Blog: Neustift | South Tyrol

The vineyard of the Neustift monastery was founded in 1142 by the Tyrolean bishop in Brixen and has been owned by the Augustinian canons without interruption ever since. Since the foundation, the activities in viticulture and wine pressing have been passed on without significant interruptions. The Augustinians not only cultivated and developed their own vineyards, but also revived and promoted viticulture in the entire region around Bressanone and in the northern Valle Isarco. Especially after the phylloxera plague at the end of the last century, they used new techniques and grape varieties: they propagated vineyards in pure culture and imported, for example, Veltliner from Austria, which was mostly planted out in the South Tyrolean vineyards as a mixture of early red and green Veltliner.

The proceeds from wine sales still contribute to the preservation of the monastery, which consists of the cloister and the Bibilothek and is also important in terms of art history. The Augustinians cultivate traditional viticulture in a positive sense and age some of the Lagrein wines in barrique. Otherwise, the goal of those in charge is to leave the white wines in particular, with their fine spicy aroma structure, as unadulterated and attractive as possible. All efforts in Neustift are directed at the high-quality grape as raw material, and experiments are first critically examined internally before they find their way into the marketed production. - Gerardo [TS10/22]

"The Augustinian canon monastery of Neustift was founded in 1142, and wine production began at the monastery even then. Thus, the Stiftskellerei Neustift is one of the oldest wineries in the world. The Bressanone basin offers ideal conditions for the cultivation of white wines, but the northern location and altitudes of 600 to 850 meters above sea level show the limits of many grape varieties. With Sylvaner, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Riesling and Veltliner, one finds here above all grape varieties known from more northern latitudes. Gewürztraminer, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc are also cultivated. The red wines of the Stiftskellerei come from vineyards in Bolzano and Überetsch. Blauburgunder, Rosenmuskateller and Vernatsch thrive on the Abbey's own Marklhof in Girlan, while Lagrein and St. Magdalener are found in the classic Bolzano sites. On a total of 86 hectares, the Abbey Winery produces around 750,000 bottles of wine, 80 percent of which are white wines. The grapes from the best sites are used for the production of the 'Praepositus' wines." - Falstaff