If you close your eyes and imagine a vineyard overlooking the city of Bolzano like a natural balcony, you are imagining the Premstallerhof. Here, among the hills of Santa Maddalena, Schiava is not just a grape variety, but a veritable institution that the Rottensteiner family interprets with rigour and elegance. Vigna Premstallerhof is an iconic plot, managed with passion by Gertrud Vogel, who has historically collaborated with the Rottensteiner winery. We are in the heart of the Classic zone, on loose soils rich in porphyry, the volcanic rock that gives the wines an unmistakable minerality. Here, the vines are still cultivated using the traditional pergola system, a method that protects the bunches from direct sunlight and allows for slow and steady ripening. The blend is composed of Schiava, in the vast majority (93%), with a small touch of Lagrein (7%) that adds colour, body and a slight spicy note. It is not a wine that seeks to impress with brute force, but wins everyone over with its impeccable harmony. Fermentation takes place in concrete tanks, which help to maintain a constant temperature and preserve the fruit. The wine is then aged partly in oak barrels to smooth out the edges and make the tannins more silky. It is a meticulous process that gives the wine an enveloping fullness without weighing it down. It has an intense, bright ruby red colour. The nose is elegant, with notes of sweet violet and ripe cherry, and a distant hint of bitter almond. On the palate, it is full, juicy and incredibly smooth. The tannins are so smooth that they seem velvety, leading to a persistent and clean finish that still recalls red fruit. It is a wine that is extremely pleasant to drink, without ever tiring the palate. Perfect to accompany a traditional Tyrolean meat menu or tasty speck dumplings in broth. Also try it with a platter of medium-aged cheeses or with knife-cut beef tartare. Roter Stein, or “red stone”. Nomen omen, a name is a destiny. This stone is not just a decoration, but represents the very foundations on which the entire history of this family rests.