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Laimburg Province Winery

Laimburg Province Winery serves as a model winery in South Tyrol. It produces high-quality wines that support its core competency of viticultural and enological research. Its range of wines consists of 15 varieties: Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer are the main whites while Lagrein, Pinot Noir and Vernatsch are the main reds. All of Laimburg’s grapes come from its own vineyards, which are distributed throughout the region on about 45 hectares and feature a wide range of soil types; altitudes range from 200 to 750 meters.

The 200,000 bottles of quality wines Laimburg produces annually – which have won several awards at professional tastings – follow two lines of production. The “Estate Wines” are traditional, single-varietal, vintage wines aged either in stainless steel or in large oak barrels. The wines of the “Manor Selection” have a more individual character: they are for the most part aged in small oak barrels or barriques and are made from a strict selection of grapes. Their names are taken from Ladin legends of the Dolomites. Laimburg’s fundamental principle of winemaking is to retain the integrity of the character of the grape and bring its best features to fruition. Laimburg is a member of the Tirolensis Ars Vini Association of Quality Wineries of South Tyrol. The symbol of the tatzelwurm – a mythical dragon-like creature – guarantees the exceptional quality of its member’s wines.

In the late 1980s, as the winery was looking for new space to store its barrels and bottles, an opportunity arose to expand into the red porphyry of nearby Monte di Mezzo mountain. The decision to move forward with the excavation proved fortuitous in many ways, not the least of which was an enormous cost savings in comparison with a conventional building. The excavation was carried out in 1989 – 1990 using 5,000 kg of dynamite to remove 4,000 m³ of rock; in 2003 – 2004, the cellar was expanded by 6,000 m³. Luckily, it was possible to excavate the cellars so that they adjoined the original wine storage space, which is particularly well suited for wine preservation due to its naturally constant temperature. The resulting stone cellar, the Felsenkeller, is a unique example of wine architecture; it is traditional, yet at the same time highly modern. Laimburg Winery director Klaus Platter and Nori Gruber, a surveyor from Bolzano, are responsible for its design and construction. Two bronze wine muses by sculptor Guido Anton Muss, which symbolise the refined elegance and opulent robustness of wine, decorate the entrance to a 300-square-metre vaulted space used mainly for promotional purposes. Its atmosphere is ideal for meetings with winemakers, gastronomic experts and representatives of the media. The Province government also uses the hall for events involving prominent personalities, honorary members of societies and representatives of the economic, political and cultural worlds.

Homepage Laimburg Province Winery