Storia
Foundation in 1840
Alois H. Lun established the H. LUN quality brand in 1840. Combining commercial initiative, specialist knowledge and persistence, he selected fine Alto Adige wines from leading growing sites and placed his own name on them. H. LUN became one of Alto Adige’s early private wineries and helped pioneer the commercial sale of the region’s wines in bottle.
The founding principle joined rigorous selection with origin: only suitable wines from appropriate sites were associated with the H. LUN name. Continuity, quality and the matching of each variety to the right location became defining elements of the brand.
Acquisition by Cantina Girlan in 1998
Cantina Girlan acquired H. LUN in 1998. The historic name was preserved rather than absorbed into the acquiring winery’s identity, and H. LUN continued as an independently managed and marketed brand. Its range is divided into two quality tiers: the classical 1840 line and Sandbichler, the selection tier.
Packaging transition from the 2023 vintage
Beginning with the first bottlings of the 2023 vintage, H. LUN started a gradual transition across all production lines to bottles weighing 410 g. Publicly introduced from 2024, the lighter format was chosen after an internal assessment of the brand’s carbon impact. Its purpose is to reduce packaging-related CO₂ emissions and conserve natural resources. The transition will continue until the former bottle format has been replaced throughout production, with the words “Light-Weight-Lower Carbon Footprint” appearing on back labels to identify the change.
Terroir
H. LUN draws on the varied growing environments of Alto Adige / Südtirol. The region has a mild Alpine-continental climate and more than 300 days of sunshine annually. The Alps form a northern barrier against cold winds, while the landscape remains open to the south, allowing warm currents from the Mediterranean and Lake Garda to reach the winegrowing zones.
Large differences between daytime and nighttime temperatures shape the growing season. The average temperature during the growing phase is approximately 18 °C, while regular and sufficient precipitation supports grape development and ripening.
The geological spectrum includes volcanic porphyry; weathered ancient and metamorphic rock containing quartz and mica; limestone and dolomite; and sandy marl. This diversity provides distinct substrates for different grape varieties. H. LUN’s selection principle is to match each variety with a suitable growing site and keep grapes differentiated by location and quality so that the range can reflect this varied terroir.
Vinificazione
Grape selection is organized according to growing site and quality, with each variety sourced from a location considered appropriate to its character. Sandbichler, the upper selection tier, undergoes especially strict selection in the vineyard.
The 2024 growing season
The 2024 season required intensive vineyard work. Unusually wet conditions in May and June delayed flowering, while poor fruit set reduced yields by approximately 15–40%, depending on variety and microclimate. Gewürztraminer, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio were particularly affected.
Rainfall remained above average in July before August turned dry and warm. Summer conditions continued into early September, followed by marked cooling in the middle of the month, which slowed phenolic ripening across the varieties.
Heavy rain at the end of September adversely affected Vernatsch and late-ripening red varieties, which did not always reach full maturity. The same rainfall favored late-harvest Gewürztraminer and Moscato Rosa. Lower yields contributed to aromatic complexity in the white varieties and Pinot Noir, which emerged as qualitative strengths of the vintage.
Grapes are separated carefully by growing site and quality under the direction of the cellar’s winemaker. This preserves distinctions among locations and supports the principle of selecting each variety from an appropriate site.
The Sandbichler tier receives the strictest selection beginning in the vineyard. Its white wines are shaped through careful maturation intended to develop richness, aromatic intensity and longevity. The red Sandbichler wines undergo maceration followed by extended maturation. Across the broader range, steel tanks, concrete vessels and wooden barrels are used according to the requirements of the individual wine.
Filosofia
H. LUN defines its identity through continuity and quality. The guiding idea established in 1840 is that selection should distinguish the brand: fine material is chosen by origin and quality, and each variety is paired with an appropriate site so that the diversity of Alto Adige can be expressed without erasing the individuality of the wines.
The continued use of the H. LUN name after its acquisition by Cantina Girlan reflects the same emphasis on historical continuity and an independent brand identity. The 1840 line represents the classical range, while Sandbichler concentrates the strictest selections.
Environmental responsibility is presented as inseparable from quality. The gradual adoption of 410 g bottles followed an internal assessment of carbon impact and is intended to reduce packaging-related emissions while conserving natural resources. H. LUN summarizes this position in the principle that quality cannot exist without sustainability.