(Manfred Klimek / animated image: runwayml)
Alois Lageder is a man who, in South Tyrol, is known even outside the world of wine as a figure active in socio-political circles for many years. South Tyrol, a region already situated at the crossroads of different ethnic groups and circumstances, found in Lageder an important figure early on who saw these interstices not as a problem, but as an opportunity.
I first met Alois Lageder in the late 1980s, not because of his wines. I was in South Tyrol at the time working on a political report about the resurgence of far-right, German nationalist forces in the wake of the Austrian FPÖ’s initial successes. Twenty years after the last bomb attacks by the Tyrolean Freedom Movement, the atmosphere in the region was tense once again, and relations between the language groups were once more extremely fragile. Much seemed to point towards a resurgence of ethnic conflict.
And then, in the middle of this report, this visit to Lageder. No talk of politics, at least not in the strict sense. Instead, a tour of a recently acquired, half-ruined Tyrolean manor house. And there, almost in passing, the presentation of an idea: Löwengang. Back then, just the red wine (to which I’ve remained loyal for years because of that experience). With an international outlook. But not as a departure, rather as an expansion. Lageder was certain that something was shifting in South Tyrol. That economic integration within the region would also ease social tensions. A confidence that was anything but a given at the time. And Alois Lageder was right.
Today, much of this seems to have come to fruition. South Tyrol is economically stable, multilingualism has become the norm, and the region is internationally connected. Lageder has not only accompanied this journey but has also shaped it, both within his industry and beyond. The estate in Margreid (with the ‘Paradeis’ osteria and wine bar – a true paradise) is among the first in this region, which has become so exciting from an oenological perspective, to operate consistently according to biodynamic principles. Not as ‘greenwashing’, of course, but as a system. Viticulture as a cycle, as an agricultural whole in which vines, animals and soils are considered together.
The wines embody this approach without flaunting it. The ‘Löwengang’ has remained, now available in several variations. The Chardonnay is one of the best-known interpretations of the variety in Italy, with substance but without excess. The Cabernet Löwengang demonstrates how this international grape variety can find its own identity here, without denying its origins as a quality grape for mass production.
Alongside these are wines that are more deeply rooted in the region. The Terra Alpina Pinot Grigio, often underestimated because it is approachable, yet precise and clear. The Porer Pinot Grigio, which demonstrates what this variety is capable of beyond mere mediocrity. And finally, the Casòn Bianco (grape varieties: Viognier, Petit Marsanne, Rousanne, Marsanne, Semillon and Assyrtiko), a cuvée that defies quick categorisation and remains so incredibly exciting precisely because of this.
Today, the winery is run by Alois Lageder’s son, Alois Clemens Lageder. The handover went smoothly, which is hardly surprising given the prudently managed business. The direction remains the same; the decisions are being further developed. It is clear that this is not a static model being managed, but rather an open system that continues to evolve.
Once a year, this system is also opened up to the outside world. SUMMA is the name of the small wine fair organised by Lageder, held at the same time as Vinitaly in Verona, but on a completely different scale. No large-scale event, no fair-ground hustle and bustle, but rather a focused gathering of winemakers who share a similar understanding of wine. Here you’ll find bottles that are rarely seen side by side elsewhere. Here, people taste, discuss and compare. Here, wine is contemplated in the way that the philosophically gifted Alois Lageder once envisaged it.
SUMMA is therefore more than just another wine fair. It is the distillation of what Lageder has built up over decades: a network, a philosophy of viticulture, a way of relating to one another. There, you’ll meet winemakers from France, Austria, Germany and Italy who define themselves not by market share, but by their work.
When you look at Lageder today, you do not see a single wine or a single project, but a whole. A winery that has evolved over the years without having to reinvent itself, by constantly reinventing itself. Giovanni di Lampedusa sends his regards. A region that was once so deeply divided along ethnic and valley lines has grown together and stands as an international example of success, even for politically challenging regions. That would no longer be possible today, in this age of social media hate.