South Tyrol is crazy about wine
WOW. I stand in the new Granvara Wine Lounge and do a 360° turn. The wine cellar has been given a total facelift since my last holiday in Val Gardena. The best South Tyrolean and international fine wines are lined up on elegant wooden shelves and behind shining glass cases.
“Surprised?” The Granvara sommelier smiles at me. I already know him from the delicious gourmet dinners in the hotel. Evening after evening, he has provided my husband and I with the most wonderful gourmet delights for our palates, thanks to his attentive and discrete manner. He really knows how to discover the preferences of his guests and round off gourmet creations with the perfect wine pairing.
Now he stands next to me and a group of other guests, animatedly leading us through the world of wine in the Hotel Granvara in Val Gardena. Today we will see and taste the fine wines South Tyrol has to offer, because the region “with its alpine-Mediterranean blend and richly varied terroir, is perfect for wine cultivation”, explains the sommelier.
To start us off, he talks about the long tradition of wine cultivation in South Tyrol which has its origins in the Roman times around 500 BC. He explains how the contradictions of the landscape, the climate and the topography blend harmoniously and how the farmers value quality above quantity. He tells us of the many prizes and awards, as well as the high density of quality wines – of which 98% grow on protected origin (DOC) cultivation areas. It’s hard to believe that all this relates to this small “landl”, one of the smallest wine cultivation areas in the whole of Italy!
I listen to the introduction in amazement and look forward even more to tasting the wines. Through in the elegant tasting room, the sommelier first offers us a young South Tyrolean pinot blanc that has attracted attention from international wine connoisseurs at trade fairs. A fresh mineral taste with delicate lemon notes, the wine caresses my palate; my enthusiasm increases as the wines we taste become more mature and prominent. At the end, we taste a fruity Vernatsch, an indigenous variety that is a hallmark of the region – and therefore unmissable.
As I leave the Wine Lounge with plenty of new knowledge and many delicious notes on my palate, the sommelier joins me. “What a wonderful trip through the South Tyrolean world of wine!!” I say, and thank him for this excellent experience. “Well, South Tyrol is a little in love with wine”, says the sommelier, smiling. “There’s no doubt about that” I smile, “and I am too!”
“Surprised?” The Granvara sommelier smiles at me. I already know him from the delicious gourmet dinners in the hotel. Evening after evening, he has provided my husband and I with the most wonderful gourmet delights for our palates, thanks to his attentive and discrete manner. He really knows how to discover the preferences of his guests and round off gourmet creations with the perfect wine pairing.
Now he stands next to me and a group of other guests, animatedly leading us through the world of wine in the Hotel Granvara in Val Gardena. Today we will see and taste the fine wines South Tyrol has to offer, because the region “with its alpine-Mediterranean blend and richly varied terroir, is perfect for wine cultivation”, explains the sommelier.
To start us off, he talks about the long tradition of wine cultivation in South Tyrol which has its origins in the Roman times around 500 BC. He explains how the contradictions of the landscape, the climate and the topography blend harmoniously and how the farmers value quality above quantity. He tells us of the many prizes and awards, as well as the high density of quality wines – of which 98% grow on protected origin (DOC) cultivation areas. It’s hard to believe that all this relates to this small “landl”, one of the smallest wine cultivation areas in the whole of Italy!
I listen to the introduction in amazement and look forward even more to tasting the wines. Through in the elegant tasting room, the sommelier first offers us a young South Tyrolean pinot blanc that has attracted attention from international wine connoisseurs at trade fairs. A fresh mineral taste with delicate lemon notes, the wine caresses my palate; my enthusiasm increases as the wines we taste become more mature and prominent. At the end, we taste a fruity Vernatsch, an indigenous variety that is a hallmark of the region – and therefore unmissable.
As I leave the Wine Lounge with plenty of new knowledge and many delicious notes on my palate, the sommelier joins me. “What a wonderful trip through the South Tyrolean world of wine!!” I say, and thank him for this excellent experience. “Well, South Tyrol is a little in love with wine”, says the sommelier, smiling. “There’s no doubt about that” I smile, “and I am too!”
