Cantina Bolzano - Lagrein Classico 2025

Cantina Bolzano traces its roots to 1908, when thirty growers in the Bolzano district of Gries joined together to form a cooperative dedicated to the region’s indigenous wines, particularly Lagrein and Schiava. A second cooperative was established in 1930 by growers around the Santa Maddalena hill, and the two eventually merged in 2001 to form today’s Cantina Bolzano. The cooperative is now made up of 224 family-run winegrowing members farming roughly 340–350 hectares across the diverse sites surrounding Bolzano, from the valley floor to elevations approaching 1,000 meters. Stephan Filippi, the estate’s chief winemaker, oversees a range of wines that reflect the remarkable diversity of Alto Adige, while the growers remain deeply connected to the vineyards and cultural landscape that surround the city. Lagrein finds its natural home in the warm valley-floor vineyards around Gries, where pronounced day-to-night temperature swings and warm, sandy alluvial soils help give the variety both concentration and freshness. The winery’s modern facility, completed in 2018, was designed around energy efficiency and sustainable production, bringing together more than a century of cooperative winemaking tradition with a contemporary approach.

The 2025 Lagrein Classico captures the combination of dark-fruited richness and refreshing Alpine energy that makes this indigenous Alto Adige variety so distinctive. The nose is ripe and inviting, with an expressive core of black cherry and blackberry lifted by violets, lilac and subtle spice. On the palate, the fruit becomes darker and more savory, with flavors of blackberry, ripe cherry and cocoa framed by juicy acidity and firm but well-integrated tannins. There is a pleasing sense of freshness beneath the wine’s natural weight, keeping the finish energetic rather than heavy and allowing the earthy, lightly spicy character of Lagrein to linger. Enjoy it with speck and aged Alpine cheeses, mushroom risotto, grilled sausages, roast pork or braised beef or game, where its dark fruit, acidity and structured tannins can stand up beautifully to richer flavors.