History South Tyrol wine

wine harvest in south tyrol, painting eduard schönfeld (1839–1885)

findings of seeds dating iron (stufels near brixen) , archaeological findings dating 400 bc witness winegrowing practised in south tyrol 3,000 years ago. earliest sources date before romans , wine produced rhaetian. cato elder in de agricoltura highlighted rhaetian wine, before territory conquered romans. romans learned rhaetian how store , transport wine in wooden barrels (according pliny). augustus , tiberius (nicknamed “biberius”) appreciated rhaetian wine. in 720 ad, under commissioner corbinio, first bishop of freising, vineyards landed in burggrafenamt. twelfth century monasteries in southern germania , aristocrats incentive winemaking.

in late middle ages , during habsburg monarchy production of wine in south tyrolean wineries flourished. wine production , sale developed activity of families of winemakers nineteenth century , cooperatives since twentieth century. in twentieth century there several critical periods: first due phylloxera , in first post-war breakdown of traditional markets (austria, hungary, bavaria) fascist repression, during second post-war. mass production, wine industry consolidated until 1980s. in 1980s there deep crisis of sales channels common @ times, sale of wine in tanks in switzerland. cellars changed sales strategy. more quality wines produced; quantity moved background , nowadays hasn’t value longer. decisive wine making in south tyrol 1971, when people returned division , classification of wine zones according pdo rules. quality production, pursued until since 20 years, spread of bottling in bottles of 0,75 litres have earned small wine area excellent reputation. true white wines in italy, wine experts in international markets.

the south tyrolean wine museum in kaltern offers overview of history , traditional grape cultivation methods in south tyrol.