I met Alois Lageder and head winemaker, Jo Pfisterer, in April this year at Summa, the annual wine event which Lageder host at their property in Magré, in the Alto Adige in northern Italy.
Alois is in his early 70s; tall, with slightly receding, wiry hair, a polyglot with a consummate command of English, charming, quiet mannered, a vegetarian, and the ruddy complexion and tweedy jackets of a country gentleman. He has been running the Lageder estate and winery for exactly 50 years this year.
He is the fourth generation of the wine family, founded in the 19th century by his great- grandfather. By tradition, the oldest son of the Lageder family is always called Alois. Alois III died young, leaving the estate and winery to the supervision of his wife and oldest daughter, until his son was old enough to take over.
After a degree in economics and studies in enology, Alois IV assumed the management of what was then a traditional, solidly established, family business (the kellermeister was his brother-in-law) – he was only 24.
Scroll down to see notes and scores for the Löwengang Chardonnay
{“content”:”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”}
Tasting Löwengang Chardonnay
Including a cuvée of old vintages – the Inedito II. Wines are listed youngest to oldest
{}
{“wineId”:”74287″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”84388″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”84387″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”84386″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”84385″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”84384″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{“wineId”:”84383″,”displayCase”:”standard”,”paywall”:true}
{}
Related articles
Expert’s Choice: Northern Italy’s Schiava
Premium white blends of Friuli and Alto Adige
Alto Adige for winelovers
The post Baudains: How biodynamics let Lageder’s Löwengang Chardonnay find its voice appeared first on Decanter.