Masterpiece: mountain apple juice

There is no shortage of apple producers in South Tyrol, nor when it comes to apple juice. And yet Thomas Kohl, who lives on Ritten high above Bolzano, has managed to stand out by creating arguably the finest apple juices between Berlin and Sicily. Wintercalville and Ananasrenette – the promising names of two demanding, rare apple varieties that Thomas Kohl fills exclusively into magnum bottles and presents like Champagne.

Both varieties once held great importance in South Tyrolean fruit growing. The beautiful Wintercalville was even individually wrapped in tissue paper and delivered to the Tsar's court in St. Petersburg. Ananasrenette was "everybody's darling" for its unique flavour. But both could not meet the demands of long-term storage and soon vanished. Yet the thought that they were among the most flavourful fruits of all never left Thomas Kohl. That is why he planted them again on Ritten.

He operates like a winemaker and relies on single-variety pressing. Pure and unadulterated, he fills the juices into elegant bottles, wraps them in tissue paper and packages them beautifully. His products receive top marks at tastings and awards for their exquisite packaging. They are enjoyed as an aperitif or accompany ambitious dishes in gourmet restaurants as a non-alcoholic alternative on equal footing with wine.

KOHL mountain apple juices are available at the Deli Farm Shop on Ritten, in the online shop, and at selected speciality shops and wine boutiques at home and abroad.