South Tyrol Wine Group Advances New Headquarters

South Tyrol’s wine consortium is moving ahead with a long-planned strategy centered on a new headquarters, a stronger wine tourism push and expansion into new export markets, as the organization keeps Andreas Kofler as its president for another three-year term.

The board of Consorzio Südtirol Wein confirmed Kofler, the chairman of the Kurtatsch winery, after the group’s recent general assembly elected a new board. The consortium, founded in 2007, serves as an umbrella organization for the main associations and institutions in South Tyrol’s wine sector. It protects the region’s DOC designations, promotes the Südtirol Wein brand, develops marketing efforts in global markets and provides services to its members.

The new board includes Klaus Pardatscher, Georg Eyrl, Philipp Plattner and Oscar Lorandi for the cooperatives; Ivan Giovanett, Christof Tiefenbrunner and Manfred Bernard for the wineries; and Magdalena Pratzner and Florian Brigl for independent growers. Giovanett, of Castelfeder winery, was named vice president.

Kofler said the consortium’s direction remains focused on high quality and a close link between wines and their terroir. He pointed to the recognition of 86 vineyard sites that may now appear on labels as additional geographic indications, calling it the clearest sign of that approach.

One of the biggest current projects is the creation of the House of Wine in a historic annex of Maretsch Castle in Bolzano. Kofler said that after nearly 20 years of preparation, the group has cleared all bureaucratic hurdles and construction is moving forward. If work stays on schedule, he said, the consortium could move into its new headquarters later this year.

He said the new space would finally give Südtirol Wein a home that matches its economic and social role. It would also allow the organization to present South Tyrolean wine more effectively and give staff a modern workplace.

A second priority is building out wine tourism in South Tyrol. Kofler said the region has underestimated its potential in this area. The goal is to expand, connect and professionalize offerings so they can attract more visitors, especially in the off-season and outside the main tourist centers.

He said South Tyrol should eventually be able to compete as a wine tourism destination with regions such as Burgundy, Piedmont, Tuscany and Napa Valley.

Beyond those two projects, Kofler said the consortium will continue developing its SQNPI sustainability certification and intensify international outreach. He identified South America, especially Brazil, and Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, as target markets.