Autumn
THE UNIQUE TASTE OF THE MELLOW SEASON
In the local language, the Indian summer is called Altweibersommer – the Old Wives’ Summer. The name might be less than poetic, but rest assured that the autumn season in South Tyrol is pure magic. The air is clear and the trees push their bright red, golden and orange crowns into an azure sky. All around Füchslhof, the landscape turns into a real work of art.
Marling
in autumn
art
Speaking of art, the Kunsthaus Café in Meran is a popular haunt among artists and culture-oriented people. It is not far from the Kunst Meran art gallery, with its 500 m² of exhibitions, performances, concerts and seminars.Hiking
If you like to walk, the promenades, water channel routes and paths around the Marling mountain and the Vigiljoch hiking area are everything you can dream of. And if you’re not scared of heights, Mt. Ortler is in the near Vinschgau valley – just shy of 4,000 metres, it’s the highest mountain in South Tyrol.Törggelen
Whatever your preferences, you cannot visit South Tyrol in autumn without taking part in the most popular of our local traditions: the Törggelen. We could call it a culinary get-together, but in fact it’s much more than just a moment of shared indulgence. It’s first and foremost a lived tradition, and many of the local taverns and farmsteads offer the chance to savour their artisanal products, fresh grape must and young wine in the cosily rustic atmosphere of their Tyrolean parlours.Autumn at the
Füchslhof
All hands on deck: it’s harvest time! Pickers from near and far come and help us harvest our apples. The early varieties – such as Gala – have already been picked, but now it’s time for Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Braeburn, which keep us busy throughout September and October as each variety needs to be harvested at the right point of ripeness. That’s very important to guarantee quality and a reasonable shelf life.
In the vineyard, the work starts in September but reaches its peak in October. If the weather conditions allow it, the grapes can be left on the vines for a bit longer, so as to achieve the best possible quality for winemaking. Naturally there’s plenty to do in the cellar, too: the young wine requires a lot of care and conscientious work – luckily, tasting is part of the job!
As you may expect from such a small land with deep-rooted rural traditions, we have our fair share of harvest festivals, too!