The Winery
Messnerhof is a small, family-owned winery dedicated to crafting high-quality, authentic wines that truly reflect their origin. Nestled in St. Peter, we are located in the heart of the classic St. Magdalener wine-growing region on the outskirts of Bolzano.
Across 2.5 hectares of vineyards split into two distinct locations, we oversee every step of the journey—from caring for the vines to gentle winemaking, bottling, and aging, all done right here at our estate. Winemaking in the Bolzano basin dates back over 2,500 years, and as one of the oldest farmsteads in St. Peter, the Messnerhof has proudly remained in our family for generations.
We stand for unadulterated, character-driven Alpine wines, shaped by artisanal care, generational knowledge, and South Tyrol's unique terroir.
True Craftsmanship: From planting the vine to labeling the bottle, everything is done exclusively by our own hands. We only vinify grapes grown in our own vineyards.
Authenticity: We are winemakers of our word. With our name and our history, we stand for credibility and a genuine connection to nature.
Experiencing Wine: We offer more than just wine in a glass. Through personal encounters at our estate, we share our passion and create unforgettable wine moments.
Our estate spans two unique terroirs:
The Missian Vineyard (Eppan | 0.8 ha): Home to our Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer, as well as our red varieties: Merlot, Syrah, and Tempranillo.
The Home Vineyard in St. Peter (Bolzano | 1.75 ha): Bathed in sunshine, this site features our oldest vines, planted back in 1930. They yield characterful Vernatsch, Lagrein, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot—varieties that have been native to the Bolzano valley for over a century.
Deep beneath the vines, our underground cellar provides a perfect, naturally regulated climate. Following the principle of gravity, the grapes are transferred into the press and fermentation tanks with utmost care – entirely avoiding the use of stressful mechanical pumps. Here, the wines are crafted with artisanal precision. Depending on their style, they mature either in stainless steel tanks or oak barrels ranging from 225 to 3,000 liters for 9 to 36 months, before being bottled directly at the winery.
Nurturing our vineyards through natural, ecological, and regenerative farming is close to our hearts. For us, sustainability means taking concrete action:
A Living Vineyard: Year-round green cover and a strict ban on herbicides and mineral fertilizers protect the ecological balance and promote steady, healthy vine growth.
Green Energy: All estate buildings are heated using wood chips sourced from our own land, and our electricity is generated by our rooftop photovoltaic system.
Natural Cooling: Thanks to our deep underground cellar design, energy-intensive cooling systems are completely unnecessary.
Lightweight Bottles: Since glass production accounts for the largest share of carbon emissions in winemaking, we use lightweight bottles to keep our carbon footprint as small as possible.
Our estate is a classic, small family winery where three generations live out their deep passion for wine with all their heart. Together, we bring together valuable experience, pass down knowledge, and discover something new every day to continuously evolve.
Bernhard Pichler laid the foundation for his expertise at the Agricultural Secondary School. Following his graduation, he completed a one-year internship in the Franken wine region (Germany) and subsequently attended the renowned Technical School for Viticulture and Enology in Veitshöchheim (Germany).
From 1995 to 2015, he shared his knowledge as a teacher of enology and shaped the wine community as the head winemaker (Kellermeister) at the Agricultural Secondary School in Ora (Auer).