Once upon a time... That's how all good stories begin. And if the story of Helmuth and wine hadn't really happened exactly like this, you probably wouldn't believe me. Helmuth Raffeiner, the senior partner and host up here with me, miraculously went from being a wine refusenik to a passionate wine lover. You can read about exactly how and why this happened here in great detail.
A 1984 Pojer e Sandri as a birthday present
Now, it is a fact that there are currently around 450 labels on my wine list. In fact, there are another one or two hundred slumbering down there in my cellars – yes, I have several – not to mention the bottles in my cellar at home. As much as my staff would like to share with you guests, not all of the bottles are intended for sale. Why? Let me explain: some vintages should simply lie dormant and be allowed to ‘mature’ before they flow into your glass. Others are anniversary wines and are only opened on special, appropriate occasions. Our dear caretaker and esteemed friend Martin celebrated a milestone birthday just recently. So, to celebrate his fortieth, we opened the 1984 Gewürztraminer from Pojer e Sandri in his honour. It was a celebration for all the senses!
Because wines are made to be drunk.
You know that I, as an old house, am 300 years young. The oldest bottle here at the farm dates back to 1921. This particular present will definitely not be opened, but otherwise my farm people are followers of the philosophy – out with the cork and into the glass! That's why there aren't that many Methuselah wines in my cellars; vintages from 1962 onwards are much more common. But that doesn't mean that the Raffeiners don't celebrate their love of wine in style. It starts with the storage: my cellars have to be at exactly the right temperature and the humidity should also be right. I do my best to meet the requirements of the fine wines. The fine wines also like it nice and quiet and dark. But once a year, it's all systems go. When it's wine week up here in the Schnalstal valley, my people don't let themselves be outdone. During the 2024 wine week, they tasted Vernatsch wines that had been maturing, the oldest of which was from 1995. I've been told what a rare spectacle it was. I'm already excited to see what treasures will be unearthed at the next Wine Week.
Separate cellars for the father-son relationship
By the way: in a secret part of my cellars, hermetically sealed and strictly separated from each other, are the legendary private collections of Helmuth and Benni. This is to ensure that one of them does not accidentally or intentionally steal a bottle from the other and upset the family peace. Feel free to ask them which treasures they call their own, you will be quite impressed! You still haven't had enough of wine-fuelled stories from Val Senales? Then click here and you will find more reading material.
