The Cantina Kaltern winery is located in the municipality of Kaltern (Caldaro) in the Italian wine-growing region of South Tyrol ( Trentino-Alto Adige region). It was formed from the merger of the original four winery cooperatives in Kaltern. As early as 1986, the Erste Kellerei and Neue Kellerei (founded in 1900 and 1925 respectively) had merged to form the cellar cooperative Erste+Neue. In 1992, the Bauernkellerei had merged with the Jubiläumskellerei (founded in 1906 and 1908 respectively) to form the Cantina Kaltern. in 2016, the final step towards a joint cellar took place, whereby the brand and the wines of Erste+Neue were retained. Around 590 winegrowing families cultivate a total of around 4,400 hectares of vineyards in the best locations around Lake Kaltern, but also in other municipalities in South Tyrol.
The vineyards are cultivated according to strict guidelines regarding pruning, fertilisation and grape harvesting (harvest). About 15% of the vineyards are farmed organically or biodynamically. The white wine varieties Pinot Blanc (Pinot Bianco), Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris), Müller-Thurgau, Goldmuskateller, Kerner and Riesling, as well as the red wine varieties Vernatsch (with about 15% of the area), Lagrein, Rosenmuskateller, Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir), Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are cultivated and processed to 53%.
Cantina Kaltern's wide range of products includes various South Tyrolean DOC and IGT wines. White wines that can be drunk young are fermented and matured in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks (partly in large wooden barrels), while full-bodied white wines are matured in large wooden barrels, tonneau and barrique. The fruity Kalterersee undergoes a maceration of only one week at a relatively cool temperature and is aged for several months in stainless steel on the fine le es. All other red wines are aged exclusively in wooden barrels. The best batches ferment spontaneously in wooden fermenters. Biological acid reductionbiological acid reduction and storage take place in barrique. Since the 2016 vintage, the new top line "Quintessenz" has also been marketed. Five wines from the five leading varieties particularly predestined in Kaltern - Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Vernatsch, Cabernet Sauvignon and, as a noble sweet dessert wine, a Goldmuskateller - are vinified in this quality line. A total of around four million bottles of wine are produced annually.
The Cantina Kaltern wine centre, located directly on the South Tyrolean Wine Road, is a tasting room, gallery, event location and sales outlet. Visitors can taste and buy wines here. In addition, South Tyrolean specialities such as Schüttelbrot, honey, bacon and apple juice are sold in the "Pur Südtirol Shop". Cantina Kaltern also runs two other wine shops; one in the company building in Kellereistraße, which was built in 2018, and a small pub in the village centre of Kaltern.
