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The Year 2023 at the Alois Lageder Winery
Alois Clemens Lageder: „The first musts and wi- nes are promising this year. Especially with re- gard to our style, which focuses on tension and freshness, this could be a very good vintage. The year in the vineyard was extremely challenging, because on the one hand it was very humid, and on the other hand we had three big heat waves. The vegetation period was difficult to master, but the course of spontaneous fermentation and gentle maturation in the cellar is often easier in such years. I am convinced that the 2023 vintage will express authenticity and uniqueness.“
COURSE OF THE VEGETATION PERIOD
The weather conditions in 2023 can be described as an interplay between rainy days and heat wa- ves. The year began with mild temperatures and extremely little precipitation in the winter months December and January. The average temperatu- res of 2.2 °C (35.96 °F) were significantly above the long-term average.
Lots of precipitation in spring
In spring, precipitation was concentrated in very specific months and made up for the precipitation deficit of the winter months. February still had little precipitation. In some places, there was no precipitation at all for the entire month. The dry weather continued in March, while the tempera- tures remained mild. In April, increasingly cooler temperatures prevailed. May brought very un- settled weather: with 21 rainy days, a new record was set since 1965. Particularly exceptional were 35 hours of continuous rain in the first half of May. The flowering started at the end of May and was prolonged due to the partly rainy weather.
A summer with two faces
The summer of 2023 was exceptionally warm and significantly rainier than the previous year. The months of June, July and August were divided into two parts in terms of weather conditions. Precipitation fell almost daily in the first half of June, while summery warm conditions prevailed in the second half of the month. Altogether, 13 tropical days with maximum temperatures above 30 °C (86.0 °F) were recorded. The first half of the month in July started warmer than average, follo- wed by a significant cooling. The Research Centre Laimburg counted 6 desert days with temperatu- res above 35 °C (95.0 °F). At the same time, there were cool days with a lot of rainfall. The amount of precipitation with 164.1 mm clearly exceeded the long-term reference value. This is the highest value in 30 years. Moreover, Magrè was hit by three hailstorms.
Coolness and heat during the harvest
From early to mid-August temperatures were quite low with cool nights, which played into our hands during the grape harvest. In mid-August, however, temperatures rose again unusually, brin- ging with it the last major heat wave. In August, 6 desert days were measured. It was unusual to harvest in such hot temperatures in August and September. The last days of August were rainy and temperatures cooled down.
VOICES FROM THE WINERY
Katharina Alverà, Head of Agriculture:
„It was a year full of challenges. A lot of rainfall and the resulting disease pressure shaped the months of May to July. The challenge in the vi- neyard was to keep the fungal diseases perono- spora and later also oidium under control. The vegetation year was characterised by a strong growth of the vines and we had hardly any water stress. The weather during ripening showed its good side, with high temperatures during the day and cool nights. The team worked very hard to get the grapes into the cellar. It will be an exciting vintage 2023.“
Jo Pfisterer, Enologist and Head of Production:
„This autumn had everything in it: joy, curiosity, nervousness, doubt, tiredness, relief and satis- faction.
The coolness of the first half of August allowed us to start harvesting with a nice acidity from mid-August, when stable weather but strong heat prevailed. August was mainly characterised by the white Burgundy varieties, as well as the Gewürztraminer from lower sites. Although it was very hot, we were able to get the freshness and crispness, with sufficient ripeness, into the cellar in time.
In contrast to last autumn, this autumn is cha- racterised by a slower increase in sugar, which suits our style and way of working very well. The frequent rainfall from the end of August affected our rhythm. It led to repeated short cooling peri- ods, which were quickly replaced by the return of warmer temperatures and sultriness.
Through elaborate selection in the vineyards and rapid processing in the cellar, we now look with great curiosity at fermenting musts, mash and young wines.
Thanks to the strong commitment of our team in viticulture, our winemaking partners and the cel- lar team, we can be very satisfied to have mas- tered this challenging year so far. The fermentati- ons have been constant and mostly rapid, which strongly supports our working method in the cellar, with the focus on authenticity and minima- lism of additives.
For me, this vintage so far is distinguished by lightness, freshness, premature aromatics and tense acidity. I am very much looking forward to working as part of the team over the coming months on the diverse and numerous compo- nents, experiments and new questions about wine and vineyards.“
Family-owned winery Alois Lageder welcomes next generation
Helena Lageder, youngest daughter of Alois and Veronika Lageder, is joining the company as brand ambassador. Now that she has come on board, all three siblings work for the family winery.
Magrè, September 2018. Helena Lageder started to work for the Alois Lageder winery in August 2018. Son Alois Clemens Lageder already signed up in 2015, and Alois and Veronika Lageder’s youngest daughter is now the latest to join the team. While Alois Clemens Lageder continues to head up with his father, and elder daughter Anna organises the major events Summa and VIN-o-TON, Helena Lageder will serve as brand ambassador and represent the wine estate in many international markets.
"Since childhood I have enjoyed spending time in the winery and have watched the processes with curiosity and interest. I am excited to now be actively involved in bringing the ideas and philosophy of our family business to partners and customers around the world," Helena Lageder said.
Role as brand ambassador to commence in early 2019
Helena Lageder, born in Bolzano in 1992, has worked on many international film productions. She studied film at renowned institutions such as University of the Arts in London, the New York Film Academy and Hurtwood House. In recent years, she has already worked for the winery on several occasions at a wide range of events and film projects. She is now joining the sales team and will represent the Alois Lageder winery overseas as a brand ambassador. During the grape harvest and the months that follow, she will work in the vineyards and in the cellar, getting an in-depth insight into all departments of the estate while also making initial visits to sales partners, before taking on her new role in early 2019.
Alois Lageder: “It is such a joy and pleasure that Helena decided to join the winery. I have always seen a strong personal relationship with the partners to ensure that the company remains close to the market as the key to our estate’s success. As a family member, Helena will be the perfect embodiment of our values and visions, in particular on international markets.”
The Next Generation – All three siblings working for the wine estate
Anna Lageder, owner of event management agency “Walk Your Talk” and elder daughter of Alois Lageder, will remain responsible for the estate’s major events. She has already been organising the Summa wine event and the VIN-o-TON concert series for several years now.
Now that Helena Lageder has joined, all three siblings are working for the wine estate. “I am convinced that the estate can grow by combining the strength and energy of the younger generation with the experience of long-serving employees. It will take new ideas, creative and innovative approaches, and different perspectives to prepare the wine estate for the future and expand it in the long term,” says Alois Lageder.
Summa 20th anniversary - To celebrate Summa’s 20th anniversary, 1.400 international visitors met 83 vintners and partners from all over the world at the Alois Lageder wine estate on April 9. More than 500 guests took part at the walking wine dinner the evening before, which was organized together with CARE’s – The ethical Chef Days.
Around 8,000 euros of donations will go to the Haus der Solidarität [House of Solidarity] in Bressanone (Alto Adige).
Magrè, April 11, 2017. On Sunday, April 9, over 80 vintners from Italy, Austria, France, Germany, and overseas gathered for Summa’s 20th anniversary at the Alois Lageder winery and invited 1.400 visitors to taste selected wines.
“Summa 2017 amazed us. The 20 years have brought us as vintners together with our customers and partners. This unity, joy, and energy was also fully reflected in the walking wine dinner,” said Alois Lageder, who started the event 20 years ago.
To celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the LÖWENGANG wines, the Tòr Löwengang rooms were opened for the first time: This year the 16th century historical residence and also the Renaissance palace Casòn Hirschprunn offered space for lively and intimate discussions between vintners, trade visitors, and private wine enthusiasts.
The celebrations were kicked off with a walking wine dinner the evening before, organized in partnership with CARE’s – The ethical Chef Days. Two-Michelin-starred chef Norbert Niederkofler and six other top international chefs prepared dishes for the guests at several stations in Tòr Löwengang and Casòn Hirschprunn, with numerous wine growers showcasing more than 80 wines to accompany them.
Visitors enjoyed a varied program at Summa on April 9, including vertical tastings, wine tastings such as COR Römigberg - Vertical tasting or 20 years of Summa – 20 years old vintages, seminars, presentations, and workshops, guided tours around the wine estate and garden, or carriage rides through the vineyards. The event’s great success was also down to the valuable cooperation with numerous gastronomy partners.
Summa, which was held over the course of several days in previous years, took place on one day this year: “We wanted to return Summa to its original format for its landmark anniversary and concentrate on one day, where concise discussions and personal exchange are possible”, explains Alois Clemens Lageder.
Summa has also had a humanitarian focus for many years. This year, the partnership with the Haus der Solidarität [House of Solidarity] in Bressanone was continued. Thanks to the valuable and generous support of all the participants and visitors, this year’s Summa raised about EUR 8,000. Summa thus contributes toward helping people in desperate need, such as traumatized refugees and people with severe mental illnesses or addiction issues.
The New Winery - An Integrated Concept
“Bringing nature indoors.” That was Alois Lageder’s goal for the project and construction of a new complex of winemaking facilities and cellars at the historical Löwengang estate in Magrè.
Focusing on sustainable construction techniques, biological building materials, and the use of renewable sources of energy, the project was inaugurated in 1995 and was soon recognized as the harbinger of contemporary winery architecture in Alto Adige. A light-filled building with low-energy-consumption; abundant glass and wood; roofs with southern exposure that utilizees photovoltaic solar energy for most of the winery’s energy needs. The result is a place where wine and man co-exist in a natural, healthy, and aesthetically satisfying context that is free from harmful influences (e.g. electro smog), and which also fulfills the criteria for sustainable economic and agricultural activities.
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