Summary
The Alois Lageder estate in Margreid is one of the best-known and most influential names in South Tyrol – and is regarded as a trailblazer of the biodynamic wine movement in Italy. Family-owned since 1823 and now run by the sixth generation, the estate combines a long trading heritage with a consistently holistic outlook: nature-led viticulture, respect for the terroir and a remarkable diversity of grape varieties. Across around 55 hectares of estate vineyards farmed biodynamically, and together with roughly 60 partner growers, the estate produces wines that range from precise Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay through aromatic Gewürztraminer to powerful Lagrein. The estate became famous not least for the Löwengang Chardonnay, which put South Tyrol on the international map of quality wine.
History
The estate's origins go back to 1823, when Johann Lageder began trading in wine in Bolzano. Over the generations the family business grew and gradually shifted its focus from pure trade to its own wine production. An important step was the acquisition of historic estates in the south of South Tyrol, among them the Ansitz Löwengang in Margreid, whose cellars date back to the 17th century.
In the 1980s, Alois Lageder – who lends his name to today's line of generations – made the estate known well beyond the region: his barrel-aged Löwengang Chardonnay was among the first white wines from South Tyrol to be taken seriously internationally, and it played a decisive part in the area's reputation as a quality wine region. In the 1990s the Casòn Hirschprunn was added as another historic estate. Today Alois Clemens Lageder leads the house as the sixth generation and has consistently developed the biodynamic and holistic path.
Location & Terroir
Margreid lies on the South Tyrolean Wine Road, about 25 kilometres southwest of Bolzano, in the southern part of the growing area. The climate is shaped by a special interplay: warm, sunny days with distinctly alpine, cool nights. These large day-to-night temperature swings preserve freshness, aroma and acidity in the grapes and are a key to the region's lively, precise wines.
The soils are just as varied – from calcareous weathered rock through porphyry to heavy, loamy sites on the valley floor. This small-scale geological diversity allows the estate to grow an exceptionally wide range of varieties and to place each one where it finds its best terroir: bright, cool sites for Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay, warmer zones for Lagrein and Pinot Nero.
Style & Philosophy
At the heart lies a holistic understanding of viticulture: the estate treats the vineyard as a living organism and works on biodynamic principles. From 2004 the family converted its own vineyards to biodynamic farming; the partner growers with whom the estate collaborates also work to organic or biodynamic standards. The aim is to foster healthy soils, biodiversity and living vineyards, and thus to capture the character of each site in the bottle as faithfully as possible.
In the cellar Lageder favours a restrained, respectful approach – often with spontaneous fermentation and long lees contact, some of it in large wooden casks. The range is clearly structured: from accessible, varietally typical estate wines through single-site and selection wines to the outstanding blends and single vineyards. Stylistically the spectrum runs from fresh, mineral whites to dense, age-worthy reds – always with an emphasis on clarity and drinkability.
Notable Vineyards & Wines
The range is broad and covers many of the classic South Tyrolean varieties. Among the best-known wines and estates are:
- Löwengang Chardonnay – the estate's international classic, aged in barrique
- Casòn Hirschprunn – white and red blends from the historic estate of the same name
- Gewürztraminer – an aromatic ambassador for a variety whose name originates in nearby Tramin
- Lagrein – the powerful, dark-fruited South Tyrolean red speciality
- Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Nero – the Pinot varieties as the backbone of the range
The programme is rounded out by varietal classics and adventurous wines that reflect the estate's holistic approach.
Awards
For decades Alois Lageder has been a fixture in the leading wine guides and international tastings, regularly recognised both for its wines and for its commitment to sustainability. As one of the largest and most influential biodynamic producers in Italy, the estate has played a major part in establishing South Tyrol as a source of high-quality, terroir-driven wines – and in advancing nature-led, holistic viticulture in the region.