Ansitz Dornach. Patrick Uccelli:

“The earth is the origin. Preserving its natural fertility and vitality is the essential foundation. Producing wines that are as natural as possible is the goal.”
These are the words that welcome visitors to the Ansitz Dornach website—and they perfectly reflect the philosophy by which Patrick and Karoline Uccelli live and work, following the principles of biodynamic agriculture.
Patrick Uccelli explains:
“We do not simply practise organic farming – we live it. Our family is nourished largely by the organic products we grow ourselves. Potatoes, polenta maize and a wide variety of vegetables are cultivated in our fields, while herbs and salads thrive in our herb garden as well as among the vineyards.”
The estate has a noble heritage. In 1788, Emperor Joseph II elevated the brothers Franz and Johann Peter Gelmini from Sacco near Rovereto to hereditary nobility, granting them the title “von Kreuzhof.” To this day, the Gelmini von Kreuzhof coat of arms adorns the façade of the manor house and is reflected in a stylised form within the estate’s logo.
Today, Patrick and Karoline, descendants of the Gelmini and von Hausmann families, continue to care for both the historic estate and its vineyards. In 2008, after decades of selling grapes exclusively, the family resumed producing its own wines. Ansitz Dornach was transformed into a wine atelier dedicated to crafting certified organic and biodynamic natural wines.
The first vintage included both Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc. In 2012, a skin-contact Gewürztraminer was added to the portfolio. Over the years, Patrick’s intuition, inspiration and creativity have guided the family business towards four distinct wine profiles:
“Wines for thirst” – light, easy-drinking wines identified by a dot.
PIWI wines – produced from disease-resistant grape varieties and distinguished by a watercolour motif.
Selections – represented by a historical cadastral map.
“The Unique Ones” – wines featuring one-of-a-kind labels.
Patrick continues: “Since 2019, we have numbered our wines consecutively. Each number now represents a specific wine. Additional graphic elements help distinguish the different wine styles. The numbering is based simply on the order in which the wines are bottled. The first wine bottled in 2019 became Number 1, the second became Number 2, and so on. The sequence continues uninterrupted, from bottling to bottling, without repetition.”
But why this system? “Because we believe that wine, like all agricultural products, is defined by one fundamental characteristic: uniqueness. In other words, the result cannot be naturally reproduced exactly the same way every year. Each wine is therefore the unique expression of a particular vintage and can never be replicated. The number on the label serves as a reminder of precisely that. Agricultural identity is a fundamental aspect of everything we do, and here at Dornach we are deeply aware of its importance.”

The funded project

With the support of an Ethical Banking development loan, the family was able to acquire a new vineyard located in the immediate vicinity of the estate.
Ansitz Dornach