Abbazia di Novacella historic cellar ★ 4.8
12 by the glassVahrn/Varna, near Bressanone
The Abbazia di Novacella cellar runs continuously since 1142 and the Stiftskeller restaurant beside it serves Tyrolean cooking against the Eisacktaler white range. The Romanesque cloister, baroque library and the cellar form a single complex; cellar tastings are paced through the late afternoon and early evening.
The list: Stiftskellerei Neustift historic cellar pours the Eisacktaler whites: Sylvaner, Kerner, Mueller-Thurgau, Riesling, Gewurztraminer; Praepositus reserve tier
Tip: Combine an abbey tour with the cellar visit. The Praepositus Kerner is the standout reserve bottling; the entry Sylvaner is the daily-drinker.
Casa del Vino Alois Lageder candle-lit cellar ★ 4.7
18 by the glassMagre village
Alois Lageder's Casa del Vino at Magre is the family's tasting-and-restaurant precinct, with a candle-lit cellar tasting room and the Paradeis restaurant beside it. Demeter-certified biodynamic wines from the Tenutae Lageder estate, the Comets negociant tier and the Riff range under one roof.
The list: Demeter-certified Tenutae Lageder biodynamic range; Lowengang Chardonnay, Krafuss Pinot Noir, Comets blends; long-aged library bottlings
Tip: Lunch and dinner at Paradeis pair the kitchen with the cellar; reserve a cellar flight either before or after the meal.
City.Vinothek Cantina Merano ★ 4.5
24 by the glassMerano arcades
City.Vinothek Cantina Merano is a 2022 town-centre wine bar of the Cantina Merano cooperative in a restored historic Merano arcades building. Modern wine lounge alongside the cellar-shop, with the Brut Riserva 36 sparkling and the Festival Pinot Bianco as the headline pours.
The list: Cantina Merano's town wine bar and shop; full Merano cooperative range plus the Brut Riserva 36 traditional-method sparkling; rotating by-the-glass selection
Tip: The Brut Riserva 36 (36 months on the lees) is the cooperative's flagship sparkling, ideal as an apero before dinner on the Merano arcades.
Meraner Weinhaus enoteca lounge ★ 4.6
40 by the glassMerano (Quarazze)
Meraner Weinhaus is the region's largest independent enoteca, with around 3,000 labels, a 40-wine Enomatic tasting selection and a curated South Tyrolean range. The wine-bar lounge runs through the evening, and the cellar-shop is the principal regional reference for export sourcing.
The list: Around 3,000 wines (South Tyrolean, Italian and international) and the option to taste a selection of 40 wines by Enomatic; sparkling and spirits
Tip: Use the Enomatic to taste across price tiers - 5 ml, 25 ml or 75 ml pours from each of the 40 active bottles. The South Tyrolean range is exhaustive.
Pur Suedtirol Merano food and wine lounge ★ 4.4
15 by the glassMerano centro
Pur Suedtirol is the South Tyrolean regional-products lounge in central Merano, with a wine bar and a curated South Tyrolean range. Charcuterie, cheese, regional wines, beers, spirits and pastries under one roof; the wine-bar lounge runs alongside the food shop.
The list: Curated South Tyrolean wine selection sourced direct from producers; wine bar with by-the-glass rotation alongside the regional food market
Tip: The Speck-and-Schiava flight is the regional aperitivo. The shop also stocks Lieselehof's Vino del Passo and other rarer Alto Adige bottlings.
Tenutae Lageder Vin Santo and dessert-wine cellar ★ 4.5
8 by the glassMagre village
The dessert-wine corner of Casa del Vino Alois Lageder at Magre pours the estate's late-harvest Moscato Giallo and rare passito bottlings alongside other South Tyrolean dessert wines. Demeter-certified biodynamic. Bookable as a vertical flight at Casa del Vino.
The list: Late-harvest and passito dessert wines from the Tenutae Lageder range; Demeter-certified biodynamic; rare library bottlings poured at Casa del Vino
Tip: Pair with the Paradeis dessert menu. The Tenutae Lageder Moscato Giallo passito is rare outside the cellar door.