A vineyard above the village of Cornaiano, 7,200 metres above sea level, sunny location, dry moraine soil, mostly flat with a very gentle south-west facing slope. This vineyard, which at first glance appears rather unspectacular, harbours much more than just an idyllic backdrop. History has been written here - and not just since today, but for over 35 years.
A courageous start
It was at the end of the 1980s that the winegrower Konrad Schweigkofler realised his vision. He began planting the first Sauvignon blanc vines. At the time, this grape variety was a great novelty and challenge for Alto Adige winegrowers. The acquisition of Sauvignon clones turned out to be very complex and a lot of technical equipment had to be imported from abroad. But Konrad was never discouraged. He was driven by the ambition of a man who had more in mind than just harvesting high-quality grapes - he wanted the grapes from this small piece of land to become something unique and long-lasting.
But let's look back. What prompted him to take this courageous step? "I still remember the day in the mid-1980s when a friend brought me a mature Sauvignon blanc from France. We tasted it together and at that moment I knew that I also wanted to grow Sauvignon. There was no other way for me. I always wanted to produce the best grapes - and I fought and put my heart and soul into it.
A new start in familiar hands
When Ulrich Prast, Konrad's nephew, officially took over the vineyard in 2018, it was just a formal step. Ulrich knew the vineyard like the back of his hand. Even as a child and teenager, he spent every spare minute in the vineyards with Konrad. He later turned his passion into a profession and worked side by side with his uncle for over ten years, learning the secrets and challenges of viticulture. But now it was up to him to take over responsibility for several vineyards, including this historic Sauvignon blanc vineyard.
'This vineyard is like a small child,' explains Ulrich, describing how deeply he feels connected to this piece of land. "You have to keep an eye on it all the time. The work never stops." And indeed - the challenges of viticulture are many and varied.
The oldest vines in the vineyard are now over 35 years old. Ulrich replaces single, damaged vines with new ones every year, bit by bit, so that the vineyard can continue to flourish. Climate change, the grapevine wood disease Esca and a constant stream of new parasites make viticulture a constant balancing act.
The leap to the top
When Ulrich Prast finally took over his uncle's vineyard, he had no idea that a major turning point was just around the corner - and that this step would take the project to a whole new level. "One day I was contacted by Colterenzio winery. During one of the regular visits to the vineyard, the agricultural engineer once again noticed the beautiful, old vines. The quality of the grapes also impressed the winemaker Martin Lemayr every year. The idea of creating something special from only the oldest vines in this vineyard was born," recalls Ulrich.
And the team of Colterenzio asked the winegrower for his co-operation: “From that point on, we started harvesting in two stages,” he explains. "An experienced harvest team first picks only the grapes from the older vines. These have deeper roots, are more balanced, less sensitive to stress and also require less water. With these vines, nature takes care of many things on its own. As a result, the fruit from these vines is also of a higher quality."
After accurate manual harvesting, the grapes are vinified separately. "After I had delivered the grapes, I didn't hear anything more about this project for a long time. I assume that winemaker Martin Lemayr and his team wanted to wait and see how everything would turn out," smiles Ulrich. "But then when I asked before the next harvest if I should harvest separately again, they immediately said yes. I already suspected that something special was maturing in the cellar."
Since then, the passionate winegrower has harvested separately every year and keeps an even closer eye on the vineyard. Especially since he was allowed to taste the Sauvignon Riserva Gran Lafóa in advance for the first time. ‘That's when I realised: this is a whole new level.’
The fact that the wine made from their grapes was awarded “White Wine of the Year 2025” by the renowned Italian wine guide Gambero Rosso fills both Ulrich Prast and Konrad Schweigkofler with enormous pride: "Of course, we are delighted with this award. It shows that the path Konrad took over 35 years ago was the right one and that all the work I put into the vineyard today is worth it!"
And so this vineyard will continue to be a place of dedication - a place where traditions are not only preserved, but above all kept alive.
The ‘Sauvignon Gran Lafóa’ is more than just a wine. It is a piece of history and a piece of the future.
On the picture from left to right: Ulrich Prast und Konrad Schweigkofler
