Kleinstein
St. Justina, Ritten
Each has to find his own way.
A healthy natural environment and cultural landscape, that’s something that’s very close to my heart. I, too, am part of the natural world I live in. That’s why I try to interfere with the natural processes as little as possible in my work. At the moment I’m in the middle of switching over to organic methods. When I took over the farm from my father three years ago, that wasn’t always easy. He has his ideas and I have mine. At the beginning I also made a few mistakes, but everyone has to find his way. When I finished school, I went to Vienna to study Agricultural Economics at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences and then became involved in politics and environmental protection. Now I’m a wine grower and can make practical use of my knowledge.
The reward comes in the fall.
We grow a number of different grape varieties, but Gewürztraminer is our main crop. The soil and climate are ideal for this floral variety. The very stony, loamy sandy soil in the vineyard is ideal for white wines. Last fall a mudslide did a lot of damage to the upper part of the vineyard. That was a blow, and it took a lot of work to get everything in shape again. I feel great respect when I think of the generations before me who labored here with much more limited resources. Wine growing in such a location is an exciting affair, but it’s not always easy. In the fall, however, when we have brought in a good harvest, we are compensated for all the effort and rewarded with a feeling of great satisfaction.
Assets and duties.
Alto Adige has been treated kindly by fate, also in terms of cultural and natural diversity. Its attraction derives from the small landscape units, which inspire the observer to dream and also offer a habitat and retreat for many animals and plants. For me it’s clear that this advantage, to which I’ve contributed nothing, also involves certain duties, and I’m determined to play my part in preserving these assets. There are opportunities to do so in many of the operational decisions to be taken. The wine, for example, as a composition of numerous natural aromas and flavors must be created in harmony with its natural surroundings. Respect for the Earth brings something for everyone, including those people who are less able to respond to the negative consequences of environmental degradation.
