Putzenhof

This small, family run estate south of Bolzano, was bought at the beginning of the 1950s by the grandmother of Roman Mottironi, the present manager. The vineyard extension is approximately 5.5 hectares, while 1.5 hectares are grown with apple trees. Wine has always been made at Putzenhof, Roman’s grandfather used to make a white and a red, bottled in 1 litre bottles, with local grape varieties. In 2009 Roman started bottling and labelling the wines made with the estate grown grapes. The altitude is between 300-650 meters above sea level, the exposure is a lovely south-west, the soil is sandy and porphiric: all this together with the favourable microclimate of this area results in flavourful, mineral and fresh wines. Environment friendly agricultural practices are followed. Weed killers have been banned 15 years ago and cover crops are left on the aisles between the rows of vines. Instead of dropping fruit, the clusters are cut in half in July, removing the lower part which ripens later. Only products approved by the protocol for organic viticulture are sprayed in the vineyards. The range of wines, all Alto Adige DOC, includes three whites made with Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Kerner and three reds, a Lagrein, a Pinot Nero and a Bozner Leiten (meaning hills of Bolzano, a blend of 85% Schiava and 15% Lagrein and Pinot Nero). The total average production a year is 35,000-37,000 bottles. Azienda Putzenhof also offers six delightful rooms in its agriturismo.