Törggelen
As autumn colours the vineyards of South Tyrol, Törggelen returns: a rural folk tradition of harvest, new wine and simple flavours.
A centuries-old ritual
The tradition of Törggelen
Autumn takes away the warm summer days, as the leaves fall and the colours change.
In the wine-growing fields of South Tyrol, the autumn represents the time of the harvest of wine grapes.
The South Tyrolean wine-growing areas is land of 20 different vine varieties, producing typical wines such as Gewürztraminer, Lagrein, Sylvaner.
With the grape harvest starts the South Tyrolean farming tradition of Törggelen.
The word 'Törggelen' comes from the Latin word torculum, the wooden tool used in the past to press the grapes.
Awaiting winter
The flavours of South Tyrol
Once upon a time, the crushing of the grapes was ending with a banquet attended by winegrowers, labourers and all those who had taken part in the harvest and crushing. The banquet originally took place in the cellar inside the local farm. Later, farms began to open the doors to the public as well, no longer in the cellar but in the stube, the traditional room with the stove. A branch outside the farmhouse was to indicate to travellers that they could enter to taste the local wine and specialities.
During the period of Törggelen, the tradition is still to walk from farmstead to farmstead to appreciate what nature has to offer in the season that is drawing to a close.
The gastronomy is varied and from local farming traditions: roast chestnuts, the typical funnel cake (Strauben), bread dumplings with sauerkraut, speck and sausages. Drinks are especially new wine and homemade syrups.
Nowadays, the Törggelen festival has not lost its symbolism as a convivial and festive moment spent with friends and relatives in a rustic and informal atmosphere amidst music, songs and good food, after a walk in the woods and through vineyards and old villages.
