Schloss Englar

Wine Road. South Tyrol. Here the silhouette of the mountains meets the perfect geometry of the vineyards, and in San Michele Appiano stands Schloss Englar, a Gothic castle that seems to come straight out of a fairy tale but actually tells one of the most authentic wine stories of the region. Owned by the Counts Khuen-Belasi since 1640, the estate has witnessed centuries of agricultural history. In 2012, after more than eighty years during which the grapes were delivered to the local cooperative winery, Count Johannes Khuen-Belasi decided to resume winemaking on the estate, bringing the entire production process back within the historic walls of the castle. Such a remarkable place deserved its own label, capable of reflecting the soul of these lands. The philosophy of Schloss Englar is simple yet rigorous: wine is born in the vineyard, not in the cellar. For Johannes, “producing outstanding wines requires vines that grow harmoniously in a healthy environment.” For this reason, the estate has embraced organic farming, eliminating synthetic chemical products and respecting natural cycles. In the vineyard a deliberate reduction of yields is practiced: each vine is assessed individually to ensure that only the best clusters reach maturity. This “craft-driven” approach allows the estate to obtain healthy, characterful grapes while minimizing technical intervention during vinification. In the countryside the estate’s approximately 7–10 hectares of vineyards enjoy a privileged position, where unique conditions give the wines vibrant freshness and a striking mineral character, distinctive features of the great white wines of South Tyrol.