Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
For well over 2000 years, the area of South Tyrol has been fruitful for the cultivation of quality grapes in a unique Alpine environment. Within the heart is the village of Eppan where the St. Michael Eppan winery is located and has been producing some of the region's finest wines since its humble beginnings in 1908.
At the helm is Hans Terzer, who works closely with 330 individual growers to protect the quality of grapes that go into each of his wines. Many of these small growers only farm a hectare or two of vines and often maintain apple trees and vegetable gardens of their own. With the knowledge of Hans and the meticulous care of each grower the Eppan wines have gained tremendous notoriety since the late 1970s. Each passing vintage the Gambero Rosso awards its highest honor ‘Tre Bicchieri’ to numerous wines from this special winery. In particular they are highly recognized for the prestige of their Sanct Valentin line because of its premium fruit selection and prolonged barrel aging.
Since 1977 Hans Terzer has been the cellar's winemaker. He is one of the most important winemakers in Italy. In 1997 he was awarded by Gambero Rosso as one of the ten best winemakers in the world and for over 20 years he has been president of the association of the "Kellermeister" of South Tyrol. Over the years he has managed to convince members to adopt a rigorous quality-based philosophy over the years. This road has not always been easy, but with a lot of creativity, a good instinct and a lot of pride, he finally managed to make San Michele what it is today: one of the best wineries in Italy.
Thanks to the creativity of Hans Terzer, the San Michele Appiano winery has also carried out pioneering work, starting among the first in South Tyrol to make wine in barriques. But it is not enough, because he does not lack ideas for improvement. In fact, never rest on your laurels. So Hans Terzer's motto remains: "There is still a lot to do. We have to improve the quality, to get where we want: to the top of the world!"
Wine by Region › Italy › Trentino-Alto Adige › Alto Adige
Taking full advantage of direct sunlight exposure on its steep slopes, many of Alto Adige’s best vineyards are planted at extreme altitude... read more
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.