75% FRUIT - WITHOUT ADDITIVES | IN THE HEART OF THE DOLOMITES
Marille, the Diva of Val Venosta
A chat with Stefan and Karoline
Apricot cultivation in the South Tyrolean Alps dates back more than 150 years. At Alpe Pragas, the apricot is affectionately known as “the diva” — delicate, unpredictable, and rewarding only when sun, wind, and weather come together in perfect harmony.
The Vinschger Marille, a native variety cultivated between 500 and 1,200 metres above sea level, is prized for its natural sweetness and intense aroma. South Tyrol remains a small and exclusive growing region, with just 85 hectares of apricot orchards concentrated almost entirely in Val Venosta, between Merano and the Resia Pass.
Like a fine wine, the apricot expresses itself differently each year, shaped by climate and terroir. Yet it is highly sensitive to rainfall and sudden temperature fluctuations — a vulnerability increasingly apparent in the face of climate change. This fragility, however, is what makes the fruit so exceptional. In favourable summers, the Val Venosta apricot reaches extraordinary quality: soft, aromatic, and intensely flavourful during its brief ripening season.
At Alpe Pragas, every apricot is carefully selected and cleaned by hand before being processed immediately after harvest. Between late July and mid-August, production runs at full pace to preserve the fruit’s freshness and aromatic complexity. Each year, around 250 tonnes of Vinschger Marille are harvested in Val Venosta, and Alpe Pragas transforms nearly ten percent of the yield. It is a commitment that reflects a profound connection to the land and a philosophy rooted in craftsmanship: transforming something fragile into something truly exceptional.
