A cool and misty delight, is how I will remember this trail. Although in Italy, this trail had the weather, but more importantly, the care for its trails that reminded me of trails in Germany: neat, maintained, well-marked, and thoughtfully laid out to begin with, to include lots of rest areas, diverse views, and pubs and cafes along the way.
What I Learned:
In the South Tirol area as a whole, almost 45 percent of the territory is planted with red varietals. These include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir, and two special varietals: Lagrein, and Vernatsch. These two grape varietals have indigenous origins, and have been traditionally vinified in the South Tirol for centuries.
The wine region of Suedtirol Alto Adige has seven wine districts. The Oltradige district, the area around Kaltern and Eppan, is dominated by high hills on both the east and west sides of a valley, and contains a lake in the middle. This district produces one third of all wine from the region, with white wine production predominating slightly at 56 percent. However, the red varietals and wines from this district are unique, especially when from around the lake called both Kalterer See (in German), and Lago di Caldaro (in Italian).
Trail Name: Wein.weg
Trail Type: Short distance circuit; almost exclusively paved, well maintained, and well-marked albeit with successively different path numbers.
Length: Approximately 9.5 kilometers / 5.9 miles
Convenient to: Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
Marking: Red and white markings with black numbers for paths 12, 12a, and 3 (Seerundweg)
What I Learned:
Lagrein, Vernatsch and Gerwuerztraminer are three grape varieties traditionally grown in this South Tirol Region.
Trail Name: Trail of Lagrein and Sauvignon/Weinroute Nord (Northern Wine Route) of the Suedtirol Weinstrasse.
Trail Type: Mid-distance cycling circuit; almost exclusively paved, well maintained, but the route itself is not marked.
Length: Total: 45 km/28 miles
Convenient to: Bozen/Bolzano, Suedtirol/Alto Adige, Italy
Continue reading Suedtirol Weinstrasse – Trail of Lagrein and Sauvignon: Trail in a Nutshell
