Little more than 10 percent of South Tyrol’s rugged mountain terrain lies below 1000 metres and only a small part is suitable for wine-growing. For this reason the region’s wine industry cannot hope to compete by concentrating on mass production. In the late 1980s a revolution began with a trend away from high vineyard yields and towards adopting a more professional approach to wine-growing and winemaking. Above all in Italy, South Tyrol’s white wines and certain reds such as Lagrein and Pinot Noir have become enormously popular over the past 15 years. The trickle became a stream and now the demand for premium wines has brought new prosperity to South Tyrol’s avant-garde producers. One of these pioneers is the former architect Elena Walch. Having left a prestigious profession she had no intention of focussing on commercial quality wine. For several years now she has been working hard to transform the magnificent Castel Ringberg estate overlooking the Lake of Kaltern, and the superb Kastelaz hill above Tramin to produce world class wines. Both of these vineyards are in the warm south of South Tyrol. Around 1860 the Austrian government encouraged the planting of international grape varieties and in the following years Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon, Riesling, Sylvaner, Veltliner, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Canernet Franc became popular. All can now be regarded as having qualified for South Tyrolean citizenship! The aromatic Muscat varieties Goldmuskateller and Rosenmuskateller/Moscato Rosa produce highly sought-after dessert wines.