Summary
Kellerei Kaltern (Italian Cantina Kaltern) is the largest winegrowing cooperative in South Tyrol and is based in Kaltern am See in the Überetsch (Oltradige). In its present form it was created in 2016 from the merger of Kellerei Kaltern with the cooperative "Erste+Neue" – two houses whose cooperative roots reach back to the beginning of the 20th century. Around 650 member growers farm roughly 480 hectares of vines around Lake Kaltern, the warmest bathing lake in the Alps. Its flagship is the red wine from the native Vernatsch grape (Italian Schiava), from which the famous Kalterersee is made; alongside it come fresh white wines from Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer.
History
Kaltern's cooperative winemaking history is among the oldest in South Tyrol. As early as around 1900, the first growers in the village joined forces to press and market their grapes together – at a time when many smallholders could barely survive on the market alone. Over the decades, several cooperatives grew up side by side in Kaltern.
An important step was the formation of the cooperative "Erste+Neue", in which the "Erste" (First) and "Neue" (New) cooperatives were brought together in the 1980s. The decisive recent turning point came in 2016: in that year the "Erste+Neue" cooperative and Kellerei Kaltern merged into today's Kellerei Kaltern. This created by far the largest winegrowing cooperative in the region – a union that pools the efforts of many Kaltern wine families under one roof.
Location & Terroir
Kaltern lies in the Überetsch (Oltradige), around 12 kilometres southwest of Bolzano, at about 430 metres above sea level. The village is shaped by Lake Kaltern, which heats up the surroundings strongly in summer and is regarded as the warmest bathing lake in the Alps. This mild, sunny climate – warm by day, cooled at night by breezes descending from the mountains – creates ideal conditions for expressive yet fresh wines.
The vines are spread across a mosaic of different soils: from heat-storing weathered rock and limestone on the slopes to lighter, gravelly sites nearer the lake. The warm parcels close to the water are the classic home of Vernatsch, while the higher, cooler vineyards carry the aromatic white wines. This diversity in a small area allows the cooperative to produce a broad spectrum of styles.
Style & Philosophy
As a large cooperative, Kellerei Kaltern brings together the grapes of many small vineyards – a model typical of South Tyrol and cultivated here at a high level. At its heart is the union of tradition and modern cellar technology: Vernatsch is deliberately maintained as the identity-defining grape and yields light, juicy reds that are drunk young and well chilled.
For the white wines, the house focuses on freshness and drinkability – Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) and Chardonnay with clear fruit, plus the spicy, aromatic Gewürztraminer that is particularly at home in South Tyrol. Beyond the accessible base wines, the cooperative maintains ambitious selection ranges in which individual lots and sites are aged with special care.
Notable Sites & Wines
The heart of the range is Kalterersee (Italian Lago di Caldaro), produced in its upgraded version as Kalterersee Classico Superiore – a light, easy-drinking red from Vernatsch that made the area famous. Alongside it come:
- White wines from Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) and Chardonnay – fresh, clear and versatile with food
- Gewürztraminer – aromatic and spicy, a South Tyrolean speciality
- Red wines from international and native varieties such as Lagrein
- ambitious selection and premium ranges that bundle the best lots
In this way the cooperative covers the whole spectrum – from the uncomplicated everyday wine to the demanding selection wine.
Awards
As one of the best-known addresses in South Tyrol, Kellerei Kaltern is regularly listed in the leading Italian and international wine guides (such as Gambero Rosso and Falstaff) and ranks among the most awarded cooperatives in the region. Above all as an ambassador for Kalterersee wine, the house has played a major part in making Kaltern and Vernatsch known far beyond South Tyrol.