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ALOIS LAGEDER

TRENTINO-ALTO ADIGE

ALOIS LAGEDER

TRENTINO-ALTO ADIGE



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ABOUT THE WINERY

Driving north from Verona and the Lake Garda area in northeastern Italy, the autostrada enters the Alpine valley of the Adige River. Steep glacially carved walls line the valley, castles and fortresses perched every so often on one side or the other, keeping guard as they have for centuries. Half an hour into this narrow passageway, after passing the city of Trento, the autostrada enters the heart of Trentino–Alto Adige’s winegrowing (and apple-growing) district, with the entire valley floor carpeted with vines and orchards. In the center of this district, a little north of the border between the region’s two provinces—in Austrian-influenced Alto Adige or Südtirol—is the charming little village of Magrè (or Margreid in German). Though at first glance the town looks like a sleepy if well-preserved burg that time forgot, Magrè in fact hides the headquarters of the Alois Lageder winery, one of Alpine Italy’s finest producers. 

The inconspicuousness of the Lageder presence in Magrè is emblematic of the winery’s intent to fit in seamlessly with the local community and the natural environment in this bucolic, pristine setting. Lageder works hard to be a good neighbor and a good steward of the land by practicing biodynamic farming, doing their part to mitigate any harmful effects of their winemaking facilities, and helping their grower-partners and others in the valley to do the same. 

Founded initially as a wine merchant in the city of Bolzano in 1823 by Johann Lageder, the company is closing in on its bicentennial in the wine industry. Over the years, the family began producing their own wine and growing some of their own grapes as well. A major milestone came in 1934, when Johann’s great-grandson Alois purchased the Löwengang wine estate in Magrè, shifting the company’s focus from merchant to producer. Over time, the family acquired other well-positioned vineyards in Alto Adige and entered into purchase agreements with many of the small growers around Magrè. 

The current owner of the estate is Alois Lageder IV, the son of the man who bought the Löwengang estate. Alois IV took control of the company in the mid-1970s, alongside his sister Wendelgard and her husband, enologist Luis von Dellemann. His son Alois Clemens Lageder, representing the sixth generation of family ownership, recently stepped into the management-helm of the winery. 

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WINERY LOCATION: Magrè, Alto Adige
REGION: Alto Adige DOC, IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti
VINEYARD LAND: 136 acres (55 ha) owned and 210 acres (85 ha) Partner Growers
FARMING PRACTICES: Organic & Certified Biodynamic (140 hectares (346 acres)
GRAPE VARIETIES: Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Müller Thurgau, Moscato Giallo, Schiava, Lagrein, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon
WINE STYLES: Dry red, dry white
TOTAL WINE PRODUCTION: 1,200,000 bottles (900,000 liters)
YEAR FOUNDED: 1823
OWNER(S): The Lageder Family
WINEMAKER(S): Jo Pfisterer & Paola Tenaglia & Marion Pedron

WINES

ALOIS LAGEDER TERRA ALPINA PINOT GRIGIO VIGNETI DELLE DOLOMITI IGT

The wines from Alois Lageder’s Terra Alpina project are part of the winery’s collaboration with growers in neighboring communities to produce excellent wines representative of the Dolomite region. In the foothills of the Dolomite Range, cool Alpine and warm Mediterranean influences meet to create fresh, precise, and expressive wines with a character influenced by the prevalent Dolomitic limestone. Lageder’s holistic understanding of nature and the winery's centuries of experience help to ensure the selection of the best terroirs and the optimal exploitation of the special climatic, geological, and topographic conditions in the area.

ALOIS LAGEDER TERRA ALPINA CHARDONNAY VIGNETI DELLE DOLOMITI IGT

In creating a new Chardonnay within the Terra Alpina line of wines, Alois Lageder continues to showcase the fresh terroir of the Dolomite region.  Doing so also allowed them to make an organic wine by partnering with winegrowers who are committed to certified organic farming.  Alois Lageder Chardonnay has always been known for its precision and finesse and the Terra Alpina Chardonnay is no exception to this rule.  

ALOIS LAGEDER TERRA ALPINA PINOT BIANCO VIGNETI DELLE DOLOMITI IGT

The wines from Alois Lageder’s Terra Alpina project are part of the winery’s collaboration with growers in neighboring communities to produce excellent wines representative of the Dolomite region. In the foothills of the Dolomite Range, cool Alpine and warm Mediterranean influences meet to create fresh, precise, and expressive wines with a character influenced by the prevalent Dolomitic limestone. Lageder’s holistic understanding of nature and the winery's centuries of experience help to ensure the selection of the best terroirs and the optimal exploitation of the special climatic, geological, and topographic conditions in the area.

ALOIS LAGEDER MÜLLER THURGAU VALLE ISARCO ALTO ADIGE DOC

This cross between Riesling and Madeleine Royale, which was created by the Swiss botanist and oenologist Hermann Müller from the Swiss Canton of Thurgau, finds ideal conditions in the cool climate of Valle Isarco and at elevations over 700 meters (2.300 feet). Sandy, gravelly and schist soils and the influence of the Alpine microclimate also contribute to the slow ripening of this variety.

ALOIS LAGEDER SCHIAVA ALTO ADIGE DOC

Schiava is a grape variety native to Alto Adige that, until the 1970s, was central to winemaking in the region.  For this reason, the region was more well-known for its red wines than white wines for decades.  Historically known for producing light-bodied and lighter-colored wines, in recent years Lageder has started experimenting with Schiava to push the boundaries of the varietal's potential, creating wines with increased levels of concentration, weight and structure, while maintaining balance, elegance and freshness.  

ALOIS LAGEDER MIMUÈT PINOT NOIR VIGNETI DELLE DOLOMITI IGT

The name Mimuèt comes from the Latin expression meaning "to my taste'. Convinced that Alto Adige offers the best conditions for Pinot Noir, Lageder devotes special attention to this grape variety with the objective of producing wines with precision, lightness and a delicate structure. To do that, they experiment with cooler sites and focus on optimum timing for the grape harvest so that the grapes are still crisp and lively. That ensures the Alois Lageder Mimuèt Pinot Noir has the requisite freshness and liveliness. Demeter Certified Biodynamic

ALOIS LAGEDER “PORER” PINOT GRIGIO MITTERBERG IGT

Porer Pinot Grigio is part of the Component line from Alois Lageder.  Wine is an interplay between different components. With great attention to detail, we study the individual components in the vineyard and the cellar, combine them and create the conditions that allow these wines to develop. "Porer" is a winemaker’s wine, all about the joy of experimenting and bringing different techniques together to produce a fascinatingly complex product. One part of the grapes was pressed immediately after harvest to keep the fresh flavors and aromas. Another part was kept on the skins for 15 hours and the third part was in contact with stems and skins for about one year, absorbing color, some tannin, and other rich flavor components.

ALOIS LAGEDER "VERSALTO" PINOT BIANCO VIGNETI DELLE DOLOMITI IGT

Pinot Bianco is a grape that has been cultivated in Alto Adige since the mid-19th century and is one of the main wine varieties cultivated in the region today.  Fruit from four distinctive vineyard sites is used to produce "Versalto," the highest expression of Pinot Bianco in the winery's Compositions line.  The wine is a product of the interaction of geological, microclimatic and cultural contrasts as each of the vineyards have differences in soil type, altitude, climate and trellis systems.  The Aspmair and Leisterhof vineyards are both near Merano in Northern Alto Adige, Palma is in Penone on the western side of the valley, and Uccelli is in Pochi, located on the eastern side of the valley. Spontaneous fermentation took place in large cask and the wine was then aged in oak casks for six months prior to bottling.

ALOIS LAGEDER "GAUN" CHARDONNAY VIGNETI DELLE DOLOMITI IGT

The name Gaun dates back to the 17th century and the family of the Barons Gaun, the first owners of the Löwengang estate. In 1934, when Alois III saw the excellent results produced by the Chardonnay grape variety in the dolomitic limestone soil on the Magrè talus cone, he decided to purchase Löwengang. 150 years ago, Chardonnay and other international grape varieties were planted there.  First produced with the 2009 vintage, Gaun is made from Chardonnay from various vineyard sites in the area surrounding Magrè, all of which are grown in soils with high levels of dolomitic limestone.

ALOIS LAGEDER "FORRÁ" MANZONI BIANCO VIGNETI DELLE DOLOMITI IGT

In the 1930s Manzoni Bianco was created by Prof. Luigi Manzoni, director of the renowned Conegliano Research Center, by crossing Riesling and Pinot Bianco. Its characteristics include loose-berried clusters, thick skins, high acid levels, and lower concentrations of sugar. Those features make Manzoni Bianco attractive for Alto Adige given today’s increasingly extreme weather patterns. Lageder accentuates its flavor profile by leaving the grape juice in contact with the skins for several days.

ALOIS LAGEDER “LOWENGANG” CHARDONNAY VIGNETI DELLE DOLOMITI IGT

Alois Lageder’s Löwengang Chardonnay has played a major role not only in the success of the wine estate itself but also in establishing Alto Adige's status as a quality wine region. Beginning with the 1984 vintage, Löwengang Chardonnay became the first white wine from the region to be successfully positioned at an international level. The estate comprises several smaller plots that react differently to the influences of the local weather every year. Lageder does not try to make a uniform product with this wine, but rather responds to annual conditions to make every vintage unique. The name Löwengang derives from a historical residence of the same name in Magrè that has been in the possession of the Lageder family since 1934.

ALOIS LAGEDER “KRAFUSS” PINOT NOIR VIGNETI DELLE DOLOMITI IGT

The Krafuss residence, which has survived largely unchanged since the Renaissance, is owned by Roland Riz, Alois Lageder’s father-in-law. Surrounded by vineyards and orchards, the historical building reflects the economic significance that the vineyards in the area above San Michele Appiano enjoyed as early as the Middle Ages. In 1991, the vineyards atop a gentle hill were rehabilitated and planted with Pinot Noir. The combination here of elevation, exposure, soil, microclimate, and good ventilation create a mix that is ideal for Pinot Noir, which is a traditional variety in the area. In 2013, Lageder made the transition to biodynamic working, and now there are again sheep grazing on the edge of the village of Appiano.

ALOIS LAGEDER "COR RÖMIGBERG" CABERNET SAUVIGNON VIGNETI DELLE DOLOMITI IGT

In the 1980s, discussions with wine-growers from all over the world such as Robert Mondavi, the famous pioneer of wine-growing in America, and various chateau owners in the Bordeaux region encouraged Alois Lageder to introduce Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot in the form of wire trellis system as a replacement for the traditional Schiava. The result, in 1986, was Alto Adige’s first major vineyard with densely planted Guyot-trained vines – a fact that caused much discussion. This site has traditionally been called "Herz" (German for heart or Cor in Latin) and has given the wine its name.

LOCATION


WINERY:
Magrè, Alto Adige

VINEYARD:
Alto Adige

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REGION DETAILS

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NEWS AND REVIEWS FROM OUR FRIENDS IN THE INDUSTRY



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92
JUNE 2022
Alois Lageder “Krafuss” Pinot Noir Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT 2018

It’s hard to pull away from the 2018 Pinot Noir Krafuss, as a deep and vivid blend of cherry pits, mint, pine shavings, chalk dust and smoke swirl up from the glass. Just as its bouquet would suggest, this is pure, energetic and wholly satisfying on the palate, with a sweet and sour mix of wild berries giving way to inner violet and lavender tones, while coming across as both creamy but also ethereal. A bit more depth might take the 2018 to the next level, but that’s just splitting hairs. It finishes lightly-structured and refined with nuances of tangerine and pomegranates that linger on and on. This is some stunning juice.

92
AUGUST 2023
Alois Lageder “Lowengang” Chardonnay Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT 2020

The Löwengang Chardonnay is an icon of Italian Chardonnay and continues to show the dedication of the Lageder estate to producing the highest quality of wines. Aromas of spiced baked apples, Comice pears, candied lemon zest, white flowers and baking spices are present. The wine is rich and broad on the palate with a creamy texture and hints of vanilla and both sweet and savory spices. The wine finishes with the energy and pulse of the mountains, showing both the mineral edge and the important acidity that gives this wine the structure for the long haul.

89
MAY 2023
Alois Lageder Pinot Noir Alto Adige DOC 2020

The 2020 Pinot Noir is a spice box with white pepper, curry leaf, ashen stone and crushed black raspberries forming its intense bouquet. It washes across the palate, softly textured, with tart wild berry fruits complicated by savory herbal tones. This leaves rosy inner florals to linger over a staining of minerality while finishing youthfully tense. The 2020 embodies alpine-style Pinot Noir.

94
JUNE 2022
Alois Lageder “Lowengang” Chardonnay Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT 2018

The 2018 Chardonnay Lowengang captivates with its understated yet deeply layered bouquet, as sweet smoke blows off to reveal ripe peaches complemented by a mix of curry leaves and fresh vanilla bean. This is silky and elegant in texture, yet not weighty in feel, as contrasting notes of lemon oil and granny smith apple give way to an enriching air of confectionary custards. It leaves a concentration of tart orchard fruits and salty minerals to linger, while finishing remarkably long, but also fresh. There is simply so much going on in this glass and only more to come through medium-term cellaring. The integration of oak is spot-on. This is Italian Chardonnay done right.

92
DECEMBER 2022
Alois Lageder "Versalto" Pinot Bianco Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT 2020

The well-priced Alois Lageder 2020 Pinot Bianco Versalto is a new organic and biodynamic submission (with 13,000 bottles produced). The wine is slightly closed on first nose, but it eventually reveals crisp apple, lychee fruit, honeydew melon and crushed limestone. It delivers high-elevation freshness and crystalline sharpness that reflects these snow-capped mountain surroundings. It is fermented in steel but aged on the lees in both steel and oak. Fruit is sourced across three vineyards: Tirolo (in Merano), Pochi and Penone ranging from 480 and 660 meters in elevation.

90
APRIL 2021
Alois Lageder Terra Alpina Pinot Grigio Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT 2019

Lively acidity and tangy salinity drive this creamy, light-bodied white, whose flavors of pineapple, apricot and lemon thyme show a zesty orange peel edge, followed by a lingering finish. Drink Now. 

91
MAY 2023
Alois Lageder "Gaun" Chardonnay Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT 2021

The 2021 Chardonnay Gaun is vividly fruit-focused, with an alluring mix of ripe peaches, tropical melon and candied lemon forming its bouquet. This soothes with its texturally ripe orchard fruits and exotic inner florals, all perfectly balanced by a core of brisk acidity. This finishes potent and long yet fresh, leaving tangerine nuances that linger on and on. What a treat. The 2021 Chardonnay Gaun is a real charmer.

92
SEPTEMBER 2021
Alois Lageder “Krafuss” Pinot Noir Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT 2018

Delicate and fine, the Alois Lageder 2018 Pinot Noir Krafuss (now a Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT wine) is redolent of wild berry, blue flower, crushed stone and orange peel. This wine embraces the subtle side of the grape and produces a lasting sense of balance and freshness. The aromatic intensity of this vintage is perhaps a little undertone and thin compared to recent past vintages (like the excellent 2016 edition that comes to mind); however, the wine has all its elements meticulously in place. This is a certified organic and biodynamic wine.