Castelfeder

Foundation and the first important site

Alfons Giovanett founded Castelfeder in 1969. From the beginning, he invested in Glen, which became the winery’s most historically significant vineyard site. The Giovanett family subsequently enlarged the range and production, modernised winery operations and developed an increasingly international market.

Burgum Novum

In 1989, Castelfeder introduced the Burgum Novum name for its premium wines. The range was conceived around fruit from selected Alto Adige vineyards, meticulous work in the vineyard and cellar, and extended maturation. Its Riserva wines are matured for 18 months in small oak barrels and receive a further 12 months in bottle before release.

Third-generation development

Management has passed through three generations of the Giovanett family. The current family team comprises Günther Giovanett as CEO, Sandra Giovanett in finance, personnel and administration, Ines Giovanett in international sales, marketing and purchasing, and Ivan Giovanett as winemaker and director of viticulture and production.

Across the generations, the family has concentrated on identifying suitable sites for its principal varieties. The portfolio expanded into three central ranges—Burgum Novum, Castelfeder Selection and Mont Mès—while the production facilities and working processes were modernised. Ines and Ivan Giovanett identified continued quality improvement, greater recognition for the winery and the preservation of tradition as priorities for their generation.

Vineyard projects and diversification

Since 2011, the family has also worked with the steep Sorentberg Riesling vineyard in Germany’s Mosel region as a separate project. In Alto Adige, the single-vineyard programme brought Buchholz, Glen and Mazon to the foreground, presenting the differences among three geographically close but altitudinally distinct Pinot Nero sites.

The grapes of Villa Karneid near Salorno were vinified separately for more than 20 years before the Giovanett family formalised the historic location as Vigna Villa Karneid in the Italian vineyard register. Chardonnay, Lagrein and Merlot are associated with the registered site.

Recent developments

The Family Reserve tier was created as the summit of Castelfeder’s quality hierarchy, intended to present historic family crus in the best vintages. Its first highlighted site, Kreuzweg in Margreid, comprises five Chardonnay parcels; a selection from these parcels is produced in a limited edition of 1,400 bottles.

Beginning with the 2024 vintage, Alto Adige’s system of 86 Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive became part of Castelfeder’s labelling. The winery’s initial UGA-designated releases are Pinot Nero Buchholz, Pinot Nero Glen, Pinot Nero Mazon, Pinot Bianco Riserva Tecum from Buchholz and Chardonnay Kreuzweg Family Reserve.

Castelfeder works across a 30 km north–south span from Merano to Salorno. This broad area encompasses vineyards at different elevations and exposures, with distinct soils and microclimates. Approximately 300 sunny days, protection from the northern Alps, Mediterranean influence from the south and pronounced temperature differences define the broad climatic framework.

The vineyard soils range from volcanic porphyry to dolomite rock. Individual locations add limestone gravel, sandy gravel, clay, loam, alluvial material and mixed conglomerates.

The three Pinot Nero sites demonstrate the range of conditions. Buchholz is a steep location above Salorno, with Pinot Nero parcels at 440–500 m and a geological boundary between calcareous dolomite and porphyry layers beneath thick red loam. Glen, in Montagna in the Bassa Atesina, rises from 450 to 790 m; afternoon sun meets a conglomerate of loam, limestone and porphyry. Mazon lies above Egna at 300–450 m, faces northwest and receives long evening sunlight and cool autumn winds; its soils combine loam, limestone and porphyry.

Kreuzweg lies in the heart of Margreid and contains five Chardonnay parcels with a favourable microclimate. Vigna Villa Karneid stands near Salorno in the southernmost part of Alto Adige, on alluvial and locally loamy soils containing dolomite rock. Other selected vineyards range from the warm, alluvial valley-floor sites used for Lagrein near Bolzano and Egna to high vineyards around 600 m for Sauvignon and approximately 900 m for Kerner.

Castelfeder vinifies grapes from 70 ha of vineyards. Approximately 70% of this area supplies white varieties, with particular emphasis on Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon. Red varieties account for the remaining 30%, led by Pinot Nero.

Site selection has been a multigenerational priority. The family matches principal varieties with contrasting elevations, exposures, soils and microclimates, and the single-vineyard programme isolates individual origins such as Buchholz, Glen, Mazon and Vigna Villa Karneid.

Harvesting is carried out manually across the documented vineyard selections. Guyot is used in numerous locations, including Buchholz and selected Bassa Atesina sites; Vigna Villa Karneid also includes pergola-trained Chardonnay. Older plant material is retained in Breitbach, where part of the Vernatsch planting exceeds 80 years of age.

The family identifies sustainability investment as a responsibility toward future generations. Its viticultural decisions are also framed by adaptation to climate change while maintaining the balance between established practice and modernisation.

The winery’s production facility is in Cortina sulla Strada del Vino. Its processes have been expanded and modernised as the family’s range and international market developed, while manual and gentle work remains central to the premium programme.

Burgum Novum, established in 1989, is based on selected fruit and careful handling from vineyard through vinification. The Riserva wines mature for 18 months in small oak barrels and then for another 12 months in bottle before release. The range is allowed a total development period of approximately three years before entering the market.

Site separation is an important production principle. Grapes from Villa Karneid were vinified independently for more than two decades before the vineyard received its formal Vigna registration. Buchholz, Glen and Mazon are likewise handled as distinct Pinot Nero origins so that their differences in elevation, exposure and soil remain identifiable.

Long lees ageing is also used for special projects. Tecum is matured on its fine lees, with stainless steel and a small wooden component described for earlier iterations and large wooden Fuder identified for the current Buchholz-based Riserva; bottle maturation follows. The intanto sparkling wine remains on fine lees for 48 months.