When in South Tyrol the leaves start to turn yellow and autumn begins to make its entrance with more comfortable temperatures, it’s harvest time for the precious fruit of the grape. During this period, spending a holiday on a wine farm with Gallo Rosso is particularly interesting, because guests can help with the harvest and winemaking, learning from the farmer everything they need to know about the process that turns grapes into wine.
Walking and cycling excursions are especially recommended in this season as the pleasant temperatures allow you to spend the whole day outdoors. South Tyrol is very fortunate for wine production. Indeed, its geographical position—between the Alpine and Mediterranean climate, the natural barrier against cold winds formed by the northern Alps, slopes between 200 and 1000 meters above sea level, an average temperature of 18°C, and about 1800 hours of sunshine per year—creates a perfect combination for the divine nectar sought after around the world. Gewurztraminer, Schiava, and Lagrein are wines known and appreciated everywhere.
Guests at the Gallo Rosso wine farms have the chance to experience up close the exciting work of viticulture: the harvest, the presses, and, why not, sharing a good glass of new wine or from the previous year.
At the historic Weingut Oberpreyhof farm in Caldaro on the Wine Road, farmer Markus, a winemaker and master cellarman, invites guests to join him at work in the vineyards, to discover interesting facts about viticulture and the production of grappas. Once a week, he also organizes a guided tour of the cellar with a wine tasting.
The Rielinger-Hof on the Renon plateau is located 750 meters above sea level and offers, in addition to numerous farm products, a rich variety of their own wines grown using organic farming principles, such as Blatterle, Riesling, Schiava, and Zweigelt. Among the Gallo Rosso farms, it is one of the specialists for tourists who want to experience a holiday on a wine farm. Besides offering accommodation, Rielinger-Hof also has a traditional inn.
Overlooking the Adige Valley, the Pflanzerhof farm in Postal is located directly on a sunny hillside among the vineyards. Farmer Martin is a certified nature and landscape guide and explains to guests, during his guided Vineyard and cellar tours, the secrets of viticulture.
For more information: www.gallorosso.it.
