findings of seeds dating back to the iron age (stufels near brixen) and archaeological findings dating back to 400 bc witness that winegrowing was practised in south tyrol already 3,000 years ago. probably the earliest sources date back to before the romans and to the wine produced by the rhaetian. cato the elder in his "de agricoltura" highlighted the rhaetian wine, before the territory was conquered by the romans.