Kurtatsch, November 2025 – To mark the 25th anniversary of SOMA and the 125th anniversary of the cooperative, Cantina Kurtatsch (link) presented a special limited-edition collector’s release during the inaugural edition of The Red Masters: SOMA XXV (link), Alto Adige Merlot Cabernet DOC Riserva 2020, a tribute to one of the winery’s most iconic and acclaimed wines.
A cuvée born as a jubilee wine, now a reference point
SOMA Merlot–Cabernet was first released in 2000 to celebrate Cantina Kurtatsch’s centenary (link). Sourced from the warmest vineyards in Kurtatsch, it was originally conceived as a one-off celebratory bottling; over time, however, it has become one of the winery’s most emblematic labels and among the most recognised red wines of Alto Adige.
“SOMA is part of our identity: born as a celebratory wine, it has become one of the benchmarks of Cantina Kurtatsch. SOMA XXV pays tribute to this 25-year journey, bringing together experience, meticulous selection and the unmistakable character of the vineyards of Kurtatsch.” says Andreas Kofler, President of Cantina Kurtatsch.
SOMA XXV: celebrating 25 years of SOMA and 125 years of Cantina Kurtatsch
In anticipation of the two major anniversaries in 2025 a special tribute was created in 2020: SOMA XXV (link), a limited edition of 2,936 bottles and 182 Magnums, made from the finest parcels within the warmest vineyards of the Additional Geographical Unit Brenntal (220–300 m a.s.l.).
The blend consists of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon: Merlot grown on red, mineral-rich clay soils, and Cabernet Sauvignon from the gravelly dolomitic-limestone soils typical of the area. Warm daytime temperatures, balanced by the cool night air descending from the Mendel ridge, create a unique and unmistakable style: rich in structure with Alpine freshness. An even stricter selection in the vineyard – with yields reduced to 35 hl/ha – combined with extended ageing gives the wine exceptional depth, complexity and longevity: 15 months in French oak barriques, 9 months in large oak casks and 2.5 years of bottle ageing before release.
SOMA XXV has been conceived as a true collector’s item. Twelve different labels – each depicting a detail of the original SOMA artwork and marked with Roman numerals forming “XXV” – are presented within elegant wooden three-bottle cases. Together, the twelve variants recreate the complete artwork by Sigrid Trojer, created especially for the first SOMA vintage in 2000 and depicting Mother Nature in the form of the Vitis vinifera.
The edition will be available at the winery and through a selection of leading wine shops, restaurants and longstanding partners of Cantina Kurtatsch.
The Red Masters
SOMA XXV was officially unveiled on 11 November 2025 during The Red Masters, the first edition of a new B2B format created by Cantina Kurtatsch for top restaurants, distributors and retailers. The event gathered six prestigious international wineries united by their dedication to Bordeaux varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Alongside Cantina Kurtatsch, participating estates included Le Macchiole, Petrolo, Tua Rita and Tenuta Guado al Tasso – Marchesi Antinori while Bastian Winkler curated a selection of outstanding Bordeaux wines. The afternoon featured walk-around tastings and masterclasses, offering an in-depth exploration of the stylistic diversity and territorial expressions of Bordeaux varieties.
“We organised this event to mark our 125th anniversary – a special moment to celebrate our history and long-standing expertise with these varieties, which we have been cultivating and vinifying with passion for more than a century,”
says Andreas Kofler. “We wanted to create a dedicated occasion for our top B2B partners and to showcase, together with other renowned producers, the many stylistic nuances of these varieties. The event also offered the perfect stage to unveil SOMA XXV.”
Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon at Kurtatsch: a long-standing commitment
Cantina Kurtatsch’s dedication for these grape varieties runs deep and found renewed expression in the late 1980s with the first vintage of Freienfeld (1988). In the years that followed, through new enological projects and extensive exploration of the relationship between these varieties and the territory, the winery became a benchmark in Alto Adige for Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
“We are convinced that these varieties find ideal conditions here in Kurtatsch to produce wines of international calibre and with a distinctive alpine character. From the first FREIENFELD Cabernet Sauvignon Riserva in 1988 and the winery’s first wine from an additional geographical unit – BRENNTAL Merlot Riserva 1995 – to SOMA in 2000 and TRES in 2015: each new creation expresses the unique terroir and the potential of our wine-growing area for these varieties,” says Andreas Kofler.
The remarkable potential and passion are also reflected in the biennial event Cortaccia Rossa (link), which places the area’s Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon wines at the centre and demonstrates, edition after edition, that they stand on equal footing with international benchmarks.
