The winery is located in the municipality of St. Justina above the city of Bolzano in the Italian wine-growing region of
South Tyrol (
Trentino-Alto Adige). The estate was founded in 1979 by the South Tyrolean winegrowing pioneer Rainer Loacker through the purchase of the Schwarhof, which was already mentioned in a document in 1334. Today it is run in the second generation by his sons Hayo and Franz Josef Loacker. The family also owns two vineyards in
Tuscany called Loacker Corte Pavone in Montalcino and
Loacker Valdifalco in the
Maremma, and since 2009 another one in
Styria (Austria). All of them are operated according to the rules of
Biodynamic viticulture. The first organic wine of northern Italy was produced on the Schwarhof in 1979.
The vineyards of all locations in Italy and Austria cover a total of 50 hectares. In South Tyrol, these are seven hectares on loess soils with glacial fillings, planted with the red wine varieties Lagrein, Vernatsch, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Nero, and with the white wine varieties Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Kerner and Pinot Grigio. The vineyard has been cultivated according to biodynamic rules since 2000. In cold, heat, rain or periods of stress, the vine is supported by natural, homeopathic substances. The soil, growth and
resistance to fungal attack are controlled by effective microorganisms.
The selected grapes for the white wines are gently pressed. The fermentation takes place in steel tanks and partly also in barriques, after which the wines are aged for three to ten months on the
fine yeast to develop their aromas. The selected grapes for the red wines are generally de-stemmed and undergo
maceration in steel tanks or oak barrels. In order to improve colour and complexity, the grapes are constantly
pumped over (remontage, délestage). After biological acid reduction, the wines are aged in large oak barrels or in barriques. No
fining takes place. Selected red wines with long ageing in barriques undergo no or less
filtration.
The product range includes the DOC wines
St. Magdalener, Südtiroler and
Eisacktaler, as well as various IGT wines. Premium wines are the red wine "Kastlet Cabernet Lagrein" (wooden barrel, barrique) and the white wine Tasnim Sauvignon Blanc (steel tank). About 70,000 bottles of wine are bottled annually. Important export countries are Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Russia, Hong Kong, USA and Japan. The winery is a member of
Freie Weinbauern Südtirol, TAV Tirolensis ars Vini and Vintesa.
