In the 3rd century B.C., Hannibal crossed the Alps with the Carthaginian army to attack Rome. It was a treacherous route that no one had attempted before. He even mobilized elephants to reach southern Italy. Countless soldiers and animals lost their lives due to the rugged mountainous terrain and harsh cold. Hannibal advanced with the resolve that "if there is no road, I will make one."
The Romans believed that the Alps were a natural fortress. They could not even imagine the enemy crossing the mountains. Roman historian Livy recorded, "To think that an enemy would come from the north was like saying an enemy would come down from the sky." Ultimately, Hannibal's surprise attack succeeded. He defeated the powerful Roman army multiple times with a small force.
Challenges that transcend boundaries sometimes lead to remarkable results. Today, the blue ocean strategy, which has garnered attention in global management, is in the same context. This strategy advises avoiding the fiercely competitive red ocean and creating new markets.
Located in the northernmost region of Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Cantina Tramin is a winery that borders the Alps. This area shares borders with Switzerland and Austria, marked by the Alps. It is well known in Korea as a tourist destination and a winter sports hotspot, the Dolomites.
As is often the case with other mountain villages, the farmers in this area also struggled to make a living. The ridge slopes were too steep for cultivating vineyards. Like many border towns, this area experienced territorial disputes. Trentino-Alto Adige was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire before World War I. It only transferred to Italy after the war. Since then, the two countries have engaged in several territorial disputes. Neither central government has supported the area.
Cantina Tramin is a cooperative established in 1898 by Christian Schrot, a priest from Tramin village who later became a member of the Austrian parliament. He founded the cooperative to help local farmers who cultivated grapes in the rugged Alpine region. As it became difficult to farm alone, they pooled their community resources. Today, Cantina Tramin has grown into a large cooperative with over 160 households of grape growers working together.
In order to turn the seemingly unfavorable geographical conditions for grape cultivation in the Alps into a strength, they made a decisive move similar to Hannibal.
At the entrance of Trentino-Alto Adige, there is the massive Lake Garda, formed by the melting of Alpine glaciers. As you ascend the river upstream, a cold, gusty gorge appears. Cantina Tramin is situated in this gorge.
This gorge is the boundary where the cold air from the Alps meets the warm air from the Mediterranean. During the day, warm winds blow from the Mediterranean. However, at night, cold and crisp air descends from the Alps. The locals refer to the warming day breeze as "Ora." The term is derived from the word meaning time or wait (hour).
Wolfgang Klotz, marketing director of Cantina Tramin, noted, "The biggest secret of our wine is the significant temperature difference," saying, "The temperature difference between day and night reaches 15 to 20 degrees, allowing warm sunlight to fully ripen the grapes while the cool night air maintains their freshness."
The grapes are cultivated at an altitude of 250 to 850 meters in soil mixed with limestone, clay, and gravel. Vineyards enjoy more than 300 days of clear weather per year, receiving abundant sunlight. All grapes are hand-harvested and carefully placed in specially made boxes to minimize damage to the flesh.
Cantina Tramin Sauvignon is made exclusively from the grape variety called "Sauvignon Blanc." Wine enthusiasts often first think of New Zealand's Marlborough region or France's Loire region when they hear Sauvignon Blanc. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is characterized by its intense tropical fruit aroma and bitter grass scent. French Loire Sauvignon Blanc is distinguished by its unique saltiness and citrus aroma.
In contrast, Cantina Tramin Sauvignon centers around the herb aroma of the Alpine region. Experts say that the freshness of the Alps and the maturity of the Mediterranean coexist intriguingly.
Wine critic James Suckling awarded the 2022 vintage a score of 91, praising it for its "unique expression that differs from New Zealand and French Sauvignon Blanc, found only in northern Italy."
Willy Stüertz, winemaker at Cantina Tramin, said, "We aim to create modern wines that reflect regional characteristics by combining traditional brewing methods that have been passed down since the 19th century with modern technology."
Just as Hannibal surprised Rome by crossing the Alps, Cantina Tramin emerges as a fresh option in the Sauvignon Blanc market, which is dominated by New Zealand and France. Their challenge exemplifies how valuable creativity that transcends boundaries can yield rewarding results.
This wine received the Best of 2025 award for the best wine among white wines from the Old Continent at the 2025 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards. The domestic importer is NARA CELLAR.