Alois Lageder is a wine producer in the Alto Adige region of northern Italy. The wines are bottled under the Alto Adige DOC, Kaltersee DOC and the Vigneti delle Dolomiti denominations. His son is called Clemens.

Estate vineyards: Around 54 hectares (135 acres) of estate vines which are used for the Tenutae Lageder range.

Wine grapes: International varieties were planted by Alois in the 1980s such as Chenin Blanc, the then under-the-radar Assyrtiko and Petit Manseng, and Blatterle, a heritage variety in danger of extinction.

Biodynamic certification: 2004 First vintage with estate grapes certified Biodynamic by Demeter. | 2018 54 hectares (135 acres) of Demeter-certified Biodynamic grapes producing 19,872 cases out of 87,012 cases in total (IBWC 2018).

Biodiversity: Land is expensive in Alto Adige, making it hard to create a closed organism. The estate has ‘rescued’ bulls which are seen as having little economic value and thus are slaughtered. Lageder has been buying bulls, ‘rescueing’ them for the biodiversity they add, the useful grazing they perform, the manure they provide and the ‘living forces’ (in Biodynamic-speak) they bring to the farm organism. The aim is bulls spend 365 days outside. They also provide (ethical) meat. A local dairy farmer called Alex has a herd of dairy cows whose milk is made into cheese. Lageder has its own restaurant serving estate-grown vegetables.

White wines

Beta Delta, Chardonnay

Beta Delta, Chardonnay-Pinot Grigio: 2010 Bottled.

Cason Bianco:Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Chardonnay.

Forra, Manzoni Bianco: See Manzoni Bianco. |  2016 Vigneti delle Dolomiti. Lovely saltiness to the fruit (IBWC 2018).

Gaun, Chardonnay

Haberle, Pinot Bianco

Lehen, Sauvignon Blanc

Lowengang, Chardonnay

Porer, Pinot Grigio: 2016 From grapes grown in Magrè. Stony, sandy scree over limestone. Around 230 to 250 metres. 80% ferments in steel, the rest in oak. Very very good structure (IBWC 2018).

Red wines

Beta Delta, Lagrein-Merlot | 2009 Exists.

Cason Rosso: Merlot, Cabernet.

Conus, Lagrein

Cor Romigberg, Cabernet

Gran Lareyn, Lagrein

Krafuss, Pinot Noir: From estate vines in Appiano. Up to 450 metres. Calcareous, loamy soils. | 2014 Pale in the glass but really intense and refreshing, really super wine (IBWC 2018).

Lindenberg, Lagrein:

Lowengang Cabert :

Romigberg, Schiava | Kaltersee DOC.

Raetinello, Vernatsch: Made from Vernatsch (Trollinger, or ‘Tirolinger’).

Santa Magdelener, Morit: 2010 Vernatsch and Lagrein.

Contact

Alois Lageder

Grafengassse, 9

I-39040 Magré, Italy

Website: www.aloislageder.eu

Bibliography

Oz Clarke, Oz Clarke Wine A-Z (Pavilion, 2015), p.152.