Between 200 and 1,000 metres above sea level, across 5,860 hectares, South Tyrol makes 65% white wine; and from early October to late November the farmsteads open their Stuben to the festival of new wine and chestnuts, the Törggelen.
October in South Tyrol brings two events that overlap: the end of the golf season in the valleys and the start of the Törggelen. Between a round at Lana and an evening in a Stube, the region offers autumn travellers a rare combination.
South Tyrol's wines in figures
The South Tyrolean wine portal (Alto Adige Wines) reports 5,860 hectares of vineyard, 4,800 growers supplying roughly 260 producers, and about 20 grape varieties. 65% of production is white wine and 35% red; the vineyards lie between 200 and 1,000 metres above sea level and 96% of the area falls within a DOC; the portal does not state the reference year.
Among the whites the portal names Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon and Gewürztraminer, among the reds Lagrein, Schiava (Vernatsch) and Pinot Noir. Lagrein and Vernatsch are presented as the two native varieties that best tell the story of where they come from.
What the Törggelen is
According to the tourist board IDM Südtirol, the word comes from Torggl, the old wooden press in farmers' cellars, itself from the Latin torquere, "to turn". The season runs from early October to late November. Guests are served Siaße, the grape must, and young wine, with a rustic menu: barley soup, Käsenocken (cheese dumplings), Schlutzkrapfen (spinach-and-ricotta half-moons), Surfleisch (cured meat), home-made sausages, dumplings, sauerkraut, Krapfen and roasted chestnuts.
The tradition is tied above all to the Eisack Valley, where people walk along the Keschtnweg, the "chestnut trails". According to the tourist board, the designation "Törggelen am Ursprung" marks quality farmsteads, recognisable by their red wreaths (Buschen), which meet the criteria of the Roter Hahn label.
Worth knowing: the hotels with golf and a wine cellar described below are in the Burggrafenamt, in Val Passiria and on the Schlern plateau, not in the Eisack Valley. For an authentic Törggelen it is best to book a participating farmstead, and to ask the hotel concierge to recommend one.
Autumn golf: where to play during the Törggelen
The courses' seasons fit the Törggelen calendar well:
- The Golf Club Lana, nine holes by Michael Pinner among the orchards, beneath the ruins of Brandis Castle: in 2026 the green fee is 50 euros for 9 holes and 90 for 18. A partner hotel describes it as playable from February to December.
- The Golf Club Passeier.Meran, 18 holes, par 71, 5,791 metres, in Val Passiria, open from March to November according to a partner hotel.
- Petersberg, at about 1,250 metres, 18 holes, par 71: in 2026 the season runs from 17 April to 1 November, with green fees of 90 euros in low season and 96 in high season. Anyone wanting to play there in late October has little room to spare.
Where to stay and drink well: five hotels with a cellar
- Hohenwart (Scena): the cellar holds over 300 labels, from the small Innerleiter estate to the Cantina Merano. In 2026 the hotel offers a Golf & Wellness package from 19 September to 8 November: 4 nights from 970 euros per person with three-quarter board, a sports massage and the Golfcard.
- Romantik Hotel Turm (Fiè allo Sciliar): the house wines come from the family estate Grottnerhof, four whites and one red named after Latin bird names; on Saturday evenings, in the cellar carved into the rock, a buffet of strudel, cheeses and sweets is served. In 2014 the hotel received the South Tyrolean award for wine culture.
- Parkhotel Marlena (Marlengo): for autumn evenings there is the Stube decorated by Stecher, and in the wine bar the sommelier leads wine and oil tastings. The hotel says it founded and runs the Golf Club Lana.
- Preidlhof (Naturno, adults only): it cultivates its own vineyards, has a wine bar and is a member of Vinum Hotels.
- Andreus Golf & Spa Resort (San Leonardo in Passiria): it stands on the Passeier course; the owners' children are the house sommeliers and every week lead tastings in the hotel's cellar.
Curiosities
- A name that comes from the press. Törggelen, the tourist board explains, derives from the Torggl, the wooden press.
- A red mark for farmsteads. The red wreaths (Buschen) signal the "Törggelen am Ursprung" farmsteads that meet the criteria of the Roter Hahn label.
- A wine with the house signature. At the Andreus the owners' son created, with the Kornellhof winery and the Wezl distillery of Val Passiria, the FINKI'S line: a Merlot, a Pinot Blanc, a grappa and a Fuji apple brandy.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Törggelen held in South Tyrol?+
According to the tourist board IDM Südtirol, from early October to late November.
What do you eat at the Törggelen?+
Among the specialities listed by the tourist board: barley soup, Käsenocken, Schlutzkrapfen, Surfleisch, home-made sausages, dumplings, sauerkraut, Krapfen and roasted chestnuts. The drinks are grape must (Siaße) and young wine.
Is the Törggelen held throughout the province?+
The tradition is tied above all to the Eisack Valley. The "Törggelen am Ursprung" label identifies quality farmsteads, with red wreaths at the entrance.
How many hectares of vineyard does South Tyrol have?+
The South Tyrolean wine portal reports 5,860 hectares, between 200 and 1,000 metres above sea level, 65% white grapes and 35% red.
Can you play golf in South Tyrol in October?+
Yes. According to partner hotels, the Golf Club Lana and Passeier.Meran stay open until November or December; Petersberg closes on 1 November in 2026.
What are South Tyrol's main grape varieties?+
The wine portal names Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon and Gewürztraminer among the whites, Lagrein, Schiava and Pinot Noir among the reds.
