From June 16 to July 3, 2025, Annette and I spent time in wine country Italy, by car.
For an overview of the whole trip, go here: Wine Country Italy - Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige - in the Summer of 2025
Fifth Stop: Trentino-Alto Adige
The last stop of our Italy wine tour 2025 was the Trentino-Alto Adige region. We stayed 3 nights in Lana at Hotel Tiefenbrunn and 3 nights in Bolzano at Hotel Laurien.
We visited 10 wineries, most of them during the second half of the stop when we were based in Bolzano.
While in Lana, we had a light dinner at Hotel Im Tiefenbrunn in Lana and went out for dinner to Sissi (1 Star Michelin) in Merano and to Gasthaus Appollonia (Bib Gourmand Michelin), up in the mountains, above Nalles.
While in Bolzano, we had dinner at Toma by Lisa (wine bar), Loewengrube in Bolzano (Michelin listed) and Voegele (Bib Gourmand Michelin) in Bolzano.
Alois Lageder (GoogleAI based)
Alois Lageder is a renowned, family-owned winery in Alto Adige, known for its biodynamic farming methods and high-quality, expressive wines. The estate, founded in 1823, is today led by the sixth generation of the Lageder family and is a pioneer in sustainable winemaking in the region.
- Masterpieces: These are the estate's top, site-specific wines, which aim to express the unique character of Lageder's best vineyard plots. Examples include:
- Löwengang Chardonnay: From the historic Löwengang estate.
- Krafuss Pinot Noir: A flagship red wine from a distinct vineyard.
- Römigberg Schiava: A traditional, light red wine.
- Tenutæ Lageder: This label focuses on classic grape varieties that are particularly suited to the Alto Adige region. Notable wines include:
- Porer Pinot Grigio: A highly-regarded, rich and lively Pinot Grigio.
- Lindenburg Lagrein: An intense, fruity expression of the native Lagrein grape.
- Terra Alpina: An entry-level line of wines produced in partnership with a network of local growers. These wines reflect the fresh, mineral-driven character of the Dolomite foothills.
Alois Lageder (wine searcher)
Alois Lageder is a renowned wine producer in Alto Adige, Italy's northernmost wine region. The estate was established in 1823 and has been family owned and operated since. It makes a wide range of wines from both native and international grape varieties, including Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Schiava and Lagrein.
The estate consists of around 110 hectares (272 acres) of vineyard land across the region, including plots in Magrè, Cortaccia, Bolzano, San Michele and Appiano. This diversity of vineyard, which covers a vast range of exposures, soils, and mesoclimates, means that Alois Lageder can have a wide range of grape varieties, depending on the terroir of the individual site.
The main range includes three product lines. The top wines (Masterpieces) come from some of Lageder's best vineyard sites. The selection features mostly single variety wines, though the intriguing Casòn duo are a Viognier-Petit Manseng, and a Tannat-based red blend.
To mark the 30th anniversary of the Löwengang Chardonnay and Cabernet wines, special editions were bottled. These are blends of the 2013, 2014 and 2015 vintages.
Below this sits a range of single-vineyard wines from other vineyard sites, known as Compositions. There are around eight whites and three reds.
Thirdly comes the Classical Grape Varieties line of whites and reds, plus a rosé made from Lagrein. Most, but not all are monovarietal bottlings. The grapes are sourced from across the estate.
Alois Lageder also owns a pair of subsidiary brands, Riff and Terra Alpina. The company works with partner growers to source the fruit for these wines.
In Harmony with Nature (Suedtiroler Wein - Vino Alto Adige)
Alois Lageder: paving the way for biodynamic wine growing methods in Alto Adige
Lageder runs the family vineyard in the fifth generation and is intent on preserving tradition and the fundamental principles of wine growing. “A holistic approach is what matters most in agriculture,” he says. “In my opinion, a symbiotic relationship between flora and fauna is crucial for our health and for the quality of our products.” His credo is simple: for many decades now, he has been firmly committed to these standards and worked hard with plenty of courage and creativity to bring them to life.
Many of the principles of biodynamics have become common practice in modern-day farming in Alto Adige: working in harmony with nature instead of working against it or being mindful of the fact that vineyards are complex ecosystems that need to be preserved and maintained in the best way possible. And even nowadays, Alois Lageder can still be considered a pioneer, a trailblazer who does not rest on his laurels, especially not in the face of the new challenges arising as a result of climate change. “The conditions may well change way more quickly than some might expect,” he warns us.
Lageder’s response to these changes represents exactly what he has always stood for: think ahead and break new ground. “One of the options we have to respond to climate change is to move to higher grounds,” he explains, referring to an experiment he is currently running to see whether traditional grape varieties can be grown successfully at 1,450 m above sea level. The experience thus gathered, he tells us, will help make the right decisions for the future. “We need to think ahead, especially given the fact that the vines we plant in our vineyards today are supposed to last for a hundred years to come,” says Lageder.
And he is not setting his sights too high: Löwengang, one of Lageder’s oldest vineyards, has existed for almost 150 years now. Full of awe, Alois Lageder gently touches the bark of the old grape vines, which seems brittle and frail on the outside. “But it’s full of life,” he says, brimming with pride, He explains that the vines are just like the elderly, who draw upon their wisdom to make up for the physical strength they have been losing over time. “The vines are incredibly full of elegance, harmony, and sophistication,” enthuses Lageder.
While he is indeed a pioneer and forerunner, Alois Lageder is by no means a lone warrior and loves to compare notes with other winemakers in the country. In his opinion, pooling and drawing on the know-how and expertise of winemakers from many different areas of cultivation will be the only way to prepare for the challenges that lie ahead. One of these challenges will include preserving the typical feel of wines from Alto Adige. Or, in the words of Alois Lageder: “It’s also about preserving the style typical of Alto Adige: the natural elegance, the sophistication, and the lively spirit of the wines.”
Paradeis
Alois Lageder Paradeis is the restaurant and tasting location of the Alois Lageder winery, a couple of blocks away from the production facilities. Housed in the historic Casòn Hirschprunn estate, it is the Paradeis that is the public face of the Alois Lageder operation. We had a light lunch there and did some tasting before walking over to the Alois Lageder winery.
Winery
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Wine Country Italy - Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige - in the Summer of 2025
Lake Como
At Villa Almana in Cernobbio at Lake Como - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Bolgheri
Dinner at La Tana del Pirata in Marina di Castagneto Carducci, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Winery Tour and Tasting at Tenuta Argentiera, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Florentine Steak - Dario Cecchini Selection - for Lunch at Osteria Magona in Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Running into Marco Balsimelli, Production Director, Ornellaia and Masseto, at Osteria Magona, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at La Macchiole, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Visiting Vigna Lodovico and Tasting Lodovico Antinori's Cult Wines Lodovico and Il Nicchio with his Assistant at Locanda dell' Aioncino - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Dinner at Locanda dell' Aioncino, Bibbona, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Tasting the Wines of Tenuta di Biserno and Staying at Relais di Biserno, Bibbona, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Tenuta San Guido (Sassicaia): Barrel Cellar Tour and Tasting - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Bistecca alla Fiorentina for Lunch at Osteria Enoteca San Guido (Sassicaia), Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Ornellaia, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Dinner at La Pineta, with Chef/ Co-owner Daniele Zazzeri, a Michelin Starred Seafood Restaurant, at Marina die Bibbona, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Grattamacco, a Benchmark Producer in Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
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