Weinkellerei Josef Weger

The winery is located in the municipality of Girlan (Cornaiano) near Bolzano in the Italian wine-growing region of South Tyrol ( Trentino-Alto Adige region). The winery, rich in tradition, was founded in 1820 by Josef Weger I.. He was one of the pioneers of the South Tyrolean wine industry and even then delivered his wines to Switzerland and the various countries of the Austrian Empire. Attached are a restaurant and a residence with 18 holiday flats. The current owner is Josef Weger V, and since 1990 his son Johannes has taken over the management in the sixth generation. The vineyards cover three hectares, and grapes are purchased from a further five hectares. The white wine varieties Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Müller-Thurgau, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc and Ruländer (Pinot Gris) are processed, as well as the red wine varieties Vernatsch, Lagrein, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

The red wines are fermented gently by flooding the mash skins (pigeage) with the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation, without any mechanical intervention. The wide range of products includes various wines from the DOC areas of Kalterersee, St. Magdalener and Südtiroler. In 2004, a new farm line of premium wines "Maso delle Rose" (Rose Farm) was created. The premium wines include Blauburgunder Riserva and the Cuvée Joanni (Lagrein, Merlot, Cabernet Franc), both of which are aged for 18 months in barriques. Around 80,000 bottles of wine are produced annually. Exports are made to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, England, USA and Japan. The winery is a member of the South Tyrol Wine Estates Association and the Unione Italiana Vini winegrowers' association.