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«Consuming the least possible energy must be everyone’s goal: today, quality has to go hand in hand with sustainability. You can’t have one without the other». This is the guideline adopted by Matthias Messner, the new Director of Cantina Bozen, who took up the position in January 2023. This will also be the principal topic he will talk about during his participation at ProWein, the important international fair that will be taking place in Düsseldorf from 19th to 21st March 2023. Thousands of visitors are expected, who will be able to count on the very best conditions for doing business and also deepen their knowledge of the current trends in the wine and spirits sectors. 

Cantina Bozen is the first wine producer in the South Tyrol to receive the prestigious sustainability certification from the Ökoinstitut Alto Adige. The winery reflects the most modern principles of sustainability, from its external design to its method of processing the grapes, which takes advantage of the force of gravity. It is also the first cooperative to be certified by CasaClimaWine®. With its underground setting, it does not need to have recourse to air cooling systems: an ideal temperature is achieved in a natural manner. When, on the other hand, heating is called for, it is supplied by energy from renewable sources and a pellet-fired pla nt. 2 

ProWein will be an opportunity to present the new vintages of the entire range under the Cantina Bozen label. We are therefore talking about 25 wines, both red and white, among which the indigenous varieties – Lagrein, Gewürztraminer and Schiava – stand out in terms of importance. These cultivars are icons of the history of Cantina Bozen, which began in the early years of the twentieth century. 

The topic of sustainability is a tangible one with regard to Cantina Bozen’s production; it is exemplified in the Quality Project launched in 1988, a program for highlighting the quality of the vineyards, which deals with all the phases of production, with special attention to the work performed in the fields. The growers must in fact follow strict standards of quality in terms of position, soil, plant density and the age of the vines. Also, yields have to be very low: they vary between 70 and 40 hectoliters/hectare (required for the production of the “Riserva Line”). 

«For us, ProWein has always been an important occasion for meeting people, especially as regards exports, where our most requested wines are Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Nero» Messner explains. «For the second year running, we will also take our Rosa to the fair, a product that is highly appreciated in the northern countries, and especially in Germany». 

Rosa is a partially dealcoholized (9% abv) rosé, produced from Schiava and Lagrein grapes: it fits perfectly in the context of this fair, where one of the most eagerly looked forward to among the various meetings is World of Zero: a detailed analysis of the increasingly significant subject of non-alcoholic and low-alcohol wines. 

Cantina Bozen, therefore, has no fear of experimenting, but it also enjoys the security of being able to count on a solid tradition, handed down by the historic families among its members. This goes hand in hand with a great innovatory drive, provided especially by the “youngsters” who are part of the company – like Matthias Messner, who concludes: «at Cantina Bozen we really believe in combining the perspectives of different “schools of thought”; then, to give everyone his guidance, there is our enologist, Stephan Filippi».