The wine year

From vine to wine, from January to December

The production of a quality wine is a process which inculdes every month of the year:

>> JANUARY/FEBRUARY
In Januray pruning begins and the grape vines are cut. About 9 to 11 buds and some sideshoots are left over. In Caldaro sometimes even rests of wire are removed. The first new wine is bottled and sold.

>> FEBRUARY/MARCH (Average temperature 8°C)/APRIL (Average temperature 12°C)
The shoots are bent down to horiziontal wires – this is usually women's work.
By the way, the grape wines "weep" in April, which means that grape wines dewater from the roots towards the end of the vines.

>> MAY (Avrage temperature 17°C)/JUNE (Average temperature 22°C)
The new shoots must be protected from diseases like for example Peronospora. This is the farmers' work, who use chemical or biodegradable products. Many types of wine from the preceding are bottled in June when the grapes achieve full ripeness.

>> JUNE/JULY (Average temperature 23°)
In this period of time dispensable shoots and leaves casting too much shadow are removed. Usually this is women's work. Particularly in this period of time a large number of sunshine hours benefits the growth of the plants (up to 1,900).

>> AUGUST (Average temperature 20° C)
Grapes are removed. The berries slowly assume a blue colour. The berries which do not ripe in time and those which impair other shoots are cut and removed. Only in this way the remaining berries are removed. In this period hail is quite common.

>> SEPTEMBER (Average temperature 17°C)
The vintage is approaching and depending on the average temperature the vintage of the white wines like "Pinot grigio" or "Gewürztramier" takes place at the beginning or mid September. Wine barrels are prepared.

>> OCTOBER (Average temperature 13°)
When the grapes continue to grow and turn blue, they are transported to the wineries, usually in two to three stages. In this way only the fully mature grapes are fermented.

The production of wine is in full swing. In this period of time the so called "Suser" is tasted at the "Toerggelen", a typical South Tyrolean tradition. The "Suser" is a sweet and not totally fermented wine, which is served with roasted chestnuts.

>> NOVEMBER
After a fermentation of about 6 to 10 days is separated from the marc and pumped into the barrels. The marc, however, is used to produce the popular "Treber" schnaps.

>> DECEMBER
To the middle of the month the wine keeps fermenting in the barrels. Afterwards it is decanted into another barrel.