The art of the grape on the Ritten.

Call it narrow-minded. Call it short-sighted. We do it anyway: for our restaurant and wine-tastings, the Weihrerhof concentrates on wines from South Tyrol. This, the northernmost province of Italy, boasts barely 5,300 hectares of vineyards. But what grows here at an altitude of between 200m and 1,000m above sea level is a cuvée of unique contrasts. Alpine locations meet a Mediterranean climate; thoroughbred varietal wines meet first-class barrique compositions; and individual character meets worldwide recognition.

"Rhaetian wine" from the Adige Valley already made an impression on the ancient Romans. The Rhaetians transported their "wines that equaled the best Roman varieties" in wooden barrels equipped with iron hoops all the way to the courts of the Roman emperors.

Beginning in the eighth century, Frankish and Bavarian monasteries acquired wine cellars in the area for their needs. And under the Hapsburg empire, wine cultivation in South Tyrol was especially supported for more than 600 years. The vineyards were characterized by Lagrein, Vernatsch, and Gewürztraminer, along with all sorts of old and local grape varieties - in part, all the way up to the present day. In the second half of the nineteenth century, international grape varieties also increasingly took hold in South Tyrolean vineyards. Thus, the assortment of grape varieties in South Tyrol today is as varied as its landscape.

White wines: Pinot blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot gris, Sauvignon blanc, Gewürztraminer, Moscato giallo, Kerner, Veltliner, Sylvaner, Welschriesling, Riesling

Red wines: Vernatsch, Lagrein, Pinot noir, Cabernet, Merlot, Moscato rosa, Malvasier, Cuvée