Cantina Kurtatsch named Cooperative of the Year by Gambero Rosso

The Vini d’Italia 2027 guide recognises the shared commitment and dedication of the our winegrowing families and awards Tre Bicchieri to FRAUENRIGL Gewürztraminer Riserva 2024.

On 25 October, we were honoured with the special Cooperative of the Year award at La Nuvola in Rome. The award ceremony took place as part of the celebrations marking Gambero Rosso’s 40th anniversary. For us, whose history has been shaped by the close collaboration and shared commitment of our winegrowing families since our foundation in 1900, this recognition holds particular significance.

“For us, being a cooperative means joining forces to ensure that every family’s work is valued and continues to provide a livelihood for generations to come. This award makes us proud of what we have achieved together,” says Andreas Kofler, President of Cantina Kurtatsch. “We would like to dedicate it to those who laid the foundations of our cooperative before us, to everyone who continues its story day after day with passion, care and dedication, and to future generations, to whom we want to pass on a strong cooperative, true to its roots and able to look far ahead.”

The cooperative model was established to give small winegrowing families greater strength and better prospects, turning the need to safeguard their livelihoods into a shared pursuit of quality. Over the decades, this shared purpose has evolved into a strong commitment to quality that continues to shape our cooperative today. The knowledge and experience of each individual winegrowing family play a vital role, as does making production decisions together and recognising each family’s contribution through wines that express the character of their place of origin at its best.

Alongside the Cooperative of the Year award, we also have another reason to celebrate: The guide also awarded the prestigious Tre Bicchieri to FRAUENRIGL Gewürztraminer Riserva 2024. Set to be released soon, FRAUENRIGL Gewürztraminer Riserva reflects our ongoing commitment to refining our approach to quality and expressing the unique character of our Additional Geographical Units (UGA). While the grapes for the Gewürztraminer Riserva previously came from the warmer UGA Brenntal, we have now turned to Frauenrigl, situated around 150 metres higher in altitude. This deliberate decision responds to changing climatic conditions while reflecting the our ambition to make the most of the distinctive characteristics of each geographical unit. It marks a new chapter for one of Cantina Kurtatsch’s signature wines, with its style thoughtfully evolving to reflect its new origin – guided by the ambition to achieve the highest quality and an unmistakable expression of terroir for generations to come.