“Good wine begins in the vineyard” – an oft-quoted maxim whose truth is unchallenged.

Why this is so and what happens in the vineyard is clearly described along the Castel Sallegg wine trail in Caldaro. Panels located in the midst of the vine rows explain all about Alto Adige’s grape varieties and their characteristics, relate the annual vegetation cycle of the vines and tell the history of winegrowing. Those wishing to learn more will find plenty of information about the local climate, geography and terroir. To round off the trail, visitors can visit the cellar and enjoy a wine-tasting session, thus completing the path from the vine via the barrel and into the bottle.

The starting point of the trail, which is some 350 metres long, is the Rottenburger Platz in the centre of Caldaro. From there it leads up through the vineyard to the inner courtyard of Castel Sallegg. Visitors can follow the trail alone or take part in an individual or a group guided tour: either way you can be sure of acquiring an informative insight into the traditional viticulture of Alto Adige.

Route: Rottenburger Platz (centre of Caldaro) to Castel Sallegg (30 minutes on foot).
Opening times: mid-March to mid-November (guided tours only during the ripening season).
Price: unaccompanied visits are free of charge: guided tours are €9.50 or €16.00 including cellar tour and wine tasting.
Guided tours: from 1 April to the end of October, followed by cellar visit (except during harvest time) and wine tasting. Guided tours followed by wine tasting can be organized for small and big groups.