The Last Grape Harvest / Das letzte Fuhrwerk

A festival marking the end of the South Tyrolean harvest

The Last Grape Harvest (in German Das letzte Fuhrwerk) is the traditional end-of-harvest festival in Cornaiano (Girlan), a village in the municipality of Appiano sulla strada del vino in the province of Bolzano, in the heart of Trentino-Alto Adige. It takes place in mid-October, when most of the grapes from the famous South Tyrolean Wine Road have already been harvested and stored in the cellars: as in days of old, the final load of the year is symbolically brought into the village to celebrate the conclusion of a successful harvest.

The pageant and the pressing

The most evocative moment is the pageant that travels through Cornaiano. It is led by the Saltner, the historic guardian of the vineyards, accompanied by the Cornaiano brass band and participants in traditional costumes, wearing the typical wool Sarner jackets and blue aprons. Old tools used for the harvest are displayed, and a tractor carries the final load of grapes to the church square (Kirchplatz), where an ancient press, the Torggl, awaits to crush the clusters and transform them into must before the eyes of the visitors.

The Törggelefest at the Glögglhof

From the afternoon, the festivities continue with the Törggelefest organized by the Cornaiano brass band at the historic Glögglhof farm. It is the perfect opportunity to experience the Törggelen ritual, the South Tyrolean autumn tradition: you can sample fine wines from the Cornaiano cellars, fresh must, and Suser (newly fermented wine), accompanied by roasted chestnuts, barley soup, South Tyrolean speck, sandwiches, and krapfen.

Why it is worth visiting

• An authentic and free event, deeply rooted in the rural culture of the Bassa Atesina.
• The rare chance to see the grape pressing live with a vintage press.
• An immersion in South Tyrolean food and wine, including wines, chestnuts, and seasonal specialties.
• The charm of the Wine Road landscape in the golden autumn light.

The event is organized by the Appiano Tourist Association and is one of the most cherished appointments of the autumn wine season in the municipality of Appiano and the entire Trentino-Alto Adige region.