At the beginning of the year we would love to take a look behind the scenes.
Wild about wine for seven generations and no signs of slowing. We present the three current generations of the Pfitscher family.
DAD KLAUS: Cellar master, blue-aproned fox in the vineyard, grape whisperer. The turn in Winery Pfitscher came around 40 years ago by himself: from quantity to quality, new vineyards, new varieties, no litre bottles, wine in bottles instead of barrels. Many clients have never seen him without his beloved South Tyrolean blue apron, also known as “Südtiroler Bauernschürze”. He is proudly wearing it, probably as one of the last winemaker. Once you see his stature and his strong hands you realize to be at the right place.
MUM MONIKA: Administrative genius, office oracle, heart and soul of the enterprise. It is pretty obvious that she feels in her element here and shows an interest and commitment in all aspects of the business. And it is also well known to all that she is often in control at the informal level. On the subject of the workplace, she becomes almost lyrical: “The view, the vineyards, the architecture– that is a feast for the eyes“. In the evening, Monika likes some peace and quiet, like many others who spend their days with people and do a lot of talking. When the chores are done, a restful evening is all she needs – perhaps with a glass of Matan for very special occasions.
SON DANIEL: Conductor, sales wizard, marketing guru. The former professional football player is rather in the winery in top form than on the football pitch: he can make full use of his talent for building contacts and assessing the commercial potential of cooperation with a partner. As a consequence, the wines are now available in more than 10 countries, with Japan and Taiwan as the latest additions. With the élan that is the product of a strong passion, Daniel devotes much of his “spare” time to acquiring the WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits.
SON HANNES: Oenologist, winefreak, tinkerer. He describes himself as a wine fanatic and is very glad that his family shares his passion. For Hannes, the most exciting part of the wine year is the autumn, when the first grapes are delivered to the cellar, when the cellar returns to life and when the potential of tomorrow’s wines begins to be revealed. There is an excitement in the air, a mood of expectation, of confidence that the wine in the wooden casks is fermenting nicely. And when the wine is bottled, there comes a moment of calm – and a break of one or two weeks before the new wine year begins, the same again, only different.
DAUGHTER MARION: Student, globetrotter, events manager. Marion was brought up in the world of sales and learned the ropes in her parent’s shop. Family members were always expected to do more than their duty, and Marion is used to that. So today, when the Pfitscher shop is especially busy, when there are wines to be tasted and notes to be compared, and more bottles to be brought up from the cellar, Marion has the stamina to, literally, stay the distance and work the long hours. Recently, Marion started to lead – and enjoy – more of the guided tours through the cellar.
So many things need to be done for and with a wine before it finds its place on the shelves of vinotheques around the world and, when you buy it, in your wine box and then in your glass and finally – ah! – on your palate! In the vineyard and cellar, as well as in the office, the shop and often on the road, these tasks are performed with dedication and know-how by our colleagues at Pfitscher.
Many partners, friends and winelovers became an essential part of our story. We sincerely thank you all and we highly appreciate to receive all your support also for the next years.
