South Tyrol lies half way between the northern hemisphere’s most northerly and most southerly limits for wine-growing, and the main town, Bozen/Bolzano is on a similar latitude to Mâcon in Burgundy. The region lies on the southern side of the Alps where most mountainsides are south facing. The central Alpine ridge shields the central valleys from arctic winds and cold weather from the Atlantic, leaving them open to warm air from the Mediterranean. The climate is continental, with cold winters and warm summers, and South Tyrol is home to some of Europe’s highest vineyards. Certain white varieties ripen well at over 800 metres altitude. Being Alpine in character, each of South Tyrol’s wine-growing areas has its own unique features.

The Elena Walch vineyards are located in the commune of Kaltern/Caldaro and the adjoining commune of Tramin. In contrast to other parts of South Tyrol, where soils are light and sandy, here they are more compact and calcareous. Kaltern, with 760 hectares of vineyard is just behind Eppan as the community with the largest area planted with vines, and over the past 100 years the name has become emblematic for South Tyrolean wine in general. This is not due only to the famous lake, but to the fantastic wine-growing conditions. The Romans named this mild valley basin with its circle of Mediterranean like hills 'Callidarium'. The lake which lies directly beneath the Castel Ringberg vineyard has a significant influence on the microclimate due to its ability to accumulate warmth and give off moisture. Soils consist mainly of sand, loam and marl and are rich in mineral substances.

Tramin is part of the wine-growing area known as Unterland, which is the most southerly part of South Tyrol and accounts for a good third of the region’s total vineyard area - 1,700 hectares.
Tramin, birthplace of the Gewürztraminer vine dominates the scene on the west side of the Adige valley. In Tramin's finest sites the grapes of the same name turn pinkish yellow, light red and red tinged with grey when fully ripe. Tramin's most notorious sites for this wine are Kastelaz, Söll and Rungg, where the wine becomes rich and silk-textured, minerally and firmly structured with a fine and intense aroma of Muscat, rose petals, oriental fruits such as lychee, and spice. Tramin is one of South Tyrol's most important wine-growing communities and because of the warm climate red varieties dominate production, including Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Lagrein. Among white varieties Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris set the pace alongside Gewürztraminer.