Concierge Blog
Bergmannhof has a longstanding history in wine cultivation. The first signs of wine cultivation go back to 1850. While they did cultivate grapes, they were then delivered to a monastery in Innsbruck. Only since 1978, the Pichler family cultivates their own wine.
The most cultivated grape varieties back then had to make room for the nowadays popular varieties Chardonnay and Merlot, while the classics Vernatsch and Lagrein still remain today.
Three generations of wine making experience are found at the Bergmanhof, son, father and grandpa all work on the vineyard and combine their passion into making the wine. The family produces their wines without any pesticides. The family only makes use of pesticides during years with tough conditions for wine cultivation. Which is also why the Bergmannhof does not have any bio-certifications. Instead they guarantee this with their good name and philosophy.
Stay tuned.....
At Wilys Art Gallery, the preparations for the next exhibition are well on their way and will, like usual, accompany the upcoming Asparagus season.
This year, the focus of the exhibition will be on orchids, envisioned by the artist GIORGIOPPI.
In these pictures you see Willy Sparer looking for works to be displayed for your and our pleasure at Willys Art Gallery in the upcoming months of april and may 2018.
Stay tuned!!!
The winery Befehlhof is situated on 710 meters above sea level in Vezzan. Vezzan is one of the most northern wineyards in South Tyrol. On the slate grounds near Vezzan, the grape varieties of Müller Thurgau, Riesling, Weißburgunder, Fraueler, Zweigelt and Blauburgunder. Fraueler is a very particular grape variety, this relatively unknown, autochthon grape is also known as Vezzaner, and with under 1ha of acreage a variety that has almost completely disappeared from South Tyrol’s vineyards.
Since 1980, wine is being produced in these dry slate grounds. Oswald Schuster was one of the first to cultivate wine in the Vinschgau valley. Having tried everything, from Kerner and Silvaner to Riesling. Some of them, like the Riesling have stuck around and make the foundation for viniculture in the Vinschgau valley.
Oswald Schuster has since retired from viniculture and left his daughter the work in and around the vineyard.
Magdalena Schuster works all year at the Befehlhof. After long years of study and work experience, in New Zealand among other places, Magdalena focuses now on viniculture in the Vinschgau valley and likes to take it slow. After years working in the international wine business she wants to focus her time not only on wine, but other projects as well.
With his small production amounts, the winery Befehlhof is considered to be a small winery by other South Tyrol standards. A secret tip for every wine drinker. The beauty of the vineyard is being displayed trough the unique wines. Riesling and Fraueler with the lovely name Jera are the proof that Vernatsch and pinot grigio aren’t everything in South Tyrol.
Stay tuned!!!
Our concierge while waiting for the tour operator to continue his japan trip, spends some time on the fields near Chino (Prefecture of Nagano) and meets a local buckwheat farmer.
Will he return to South Tyrol with Soba noodles?
To find out,
stay tuned!
picts © H. Kita
One of our guests decided to help himself to some oysters, accompanied by a bottle of Réserve della Contessa, Manicor.
A refined and elegant white, perfect for celebrating.
The only thing remaining was a heap of snow and oyster shells…
Stay tuned!
picts © L. Pichler
(a great ending and an even greater beginning)
Our guests chose to spend New Years Eve at the huts near Merano 2000 or in the valley of Sarentino. Awaiting the new year in-between lots of snow and giving the last night in 2017 the celebration it deserves.
After the festivities of the last weeks, what would be better then to wave the holidays goodbye on New Year’s Eve?
The best way to begin 2018.
A Happy New Year to everyone!
Stay tuned
pict:
© M. Meier-Fust
a visionary for Alto Adige wine, an investigative spirit with many visions, but also a practitioner, who always had the right feeling, good advice and an exciting story to tell. Thank you Wastl for the Stocker method, the Weißterlaner and the knowledge about the ageing potential of white wines from Alto Adige.
Text & pict: Judith Unterholzner
One mountain, two peaks. Monte Luco (2432 meters above sea level) and Piccolo Luco (2297 meters above sea level)
While the mountain peaks are snowed over, at the old church in Vilpiano, springtime is already showing some of its force. The old vilpiano church was constructed in 1639, when it became too small, a bigger church, san Giuseppe dei Lavoratori, was built next to it.
In this moment, spring isn’t quite ready yet to fight in full force, since now it is the time for snow, even in the valley.
While waiting for the coming festivities, visits to the Christmas markets in Merano, Bolzano or Bressanone are the perfect opportunity to try mulled wine and other seasonal treats.
Stay tuned!
picts:
© H. J. Althuber
Today, our sommelier finds himself at the Merano WineFestival, to meet the creators behind many of our wines and to discover many others.
The Merano WineFestival is the first event in Europe which, since 1992, solely focuses on the selection of top quality products in an exclusive ambience. Its multi-sensory journey in just one Glass, has become a milestone in this type of festivals.
The Merano WineFestival is more than just an event, it is an outright think tank. It provides a platform for exchange between producers, opinion leaders, professionals and consumers. A proper benchmark for high quality and a reference for a selective purchase.
The visibility and notoriety of the Merano WineFestival reaches a global level and represents a brand of top-quality. Every selected company is part of the wine-world’s gotha.
To celebrate 26 years of history, there will be 5 days full of emotions and things to discover with friends: over 450 winemakers among the best of Italy and the rest of the world, almost 200 producers of culinary products and 15 prominent chefs. Expression of the best that our place has to offer, selected by the WineHunter Award Commissions.
Cooking Farm is the highlight of the new Chef Arena, where famous Italian chefs and master chefs will challenge the most traditional South Tyrolean countrywomen in the realization of traditional and innovational plates.
Meanwhile, the Masterclasses will represent a variety of guided tastings of excellent national and international wines with the purpose to create culture and knowledge.
Another fast-growing sector of the last years will be one of the protagonists: during the Naturae and Purae, the best biological, byodinamic, natural, “orange” and PIWI wines (Disease-resistant wine varieties) will be presented on the opening day.
As the highlight of the Merano WineFestival’s Grand Final, we will proudly present Catwalk Champagne, a display of over 250 champagnes by 80 french producers!
All of this on the 26th Merano WineFestival: unique, exclusive, authentic!
Enjoy!
And don’t forget about this evenings event in the winery Terlano, where guests from all around the world will meet to enjoy oysters and champagne.
The famous chefs Christian Pichler and Giancarlo Perbellini will be present aswell.
An exciting weekend awaits,
Stay tuned!
Wandering at the foot of the colourful Schlern
We wanted to enjoy autumn with friends and guests in all its beauty and decided on the aica farm trail. Starting at village Prösels, this circular walking tour leads us past the impressive farms of Ried and Unteraich, over meadows and through vivid woodland.
A unique pleasure for the eye. Following the trail, we experience a magnificent view of chestnut trees, grapevines and grassland. Over the Schnaggenkreuz, the route leads us back to Prösels, during this passage we were especially impressed by the picturesque view on the villages Obervöls, Untervöls, Peterbühl and Ums.
Since we had not yet enough of all these colours, we decided to enjoy the sunset with a proper Tyrolean “Marende” and a good glass of pinot noir in St. Zyprian at the foot of the Rosengarten – Dolomites UNESCO cultural heritage site.
An unforgettable day filled with intensive impressions.
Stay tuned,
