grau-, and Tschaggelevernatsch, in correspondence to both the size and colour of their grapes, i.e. large, medium, grey, and small, respectively. They are grown together with up to 10% of the Lagrein variety, in an integrated production system. In order to produce a St. Magdalener, both varieties are harvested and fermented together. Perfect grape quality is achieved by applying a strict yield limitation and by scrupulously carrying out leaf-plucking procedures.

The Lagrein variety grows in the Bozner Boden/Piani di Bolzano area and in Gries (both districts of Bozen/Bolzano). The soils are warm, deep, and well-aerated and consist mainly of debris and detritus deposited by the Eisack/Isarco and Talfer/Talvera rivers. Once again, the vines are trained along the “Pergola” system with approx. 4,500 vines per hectare.
The warm, southerly hillside location and a scrupulous yield limitation are a guarantee of the best grape quality.

The Merlot variety grows in the southern part of Bozen/Bolzano, on warm, loose alluvial soil. The area, where the rivers Etsch/Adige and Eisack/Isarco flow into each other, is called “Spitz” (tip).
The grapevines are trained along the Guyot-system using its typical segmental arches with approx. 7,000 vines per hectare. In cultivating the grapes, great store is set on quality by combining optimal ripeness with low yields.