Imagine a hike through the high plateau crowning the Dolomites, fueled by great food and wine along the way. This is a reality in Kurtatsch, a small village 20 miles south of Bolzano on South Tyrol's Alto Adige Wine Road, and a day well spent if you're in the region. The hike itself requires some stamina and proper hiking boots, but aside from that it's quite easy.

The cooperative cantina has farmed this steep hillside since 1900, built around 190 families each working their own plot of roughly two and a half acres. Here it's all about quality over quantity. The farmers are dedicated, so much, that you'll catch them wearing the cantina logo by choice when out and about.

The Cantina Kurtatsch Wine Expedition starts in the morning with a ride up to Graun at 2,950 feet, Kurtatsch's highest vineyard site on the Dolomite cliffs. From there you descend 7.5 miles to the valley floor, and the best part is that the guide stops at each plot to pour directly from the place where it was grown (there are 12 wines in total from the Terroir lineup!). At the top, a crisp Müller Thurgau from the highest Dolomite terraces - and near the valley floor, the first pour of Schiava, an indigenous red grape variety from the area, sets the tone for lunch. The views at each stop don't disappoint either.

Midway down, you'll stop at the Himmelspforte in Penon for a brettljause. If you've never heard of it, think South Tyrolean charcuterie board, where local speck takes center stage alongside dark rye bread, aged cheese and dips that change with the seasons. Note: you may have had speck before, but not like from here. Think cured and cold-smoked ham aged in fresh mountain air, distinct from anything produced further south. The South Tyrolean term for the midmorning break is holbmittog, which translates to half-noon. With the Adige valley spread out below, it is one of the more civilized hiking breaks you'll take part in.

The hike down to the village leads straight to lunch. Three courses at either Terzer or the Schwarz Adler. You might be in Italy, but South Tyrolean cuisine is heavily influenced by Austro-Hungarian and Alpine traditions, leaning more German rather than Mediterranean. There's butter instead of olive oil, dumplings instead of pasta, hearty stews and smoked meats instead of tomato sauces. For dessert, South Tyrolean apple strudel or buckwheat jam cake are non-negotiable.

At Terzer, second-generation chef Valentin creates a daily menu from local trout and char, produce from the field next door, and meat from local producers. Look for canederli, heavenly bread dumplings served in rich broth, and schlutzkrapfen, the region's stuffed pasta filled with spinach and ricotta. The sun terrace stays open year-round with views over the Adige valley. The Schwarz Adler operates from stone vaults that predate the menu by centuries with a kitchen built around a wood-fired grill. Whichever place, make sure to order a glass of the aforementioned Schiava. It's light-bodied with low tannins and quite perfect slightly chilled on a summer day or really, any time of year. Thirty percent of all Schiava consumed in Italy comes from this cooperative.

After lunch the piazza is a stone's throw with manor houses, the old church and the Cantina Kurtatsch itself worth a look - a striking structure of glass, white walls and dark acacia wood, the front covered in Dolomite stone and the barrique cellar carved directly into the rock below. Obviously the expedition works as a day trip, but overnighting at the Schwarz Adler Turmhotel, in a 14th-century building with a balcony overlooking the valley, is highly recommended.