Ansitz Dolomytos Sacker

Zierock saw his project as a total work of art: a harmonious fusion of Greek mythology, agricultural science, and viticulture.

In the late 1990s, Prof. Dr. Rainer Zierock – an agricultural scientist and expert in Greek mythology – founded an extraordinary winery in Unterinn on the Ritten plateau. He combined his fascination with ancient symbolism and modern viticulture: the vineyards were planted as mixed fields, featuring up to 150 different grape varieties from Italy, France, Spain, and Greece. The wines were aged in handcrafted 150-liter barrels ("cigarillos") that embodied both the pentagram principle and the guiding motto “Panta Rei” – everything flows. Vinification followed DNA-based gravitational principles and was carried out without any technological support, all the way to bottling.

After Zierock’s death in 2009, and the passing of his partner Margret Hubmann in 2012, the Ansitz Dolomytos fell into financial difficulty and was auctioned off in 2013 to the oenologist Norbert Marginter. Marginter embraced the legacy of Zierock and Hubmann, reorganized the cellar, and carefully selected the wines based on their potential. Around 2,000 liters were discarded, while the rest was allowed to mature gently, preserving many fascinating vintages.

Since then, Marginter and his team have managed the estate in close adherence to Zierock’s philosophy. In 2016, the winery was officially certified organic. Today, it encompasses about 3 hectares on the Ritten and 0.5 hectares in Tramin. The vineyards are cultivated naturally, with strict yield reduction, spontaneous fermentation in wooden barrels, and maturation in a 70-meter-long tunnel – all under constant climatic conditions and minimal intervention.

Zierock saw his project as a total work of art: a harmonious fusion of Greek mythology, agricultural science, and viticulture. The updated philosophy under the new ownership emphasizes biodynamics, ecological sustainability, and extreme selection. With an annual production of just 7,000–8,000 bottles, the winery remains intentionally small, eccentric – and unmistakably visionary.