The traditional Tyrolean house has a living room called Stube, which was originally the only one in the house to be heated. It is usually entirely covered with wood and, in its centre, stands the solid stove, covered with decorated ceramic tiles. It was in the Stube of his winery in Cornaiano near Appiano that Johannes Weger introduced me to his wines. The Adige Valley south of Bolzano produces quality wines, both white and red. In addition to an excellent Lagrein and an elegant pinot blanc, Johannes told me the story of his müller thurgau, which he produces with the grapes grown by a friend who, in addition to his farming activity, is the president of the Weinstrasse-Strada del Vino Association (the Wine Route). Johannes asked me if I wanted to meet him; such an opportunity is not to be denied! So the next day, I met Manfred Vescoli. In the warm Stube of the Weger estate and accompanied by a glass of müller thurgau, we returned to the history of South Tyrol. Manfred Vescoli, attached to his origins and his land, is passionate about the history of his region which, after centuries of Austrian domination, was annexed to Italy in 1919. Its name is a reflection of this Latin-Germanic crossbreeding. Manfred also reviewed the creation of the South Tyrolean Wine Route in 1964, one of the oldest organised wine routes in Italy in association. Today, Weinstrasse-Strada del Vino includes 16 municipalities and 70 estates, and it can boast of being the most active and organised in the whole Italian territory: everything is done to facilitate the discovery of the wine heritage of this valley at the foot of the mountains, from maps and leaflets distributed in tourist offices to public transport and the organisation of events such as the Notte delle Cantine (night time, during which estates open their doors) and the Vino Safari (one-day excursion with guided tours, tastings and meals). If you are interested in wine tourism and want to get off the beaten track, you will make some great discoveries in South Tyrol where the wines, still little known in France, really have nothing to be ashamed of in front of their neighbours in Veneto or even Piedmont!
For more information: the South Tyrol Wine Route and Tenuta Weger (Via Casà di Gesù 17, 39057 Appiano sulla strada del vino).
