At the Torgglerhof farm, in South Tyrol’s Passeiertal valley, hot days and cool nights offer the perfect conditions for cultivating tasty apples. Yet, the farm’s growing areas are comparatively small and the yields low. Nevertheless, giving up is out of the question for the young generation of farmers at Torgglerhof. Instead, they have taken to producing high-quality cider with the South Tyrolean seal of quality from their apples.

“Being a farmer fills me with pride. I want to continue this legacy,” says young farmer Martin Pichler. And he is doing just that, to great success, currently producing two prize-winning ciders with the South Tyrolean seal of quality at Torgglerhof.

His “Mali” sparkling apple wine makes a great aperitif, and with an alcohol content of just 7% ABV it is a lighter alternative to standard sparkling wine. It is produced using classic, labour-intensive bottle fermentation, which also gives it those distinctive notes of yeast. Ander Dog, on the other hand, is quite a different cider drink. Equally high-quality, it is light, drinkable, down-to-earth and is just as suited to quenching your thirst as to raising a toast at celebrations or mixing cocktails. Both products bear the South Tyrolean seal of quality.

And in the case of both, it is important for the producers to offer a genuine, natural product that is likewise innovative. “For me, refining fruit is what gives it its special value. There are stories to be told here, and unique realms of taste to be discovered”, cider manufacturer Martin Pichler is convinced.

These stories include the one that Martin tells about the name of his Ander Dog cider: “Andreas Hofer was once an outsider who rebelled against the great powers. So, too, does the Ander Dog. Because beer and wine may taste nice, but they are far from all there is. Cheers!”