Thomas Niedermayr

The Thomas Niedermayr estate is located near San Michele Appiano, in the heart of the Oltradige vineyard. The vineyards are conducted with an approach that goes beyond the protocol of organic farming, with full respect for nature, with the intention of producing wines of great expressive purity, authentic interpreters of the territory. According to Thomas Niedermayr's philosophy, the entire production process stems from respect for the land, with the awareness that healthy and resistant plants can grow only on fertile and vital soil. A goal pursued by safeguarding biodiversity in the vineyard, letting wild herbs grow between the rows, with ducks and chickens allowed to roam freely among the vines.

The Hof Gandberg estate is located in a hilly area, at an elevation of about 500-530 meters above sea level, and enjoys a particularly favorable microclimate, thanks to the nearby presence of a mountain range. Particularly cool temperatures with significant temperature fluctuations allow slow ripening of grapes with rich and intense aromas. The climate and suitable soils provide the ideal habitat for making high-quality wines that express the excellence of the best South Tyrolean tradition. It was precisely the awareness of nature's richness that prompted Thomas Niedermayr to seek new ways to achieve viticulture that could develop in harmony with the ecosystem.

The vineyards have been managed under organic farming dictates since the 1980s by Rudolf Niedermayr, Thomas's father, with an absolutely pioneering vision and a belief that genuine wines can only be born within a healthy environment. In 1991 the estate also joined the Bioland association. Thomas took over the family property in 2012 and continued the work following the path laid out by his father. Thus, two hectares of PIWI vines of the varieties Solaris, Bronner, Sovignier Gris, Muscaris, Cabernet Cantor, and Cabernet Cortis were planted. These vines are the result of a series of crosses between European vitis vinifera and wild vines from Asia and America, so as to obtain plants that are resistant to powdery mildew and downy mildew and can be grown without having to do any kind of treatment. A new frontier in viticulture.