DOC Alto Adige Pinot NeroPinot Noir, Lagrein, Gewuerztraminer, Chardonnay, Manzoni Bianco5 haFounded 1894Rottensteiner family (Kurt and Johanna Rottensteiner)ORGANIC CERTIFIEDMazon
A historic 5-hectare estate on the Mazzon plateau, certified organic since 2011 and run by Kurt and Johanna Rottensteiner. The flagship Pinot Nero Riserva Mazzon DOC sits among the canonical Italian Pinot Noirs and is sourced exclusively from the Mazzon limestone-sandstone plateau.
Tasting: Tastings by appointment at the Mazzon Hof; focused Pinot Noir flights.
Signature wines: mazzon-pinot-nero-riserva, pinot-nero, lagrein, gewurztraminer
Tip: Brunnenhof's Mazzon Riserva is a quieter alternative to Hofstaetter's Vigna S. Urbano at a more accessible price; allocations are small.
DOC Alto AdigePinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Gewuerztraminer, Lagrein, Mueller-Thurgau12 haFounded 1861Pfitscher familyORGANIC CERTIFIEDBassa Atesina
Three generations of the Pfitscher family have made wine in Montagna since 1861, with current production led by Klaus Pfitscher across 12 organic hectares. Matan Pinot Nero Riserva is the flagship; the Sauvignon Mathias rounds out the white range.
Tasting: Reservation tastings at the contemporary cellar in Montagna; the Matan Pinot Nero Riserva is the flagship flight.
Signature wines: matan-pinot-nero-riserva, fuxleiten-pinot-nero, mathias-sauvignon, stoffhof-gewurztraminer, saxum-pinot-bianco
Tip: The cellar building itself is a ClimateHouse-certified showcase of low-impact winery design; book the cellar architecture tour alongside the tasting.
DOC Alto AdigeSauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon7 haFounded 1987Dipoli family (Peter Dipoli)Bassa Atesina
Founded in 1987 by Peter Dipoli, the Laives-born Laimburg-trained pioneer who replanted a 1.2-hectare parcel in Penon (Cortaccia) to Sauvignon Blanc and bottled the first Voglar in 1990. The estate now farms 7 hectares across Egna, Magre, Termeno and Cortaccia, producing only three wines: Voglar (Sauvignon Blanc), Iugum (Merlot-Cabernet) and Fihl (Merlot).
Tasting: Tastings by appointment with the founder; small-allocation cellar in Egna.
Signature wines: voglar-sauvignon-blanc, iugum, fihl-merlot
Tip: Voglar (first vintage 1990) was the wine Peter Dipoli built the estate around; ask about the 1.2-hectare Penon parcel and the 1988-1991 replant from Schiava to Sauvignon Blanc.
DOC Alto Adige Santa Maddalena, DOC Alto Adige Lagrein di GriesLagrein, Schiava, Pinot Bianco, Gewuerztraminer, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc12 haFounded 1956Rottensteiner family (Hannes Rottensteiner)Bolzano
Founded in 1956 in Bolzano and now run by the third-generation Hannes Rottensteiner. The estate's Lagrein and St. Magdalener bottlings, especially the Select Lagrein Gries Riserva, are the cellar's signature.
Tasting: Reservation tastings at the cellar on Via Sarentino in Bolzano; focused Lagrein and Santa Maddalena flights.
Signature wines: select-lagrein-gries-riserva, lagrein-riserva, premstallerhof-santa-maddalena, cresta-pinot-bianco
Tip: Easy walking distance from central Bolzano; pair the tasting with a Lagrein-and-Speck Stube lunch in Gries.
DOC Alto Adige Santa Maddalena, DOC Alto AdigeLagrein, Schiava, Gewuerztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot8 haFounded 1979Loacker family (Rainer and Hayo Loacker)Biodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDBolzano
Established in 1979 by Rainer Loacker on the Schwarhof and Kohlerhof estates at 500 to 550 metres in the Santa Maddalena zone above Bolzano. The family pioneered biodynamic farming in Alto Adige (treatments by biodynamic and homeopathic protocols since the late 1970s); the Gran Lareyn Lagrein Riserva is the flagship red.
Tasting: Reservation tastings at Schwarhof above Bolzano in the Santa Maddalena zone.
Signature wines: gran-lareyn-lagrein-riserva, morit-santa-maddalena, atagis-gewurztraminer, tasnim-sauvignon
Tip: The Loacker family also farms in Montalcino and Maremma; ask about the trans-estate vertical tastings when visiting Schwarhof.
DOC Alto AdigeSchiava, Lagrein, Gewuerztraminer, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc4 haFounded 2008Gojer family (Martin and Marion Gojer)Biodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDBolzano
Martin and Marion Gojer run a 4-hectare biodynamic natural-wine estate on steep slopes around the Bolzano valley basin. Manual harvest, spontaneous fermentation, extended lees contact, no fining or filtration and minimal sulphur define the cellar; old vines of Schiava, Lagrein and Gewuerztraminer drive the range.
Tasting: Tastings by appointment at the small estate above Bolzano; natural-wine focus.
Signature wines: tonsur, caroline, miau, vernatsch
Tip: Pranzegg is a well-known natural-wine grower in Alto Adige; the Miau and Tonsur cuvees punch well above their tiny allocation.
