Story: Merano Winery | South Tyrol
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Kellerei Meran - Tradition and wine diversity in the Merano region
The Merano Winery is a cooperative rich in tradition in the west of South Tyrol, deeply rooted in the land and landscape around Merano. Its origins lie in two old winegrowers' associations: the Burggräfler Kellerei in Marling was founded in 1901, followed by the Meraner Weinkellerei in Meran in 1952. In 2010, the two merged to form today's Kellerei Meran, which now has around 360-380 member wineries. Thanks to this strong community and modern investments, the facility in Marlengo/Marling was completely renovated - the reopening in June 2013 heralded a new era. The cooperative's philosophy focuses on quality and authenticity: the declared aim is for the wines to reflect the “roots” and character of their region of origin in the glass.

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Cellar master Stefan Kapfinger: A passion for wine
Under the leadership of cellar master Stefan Kapfinger, the Merano winery has made a name for itself for precise, terroir-driven vinification. Kapfinger began his career in Marling as a job, but soon the daily work with the grapes became a vocation. He describes his style as follows: with patience, sensitivity and a great deal of experience, he accompanies the wine on its journey, placing great value on authenticity and origin. According to Kapfinger, the wine should go its own way, while he only accompanies it “gently” on this journey. In the modern cellar, he relies on a combination of traditional craftsmanship and innovative technology: every drop is treated with the utmost care in order to preserve the characteristic aromas of the grape variety and the terroir.

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Growing areas and terroir
The special thing about the Merano winery is the interplay between two very different wine-growing regions: the Mediterranean-influenced Merano region and the Alpine Vinschgau.

The steep vineyards of the Merano basin, a sun-drenched, fertile area at an altitude of around 300-700m, extend around Tyrol Castle. Here, traditional grape varieties such as Vernatsch (Schiava) find the best conditions in humus-rich, permeable soils. The climate is mild, with cypresses and palm trees thriving among the vines in summer. The wines from the Merano basin are therefore often elegant, fruity and smooth in character. A prominent example is the Pinot Blanc “Tyrol” from the south-west terrace below Tyrol Castle: extremely concentrated grapes ripen in this over 50% steep, barren single-vineyard vineyard, resulting in a minerally, fruity Burgundy.

The Venosta Valley, on the other hand, is higher up in the Alps and drier. On the slopes of the lower Venosta Valley (up to around 900m), temperatures fluctuate between freezing cold and very warm, often in windswept, barren locations. Powerful, mineral mountain wines are typically produced here: The vines sprout late and the grapes are stored deep in mineral-rich porphyry and granite soil. Under these extreme conditions, white wines full of character (e.g. Kerner, Vinschgau Pinot Blanc, Vinschgau Riesling) and spicy red wines (e.g. Vinschgau Vernatsch, Pinot Noir) mature. Both areas benefit from excellent sunshine hours (over 1,940 hours/year) and a sheltered location in the middle of the Alps. These large differences in altitude and varying microclimates allow the winery to produce an astonishingly diverse repertoire of wines from over 16 grape varieties.

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Viticulture and cellar management
The quality work begins in the vineyard: manual work is the order of the day here. From strict winter pruning to careful foliage management in summer, the steep slopes have to be well tended - a challenging, all-day task that can only be accomplished with painstaking manual labor. For soil care, greenery (clover, legumes) is often introduced to promote nutrients and maintain biodiversity. Each grape variety is cultivated in the optimal location, with yield reduction and selective hand-picking ensuring healthy, concentrated berries.

Gentle pressing methods are then used in the new winery building in Marling (built in 2013). Cellar master Kapfinger emphasizes: “You have to preserve the quality of the grapes, because the wine should clearly show its origin”. Temperature-controlled fermentation is therefore carried out - partly in stainless steel tanks, partly in large wooden barrels or barriques. Many white wines - such as the Pinot Blanc Riserva “Tyrol” - mature after fermentation partly in tonneaux and large oak barrels. There they undergo malolactic fermentation and are aged on the fine lees for around eight months to develop a fine texture and minerality. The new winery sparkling wine “DOC 36” is also proof of the winemaking expertise: a Metodo Classico sparkling wine, based on the 2015 vintage, matured on the lees for 36 months, with a delicate perlage and fine fruit.

In general, the Merano winery aims to produce clearly structured, varietal wines: The light-colored collection is vinified with modern technology and great care. The results are varietally pure and full of character, whether in stainless steel tanks or in aging wood - always under Kapfinger's practiced eye. - Gerardo [TS05/25]