Alois Lageder’s Comets in Alto Adige

I have known Alois for a long time and have always admired his pursuit of excellence, starting with the extraordinary territory of South Tyrol which makes wines very characteristic of the area: in fact his wines embody the very diversity of South Tyrol and its vineyards! The Alois Lageder Winery is located in Magrè, a small South Tyrolean village with just over a thousand inhabitants on the Wine Route from Trento to Bolzano. I am welcomed at the Winery by Christian Philipp Müller’s art installation entitled “The desire to live in harmony with nature”, which is a tribute to the generosity of Mother Earth and the gifts she bestows on us. The installation comprises three glass rhomboid-shaped cubes which are filled with earth taken from the best vineyards on the estate. Just like in nature, grass, nettles and other plants sprout from the tops of the cubes. Of the wines I tasted, I particularly appreciated Le Comete, a series of wines which incorporate all the hallmarks of this producer: the desire to experiment, the spirit of innovation and the curiosity to play around with various elements. The distinctive bottle label for the Le Comete series, a comet tail depicted in paint by the smudge of a fingertip, is an extra creative touch which lends further uniqueness to the wine, just like a fingerprint! The Muller Thurgau Valle Isarco is fantastic, while red wine lovers will appreciate the Cabernet Sauvignon Cor Romigberg.