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
Stiftskellerei Neustift
On our way to a tour of the Dolomite Mountains, we stopped in Brixen, for a quick tour of the city and the Stiftskellerei Neustift, one of the world's oldest continuously operating wineries.
Neustift Abbey Winery (GoogleAI based)
The Novacella Monastery Winery, also known as Abbazia di Novacella or Stiftskellerei Neustift, is one of the world's oldest continuously operating wineries, with a history spanning over 880 years . Located in the Valle Isarco in Italy's Alto Adige region, the winery is run by Augustinian canons who have been producing wine since the monastery's founding in 1142.
Key facts about the Novacella Monastery Winery:
Historic legacy: The Augustinian monastery was founded in 1142, and vineyards were among the first lands it acquired. The winery, which includes medieval cellars located beneath the abbey church, is a remarkable blend of history and modern technique.
Wine production: While the cellar is modern, the winery honors its centuries-old traditions. About 70% of its production consists of crisp, mineral-driven white wines that thrive in the cool mountain climate. The remaining 30% are red wines, with grapes sourced from warmer vineyards farther south near Bolzano.
Key grape varietals: The primary white grapes include Sylvaner, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Grigio, and Riesling. Red wines feature local varietals like Schiava and Lagrein, along with Pinot Noir.
Praepositus and Classic lines: The winery offers two main tiers of wine: Praepositus: The top-tier line, named for the Latin word for "provost" (the abbey's leader), represents the finest expression of the abbey's vineyards. These age-worthy wines come from the best fruit at the most favored sites. Classic: These wines are meant to be approachable when young and offer exceptional quality for their value.
Sustainable practices: The Novacella Monastery has operated with a net-zero carbon footprint since 1992. The entire estate is heated with wood chips from its own forests and powered by its own hydro station. The winery also practices organic viticulture in its vineyards.
Nine Hundred Years of Experience in the Bottle (Suedtirol Wein - Vino Alto Adige)
The Novacella Monastery Winery is one of the oldest in the world
Within that context, the assortment on offer by the monastery winery is in fact primarily white but not exclusively so.
“Some 70 percent of our production is white wines: Sylvaner, Müller Thurgau, Kerner, and Riesling that grow from the Bressanone valley basin up to 900 meters,” says winemaker Celestino Lucin. The care and prudence that he practices hold true not just in the winery, but through a large number of additional circles. Thus the winegrowers work their vineyards in a sustainable manner, and the entire winery works in a CO2-neutral way.
Even if the Novacella Monastery Winery is renowned above all else for its white wines, the red varieties do indeed also play a role. They make up 30 percent of the production, whereby the grapes do indeed grow in vineyards belonging to the monastery, but not in and around Bressanone. “The climate would be too harsh for them,” Lucin is convinced. His Schiava, Pinot Noir, and Red Muscat thus have their origins in Bolzano and Cornaiano.
But it doesn’t matter whether it is red or white: the calling card of the monastery winery has been and remains the Praepositus line. And because that is the case, it is at the same time also an homage to the leader. Praepositus is the Latin word for the provost, and thus the abbot of the monastery.
Brixen (GoogleAI based)
Brixen, known in Italian as Bressanone, is a historic town in northern Italy and the oldest in the Tyrol region. Situated in South Tyrol, an autonomous province with both German and Italian as official languages, the town's culture and architecture reflect a long history of both Italian and Austrian influences.
Location and geography
Brixen is located about 40 kilometers north of Bolzano in the Isarco (Eisack) Valley. It is situated at the confluence of the Isarco and Rienza rivers, earning it the nickname "city of two rivers". The town is nestled in the Dolomites, a mountain range of the Italian Alps, and is surrounded by orchards and vineyards.
History
The town is mentioned in records dating back to 901 AD and served as an influential seat of prince-bishops for centuries, acting as a bridge between Germany and Italy. The baroque period particularly shaped the town's architecture.
Key attractions
Brixen Cathedral : A baroque-style church with a lavish marble interior and a large fresco on its nave ceiling.
Romanesque Cloister : Adjacent to the cathedral, this cloister features medieval frescoes.
Hofburg (Bishop's Palace): The former bishop's residence, which now houses the Diocesan Museum and its collection of medieval and Renaissance art.
Old Town : The historic center features beautiful arcades, narrow cobblestone streets, charming cafes, and shops.
Abbazia di Novacella (Neustift Abbey): One of the most important monasteries in the Alpine region, located just outside the city.
The Plose : Brixen's local mountain, offering a major ski resort, ski slopes, hiking trails, and mountain biking.
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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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