To speak of Tenute Alois Lageder is to tell one of the most elegant and forward-thinking stories of South Tyrolean wine.

Founded by Johann Lageder in 1823, the family experienced a decisive turning point in 1934: Alois III acquired the Löwengang winery in Margreid and thus shifted the focus to his own wine production.

Since the 1990s, the estate has pursued a pioneering approach to organic and biodynamic farming under the leadership of Alois IV.

Today, all of its own vineyards and those of around 70 partner winegrowers are cultivated using organic or biodynamic methods - a total of around 145 to 150 hectares, Demeter-certified since 2024.

Chardonnay is one of those grape varieties that has been remarkably fortunate: it is at home at almost all latitudes - from the chalky tension of a Chablis to the richness of California, from the finesse of Champagne to the solar power of Australia. In South Tyrol, however, it finds its own language: precision, verticality, aromatic clarity.

If the soil speaks in Burgundy, the sunlight speaks in Alto Adige.

The Löwengang understands this character like no other. Born in 1986 from historic vineyards around the Tenuta Löwengang in Margreid, it was one of the first great Italian white wines to show that Chardonnay in South Tyrol could achieve international stature - without losing its Alpine character. The name refers to the historic Löwengang residence, a building dating back to the 17th century.

Fermentation takes place spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in French oak barriques, around a third of which are new. This allows the wine to express the vintage authentically. It then rests on the lees for around eleven months - this gives it natural stability and complexity without masking the fruit.

One particularly interesting aspect is the way Clemens openly addresses climate change: The return to traditional pergola cultivation creates more shade and preserves acidity - a clever and down-to-earth response to changing conditions.