Hiking to the wine - the Törggelen in South Tyrol

A glass of red wine sparkles in the mild autumn sun, and the landlady has placed a bacon board and roasted chestnuts on the rustically made table. The peaks of the Dolomites glow in the evening light, and only the tinkling of cow bells breaks through the sublime tranquility of the mountains. South Tyrol is never more beautiful than in late autumn.

The vineyards between Neustift and Kalterer See are picturesquely gilded early on. But only late in the year does the mountain region reveal its most beautiful side: the "Törggelen". That means first hiking extensively and then sitting comfortably together with young wine and a hearty "Marende" - a snack.

The South Tyroleans have always called the wine presses "Torggl". Once the heavy wooden monsters had done their work, then the Törggelen began. Farmers put a few chairs and tables in front of the house, and their parlors were turned into taverns.

Today, modern stainless steel presses are doing their job even on the most remote farms. But the freshly pressed sweet "Most" and the half-fermented "Nuien" are still available just as they used to be, along with a "G'selchtes" with cabbage and afterwards "Köschtn", the freshly roasted chestnuts.

For the sake of the holiday guests, the first Törggelen games as an excursion attraction start in September. Buses drive to relevant large restaurants. There is swaying and singing, the sweet grape must flows in torrents. Hardly anyone bothers that it is pasteurized and comes from southern Italy.

Of course, all this has little to do with the tradition of Törggelen. This takes place in a small circle of friends and does not tolerate loud sounds. According to old custom, the new wine is not tasted until around Martini, November 11th. But don't worry: Then there's still a bright autumn sun waiting for everyone who hikes to the wine. Because it only grows in sunny southern locations where there is neither fog nor much frost.

Either a good nose or a few good addresses will show you the way to the most beautiful wine taverns (see below). Of course, newcomers will most easily find what they are looking for in the strongholds of Törggelen: on Salten with the main town of Jenesien, for example, around Feldthurns in the Eisacktal and around Völlan near Meran.

But nowhere are there so many wine taverns in one place as on the Renon, the local mountain on the southern slope of Bozen. In addition, the Ritten is also an excellent hiking area.

Because there is no wine without diligence: the Törggelen rules put hiking before tasting. Even if today almost all farms can be reached by car, it is still best to walk to "your" Törggelen farm - if only to not have to hold back when tasting the wine.

Signat, a tiny hamlet with a spectacular view of Bozen, is a dorado for wine taverns. Between chestnut, orchard and vineyard slopes you can find almost a dozen farms that offer their own production of bacon, cheese and wine in season.

The leafy canopy of the larch forest shimmers golden green, Bolzano spreads out like a toy carpet below, and along the way there are rustic taverns, one more rustic than the other: There is the Loosmannhof, where only their own products are offered, from home-baked bread to slaughterhouse platters; a few meters further the Baumannhof.

Another classic among the Buschenschanken am Renon is the Rielingerhof. It lies below Klobenstein on a sunny slope, with a steep view down into the Eisack Valley and across to the Sciliar. A few years ago, Matthias and Evi Messner took over the farm and Buschenschank, converted the property to organic and gained an excellent reputation in viticulture.

In addition to the classic Vernatsch, rosé is also produced today and even a Riesling - Matthias brought the variety back from a training course in the Palatinate. There is also the typical home cooking of the Ritten farmers. Schlutzer, dumplings and farmer's donuts are on the menu, for which old farmer Heinl is still responsible. From the bread to the sausages to the bacon, everything is homemade.

where to live Of course, purists stay with the farmer up on the mountain. In addition to the Rielingerhof, another good address is, for example, the Baumannhof in Oberlaitach with a wonderful view over Bozen.

If all that country air is too much for you, you can easily stay in Bozen. Because the cable car leads directly from the middle of the city up to Soprabolzano on the Renon, past some beautiful specimens of the curious earth pyramids.

From there, a very special means of transport continues across the high plateau: the nostalgic Rittner Bahn, a unique Alpine tram that turned 115 years old in the spring. Thanks to the active commitment of a private association, the Art Nouveau electric train trundles over lush alpine pastures, through flaming yellow larch forests and over meadows full of autumn crocuses - hopefully for a long time to come!

The website "Roter Hahn" of the South Tyrolean Farmers' Association (roterhahn.it/de/urlaub-auf-dem-bauernhof/toerggelen-am-ursprung/) contains reliable tips for high-quality Törggelen farms. Those who prefer to put something tangible in their backpack will continue to receive the printed "Bäuerlicher Feinschmecker" brochure if they order it online (roterhahn.it/de/baeuerliche-schankbetriebe/katalogservice/). The website and the brochure are also helpful when looking for accommodation.

The Ritten Tourist Association has published a list of all the taverns there on the Internet: ritten.com/de/glück/toerggelen.html.

Buschenschank are usually marked with a yellow street sign with the word "Buschenschank" and the name of the farm on it.

Most Törggelen taverns are also happy to sell their wine in bottles to take away. However, only the "old", i.e. wine from the previous year, is suitable for this, because the young wine is still fermenting. In addition to wine, you often get apples, chestnuts and bacon.

The 2022 wine year poses new challenges for German winegrowers due to persistent drought and heat. "Everyone knows that we now have a massive water shortage," says wine grower Frank Meyer.

Source: WORLD / Farina Fichtner-Zenker