Zollweghof. Franz Pfeifhofer:

Franz Pfeifhofer was born and raised at Zollweghof, where he developed a passion for agriculture and, in particular, viticulture from an early age. He acquired his knowledge not only from his father but also through his studies at the Laimburg Agricultural College.
As early as 1990, Franz made the conscious decision to embrace organic farming and became one of the founding members of BIOLAND South Tyrol. Fifteen years later, he took another important step by specialising in biodynamic agriculture, a philosophy that continues to guide his work today.
Within this approach, great importance is placed on the interaction between nature and the cosmos, including the influence of lunar phases, planetary constellations and biodynamic preparations used for compost, soil and plants. Franz is also deeply committed to maintaining his Demeter certification, one of the most recognised standards for biodynamic farming worldwide.
His dedication to biodynamic principles is further reflected in his role as a founding member and long-standing chairman of PIWI South Tyrol, an association dedicated to promoting and preserving disease-resistant grape varieties. These innovative grape varieties have fascinated Franz for nearly four decades.
Over the years, countless trials conducted in his vineyards have enabled him to identify the most suitable PIWI varieties for his terroir. Today, these carefully selected grapes form the basis of his award-winning wines.
One of the winery’s distinctive creations is Swing, a biodynamic sparkling rosé wine made from PIWI grape varieties. It perfectly embodies Franz’s commitment to combining innovation, sustainability and exceptional quality in every bottle. Other varities include:

The funded project

The Ethical Banking development loan helped finance the re-terracing of a particularly steep vineyard and its replanting with PIWI grape varieties.
Zollweghof