Simon Staffler
Sommelier and wine journalist
Simon Staffler
News The Erlebnistherme Naturns will be closed from 15/09 to 26/09/2025.

Simon Staffler

Wine-writer and sommelier

Born in 1988, wine-writer/sommelier, Simon Staffler, has what’s referred to as a “dream job”. As the Falstaff wine and lifestyle magazine correspondent for Italy Staffler regularly visits one Italian winery after the other, appraising their wines.

Since you spend most of the year visiting Italian winegrowing regions, what do you think makes South Tyrolean wine stand out in this wine-savvy country?
At the moment, South Tyrol wine is considered incredibly sexy in Rome, Florence and Milan. There are two factors involved: the very high quality of the wines and the focused, targeted marketing of the distributors. Combined, these two factors are like dynamite that knock down any barriers. Add to that the unity and cohesion of South Tyrolean winemakers which, of course, is real and you have an unstoppable force. But let’s not forget that, as a wine-growing region, South Tyrol is vanishingly small and continuing to go it alone might end up in oblivion.

In recent years, Vinschgau Valley wine production has developed from a local South Tyrolean phenomenon to an authentic wine-producing sub-region in its own right. Does that come as a surprise or was it already on the cards?
Vinschgau Valley’s success is largely due to its two heavyweight players: Franz Pratzner (Falkenstein Winery) and Martin Aurich (Unterortl Winery). It’s mostly thanks to this pair that the Lower Vinschgau Valley has been catapulted onto the wine map with their top-notch wines. Funnily enough, many locals aren’t even aware of this. To them, Franz Pratzner is just a local winemaker, or someone they’ve only heard of. But in Milan, he’s considered a rising star! The Vinschgau Valley is a young wine-producing area with a lot of potential. As far as I’m concerned, the main problem is that a critical volume of wine produced needs to be reached for this sub-region to gain credibility as a serious winegrowing region. But due to its particular topography, the Vinschgau Valley has limited scope for expanding its existing vinicultural areas. Since wine-farmers and winemakers are practical types, they’ll think twice before planting vines on steep slopes!

What is it about the Vinschgau Valley as a wine region that makes it stand out? How would you describe it to someone who’s never been here before?

Growing vines here is very challenging and requires a lot of skill: there are the steep slopes, a dry climate, unusual wind conditions and different soil types to contend with. These are just some of the adverse factors. The vineyards are also very small in size and there aren’t any large contiguous cultivation areas that you’ll find in other winegrowing areas. In such a situation, winemaking is derived from pure passion and conviction, otherwise you wouldn’t even attempt it. Obviously, some of the other factors affecting other wine-growing areas in South Tyrol also applies to the Vinschgau Valley. For example, extreme weather events including hailstorms have been on the increase in recent years – further complicating the work of the winegrowers.
“The very fact that the Riesling pioneers in Italy all come from Vinschgau speaks volumes.”
The inhabitants of the Vinschgau Valley are known as lateral thinkers and free spirits. How would you describe winegrowers in the Vinschgau Valley?
The people of Vinschgau Valley are certainly very headstrong – who like doing things their own way. The very fact that the Riesling pioneers in Italy all come from Vinschgau speaks volumes. What’s also special about the Vinschgau Valley vines is their high percentage of new fungus-resistant PiWi varietals. This is may be due to the fact that viticulture is on the rise here, and these new varietals are capable of defending themselves against the fungi. Also, PiWi varietals require few or no chemical inputs. However, vinification of PiWi grapes is quite complicated, due to their broad spectrum of flavours and absence of distinguishing features. For example, if you take 3 bottles of Solaris from different wineries, each would taste completely different from the other. I think this is where things are going to get more interesting in future.

While on the subject of PiWi wines, we’ve seen new trends such as biodynamic, vin naturel, vegan, etc. What’s your take?

Are winemakers always trying to keep up with new trends, or do they get involved through genuine conviction? It’s a bit of both. Some winemakers follow trends while others take no notice. When it comes to biodynamic or organic wines it’s a bit different, but in the end the wine has to be up to par. If the label on the back of the bottle says “organic”, and if the wine is undrinkable it behoves neither the consumer nor the winemaker. Personally, I think there’s a lot of potential in biodynamic wines. Yet it’s hardly discussed, because for most winemakers the focus remains on making good wines. There are also others who use biodynamics as a handle to promote their wines. But in general, what you see is a return to local and traditional winemaking.

When I'm selecting wines for my private use, which three South Tyrolean labels should not be overlooked?
I’d say these young, up-and-coming contenders: Abraham Winery, Bergmannhof Winery and Pitzner Winery.

And what’s your favourite wine estate in the Vinschgau Valley?
For me it’s Falkenstein Winery. Franz is a super winemaker and Magdalena a worthy successor with lots of fresh ideas. Their wines are really excellent. Not just their flagship wines such as Riesling, Sauvignon and Pinot Blanc, but also their Pinot Noir. A lot has happened there recently. Despite all their interesting developments, this winery has remained rock solid.
Follow us on Social Media
Naturns  I  Naturno Naturns I Naturno 16 hours ago
Naturns  I  Naturno

Herbstzauber in Südtirol!🍂 Die Äpfel reifen und die goldenen Sonnenstrahlen lassen die Früchte in voller Pracht erstrahlen.🍏 Ein perfekter Moment, um den Herbst in seiner vollen Schönheit zu genießen – mit Blick auf die historische Prokulus Kirche in Naturns.🌞🍃

📸: TG Naturns_Frieder Blickle

-------

Magia d'autunno in Alto Adige!🍂 Le mele maturano e i raggi dorati del sole fanno risplendere i frutti in tutta la loro bellezza. 🍏 Un momento perfetto per godersi l'autunno nella sua pienezza – con vista sulla storica chiesetta di San Procolo a Naturno.🌞🍃

📸: TG Naturns_Frieder Blickle

0
naturns_naturno naturns_naturno Yesterday
naturns_naturno

Hiking on the Sonnenberg mountain in Naturns🌄

On the trail of the sun – the Sonnenberg mountain in Naturns offers breathtaking hikes with stunning views! 🌞 Whether you want to enjoy nature, breathe in the fresh mountain air, or simply unwind, this is the perfect place to be. 🏞️

Hiking tips on the Sonnenberg mountain of Naturns:
- Hike along the Merano high mountain trail, offering spectacular panoramas😍
- A beautiful circular hike to Lindhof – a great route for both beginners and experienced hikers👨‍👩‍👧
- Mountain tour to the mountain peak "Kirchbachspitz"– for those looking for a more challenging adventure with amazing views🏔️

📸: TG Naturns_Patrick Schwienbacher

#Hiking #Sonnenberg #Naturno #NatureLovers #MountainViews #SouthTyrol #OutdoorAdventure #HikingTips #naturns #sunnymountain #meranohighmountaintrail #meranerhöhenweg

0
Naturns  I  Naturno Naturns I Naturno 4 days ago
Naturns  I  Naturno

🎉🅝🅔🅦 🅝🅔🅦 🅝🅔🅦!
✨ Last Summer Glow – das brandneue Event-Highlight,
um den Sommer stilvoll ausklingen zu lassen!
📍 Burggräflerplatz, Naturns
📅 Samstag, 20. September | ab 17 Uhr

🌞 Genieße die letzten goldenen Sonnenstrahlen
🎶 Live-Musik von der Santoni Family ab 18:30 Uhr
🍸 Aperitivi & kulinarische Köstlichkeiten
🕯️ Entspannte Stimmung & pures Sommerfeeling

👉 Termin vormerken & Freunde mitbringen! Lasst uns zusammen leuchten – in Naturns!💛

-------

🎉🅝🅔🅦 🅝🅔🅦 🅝🅔🅦!
✨ Last Summer Glow – il nuovissimo evento imperdibile
per concludere l’estate con stile!
📍 Burggräflerplatz, Naturno
📅 Sabato 20 settembre | dalle ore 17:00

🌞 Goditi gli ultimi raggi dorati del sole
🎶 Musica live con la Santoni Family dalle ore 18:30
🍸 Aperitivi e delizie culinarie
🕯️ Atmosfera rilassata e puro spirito estivo

👉 Segna la data e porta i tuoi amici! Brilliamo insieme – a Naturno!💛

1
naturns_naturno naturns_naturno 5 days ago
naturns_naturno

Weekly Market in Naturns – Every Saturday at the Town Square!🛍️

Fresh, local & simply unmistakable – that’s our weekly market in Naturns! Every Saturday from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM, the Town Square turns into a meeting point for food lovers, curious visitors, and fans of authentic quality. 🥕🍞🧀🍎

What to expect:
✅ Fresh fruits & vegetables straight from the farm
✅ Homemade specialties and South Tyrolean delicacies
✅ Handicrafts & natural products
✅ Leather goods & clothing

📸: Naturno Tourism Association_Ewelina Herzog

0
Naturns  I  Naturno Naturns I Naturno 6 days ago
Naturns  I  Naturno

Führung durch die Obstgenossenschaft Texel – Ein Blick hinter die Kulissen🍏

Jeden Donnerstag um 10:00 Uhr habt ihr die einzigartige Gelegenheit, die Obstgenossenschaft Texel in Naturns zu besuchen und eine spannende Führung zu erleben. Begleitet uns und erfahrt aus erster Hand, wie unsere frisch geernteten Äpfel verarbeitet werden – vom Baum bis zum fertigen Produkt. 🍎✨

Während der Führung durch unsere hochmodernen Anlagen erhaltet ihr interessante Einblicke in die Verarbeitung der zurzeit geernteten Äpfel. Diese sind aufgrund ihres besonders guten Geschmacks und ihrer hohen Qualität weit über die Region hinaus bekannt! 🌟 Erfahrt, wie der gesamte Produktionsprozess abläuft – von der Ernte bis zur Lagerung und Weiterverarbeitung.🌳🍏

📅 Wann? Jeden Donnerstag um 10:00 Uhr
📍 Wo? Obstgenossenschaft Texel, Naturns

Anmeldung:
📞 Tourismusbüro Naturns: +39 0473 666077
🌐 Web: www.naturns.it
📧 E-Mail: info@naturns.it

📸: TG Naturns_Lukas Kobler

-------

Visita guidata alla Cooperativa Frutticola Texel – Un'occhiata dietro le quinte🍏

Ogni giovedì alle 10:00 avete l'opportunità unica di visitare la Cooperativa Frutticola Texel a Naturno e partecipare a una visita guidata emozionante. Venite con noi e scoprite in prima persona come vengono trasformate le nostre mele appena raccolte – dall'albero al prodotto finito. 🍎✨

Durante la visita guidata alle nostre moderne strutture, avrete l'opportunità di conoscere il processo di lavorazione delle mele attualmente raccolte. Queste sono conosciute per il loro gusto eccezionale e la loro alta qualità, che le rende famose ben oltre la regione! 🌟 Scoprirete come si sviluppa l'intero processo produttivo – dalla raccolta, alla conservazione e alla trasformazione. 🌳🍏

📅 Quando? Ogni giovedì alle 10:00
📍 Dove? Cooperativa Frutticola Texel, Naturno

Iscrizioni:
📞 Ufficio turistico di Naturno: +39 0473 666077
🌐 Web: www.naturns.it
📧 E-mail: info@naturns.it

📸: TG Naturns_Lukas Kobler

0
nextleft-arrowclose facebookinstagram liketalk