Wellness, wine and walking – with prospects

The scenic village of Feldthurns has a long history of wine, and lies along a placid, very sunny mid-altitude mountain road. The Feldthurnerhof Vinum Hotel, run by the Dorfmann family, affords spectacular views across the jagged peaks of the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites. The six wineries located in and around Feldthurns have contributed strongly to the wonderful Eisacktal Valley wines, whose international reputation has been taking flight. For this gourmet-focused hotel, the Dorfmann family has compiled a fabulous wine list with more than 180 labels – with a special focus on Eisacktal wines, especially the whites.

The sommelier of the house has a special touch when it comes to pairing wines with the hotel's specialty menus, which are built upon fine regional and Mediterranean cuisine. A committed member of the Eisacktaler Genuss-Gasthäuser association, the Feldthurnerhof Vinum Hotel participates in all of the specialty weeks, based on local, seasonal ingredients sourced from the Isarco/Eisacktal Valley: local Eisacktal specialties in March, asparagus and health-conscious dishes in May and South Tyrol's seasonal chestnut recipes in October and November.

Weekly tours of wineries or winegrowers offer guests in-depth, in-person dialogue about the history and secrets of South Tyrolean viticulture. In autumn, young wine and ripe chestnuts take center stage: in Eisacktal the traditional Törggelen takes the form of a hearty Brettljause snack board, served with the season's new wine and, of course, the heavenly fragrance of roasted chestnuts. The Feldthurnerhof offers guests a relaxing hike – the customary way of traveling to a Törggelen party: after working up an appetite, the wine cellar is waiting. The excursion is capped off by a nice long chat in the cozy and rustic atmosphere of a traditional Stube parlor.