Erbhof Unterganzner, St. Magdalener DOC, Sudtirol

Northern Italy hides some of the most extraordinary wine regions on earth — places producing remarkable wines that most people have never even heard of. Drive north through the valleys and the landscape slowly transforms. The mountains rise higher. The air cools. Vineyards begin climbing impossibly steep slopes as the road winds toward the Austrian border. Suddenly you find yourself in South Tyrol — Südtirol — a dramatic extension of the Austrian Alps spilling into northern Italy (see photos above). Not long ago this land was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and even today the cultural shift is immediate. German is spoken in many villages, the food tastes more Austrian than Italian, and the scenery is breathtaking beyond words. Terraced vineyards climb the hillsides toward snow-capped peaks, church towers pierce the Alpine sky, and cool mountain winds sweep down through the valleys. The wines reflect this place perfectly — fragrant, vivid, alive with freshness. This is where the Santa Magdalener DOC sits above the town of Bolzano, producing pale, highly aromatic red wines from the local Schiava grape — wines that drink somewhere between earthy Pinot Noir and Alpine Nebbiolo from Alto Piemonte, yet with their own distinctly Alpine, herb-tinged soul.

Italy as we know it today is relatively young. For centuries the peninsula was a patchwork of kingdoms, duchies, and city-states, and much of the far north belonged to the vast Austro-Hungarian Empire. When World War I ended and the empire collapsed, South Tyrol was transferred to Italy, shifting the border south of the Alps. Yet travel through these valleys today and the Austrian influence is everywhere. Village names appear in both German and Italian, church towers resemble those of Tyrol, and the architecture feels closer to Innsbruck than Rome. The heart of the region is Alto Adige, anchored by the charming town of Bolzano. Sitting in a café there feels almost surreal — pastel buildings beneath towering Dolomite cliffs, vineyards rising straight up the hillsides behind town. Just above the city lies the Santa Magdalener hillside, historically one of the most revered vineyard zones in the region. Here the Schiava grape thrives on warm, sun-exposed slopes, often blended with a small amount of Lagrein, which adds color and structure to the naturally delicate variety.

One of the historic estates preserving this tradition is Erbhof Unterganzner. The property has been in the Mayr family since 1629, when Simon Mayr purchased the farm overlooking the Isarco River above Bolzano. For more than ten generations the family has farmed these slopes, maintaining a deep connection to the traditional grapes and Alpine culture of South Tyrol. Today the estate is run by Josephus and Barbara Mayr, alongside their children Katharina and Josef. Over the years the family has carefully modernized aspects of the cellar while remaining deeply committed to traditional farming — herbicides have not been used since the 1980s, and the farm still grows figs, chestnuts, and olives alongside the vines. The vineyards sit around 285 meters above sea level, where loose alluvial soils provide excellent drainage and warm quickly in spring. Their St. Magdalener follows the classic formula of the region: primarily Schiava with a small portion of Lagrein, a blend that captures the perfume, elegance, and freshness that have made this hillside famous for centuries.

In the glass, the 2024 shows a pale ruby color with a light orange tinge at the rim. The nose is pure Alpine charm: aromas of wild strawberry, red cherry, rose petals, fresh tea leaves, and crushed mountain herbs leap from the glass. The palate is silky and energetic — bright red fruit layered with subtle earthiness, delicate spice, and a refreshing mineral lift that keeps you reaching for another sip. It’s the kind of red that thrives served slightly cool, about cellar temperature, and absolutely sings at the table in a large Burgundy stem. Pair it with the hearty dishes of South Tyrol — speck and Alpine cheeses, venison stew, roasted pork with caraway, mushroom dumplings (canederli/knödel), sausages with sauerkraut, braised beef, or the region’s famous schlutzkrapfen pasta filled with spinach and ricotta. It also shines with roast chicken, grilled mushrooms, or a simple plate of charcuterie. Few wines capture the spirit of mountain vineyards quite like this — fragrant, vibrant, and irresistibly drinkable.