The 2024 wine-growing year began with an exceptionally wet spring – the wettest since 1965. The cool and humid weather conditions persisted until May and early June. The result was delayed flowering and, in the case of some grape varieties, coulure, i.e. clusters with reduced numbers of developing grapes. This translated into reductions in yield of between 15 and 40 percent, with the Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc and Lagrein particularly affected.

July was a month of frequent thunderstorms, while the weather in August was dry and warm. These conditions lasted until the beginning of September, but temperatures then dropped significantly around the middle of the month. This considerably slowed grape ripening and made it challenging for the late-ripening red varieties to reach full maturity.

In such a demanding year, prime exposed sites have proven to be particularly advantageous. The weather conditions required a lot of work, commitment and expertise on the part of our winegrowers. But their dedication has paid off:

The 2024 vintage is looking promising! In particular, the white wines and Pinot Noirs are already making a very positive impression.

Cool storage at constant temperatures, high level of humidity and as little light as possible
Cellar temperature: 10 - 15 °C

Alto Adige is one of Italy's smallest wine-growing areas. Located as it is at the interface between the Alpine north and the Mediterranean south, it is also one of its most diverse. Countless generations have shaped Alto Adige as a land of wine, where vines grow on various types of soil and in a range of climate zones at between 200 and 1,000 meters above sea-level. It is the home of authentic wines with a character of their own, with a focus on white wines: About 60 percent of the sites are planted with white varieties and only 40 percent with red.

The high peaks of the main Alpine chain protect South Tyrol from the Atlantic winds and cold northerlies, while the region benefits from the Mediterranean climate from the south. That explains the pronounced differences between day- and night-time temperatures, which are the key to full maturity and elegant wines.

To the south, a number of mountain massifs like the Adamello also have a protective function. As a result, annual precipitation is only about one-third of the average for the southern Alpine foothills, and the number of hours of sunshine is higher. The climatic conditions are not unlike those to be found in wine-growing areas like the Swiss Canton Valais.

When the sun rises behind the mountains east of Terlano on one of the year’s 300 sunny days, it is already high in the sky as the wine-growing area has a westerly to southwesterly exposure. The lower atmospheric density permits more direct solar irradiation with less diffuse sunlight. That increases the difference between the slopes on the sunny and shady sides of the valley.

Microclimate in Terlano
Continental climate (Cfa Köppen-Geiger)

Annual sunshine hours: ø 2135
Maximum temperatures: 38,2 °C
Average temperatures: 12,9 °C
Minimum temperatures: -10,7°C
Annual precipitation: ø 558 mm
Average global radiation: 150,1 W/m²
Winds:
- North foehn: cool and dry down-slope wind
- Ora: valley wind system from the south, bringing in air from the Po Valley