K-news
K-Talks Ep. 2: Ivana Capraro and the art of pairing through emotion
The second episode of K-Talks, Kettmeir’s format dedicated to the leading figures of haute cuisine, takes us to Tirolo (BZ), to the Michelin-starred Castel Fine Dining restaurant, led by Chef Gerhard Wieser and awarded 2 Michelin Stars.
Here we meet Ivana Capraro, the restaurant’s Head Sommelier and recognised as Italy’s Top Sommelier by the Michelin Sommelier Award 2025. In this conversation, Ivana shares her journey, the philosophy that guides her choices in the dining room, and the dialogue between wine and territory that makes the Castel Fine Dining experience unique.
From panic to mastery: the first steps in the dining room
Kettmeir: What is the first memory connected to your work that comes to mind?
Ivana Capraro: My first memory of when I arrived here at Castel: panic! I thought, “Now who knows what they’ll ask me, who knows whether I’ll be able to answer…”. Then naturally, a bit like life’s exams, afterwards you relax and you manage to handle everything a little better.
Metodo Classico and “Alpine Mediterranean” cuisine: a natural encounter
Chef Gerhard Wieser’s cuisine is described as “Alpine Mediterranean”: a concept that combines the freshness and flavours of the Mediterranean with the solidity and authenticity of mountain traditions. And it is precisely in this balance that Kettmeir Metodo Classico finds its ideal place.
Kettmeir: What is the added value that Kettmeir Metodo Classico brings to the gastronomic experience?
Ivana Capraro: For us, the added value is certainly being able to speak about a product that is made just a few steps away from here. The fundamental concept behind our Chef’s cuisine has always been that of an “Alpine Mediterranean cuisine”, and Kettmeir is Alpine Mediterranean.
The pairing that creates emotion: 1919 Riserva and Val Passiria trout
Kettmeir: The perfect pairing with Kettmeir 1919 Riserva Extra Brut?
Ivana Capraro: Everyone would say that the perfect pairing does not exist. In reality, what exists is the pairing that creates emotion. Riserva 1919 has given me the opportunity to make many people happy. I found a dish it pairs particularly well with: one of the Chef’s creations centred around trout farmed in Val Passiria. We have the sweet tendency of this fish, together with a combination of different aromas and light touches of a dill mayonnaise, then raw olive oil.
The most rewarding challenge: when the pairing surprises
Kettmeir: What is the most rewarding professional challenge you have faced?
Ivana Capraro: I had a very knowledgeable guest at dinner, a journalist. With one dish he asked me, “So what pairing have you chosen for this?” At that point you already feel the tension… that is the challenge, isn’t it? I made the pairing, he called me back and said, “Congratulations, I would never have expected this wine to work so well with this dish.” I remember it was Sicilian langoustine, and I paired it with a Mosel Riesling.
A profession that evolves with people
Kettmeir: Has the profession of the sommelier changed over the years?
Ivana Capraro: More than the profession itself, what has changed are the habits of the people who go to restaurants, and also the way they approach things.
A lucid and generous observation: today, the sommelier is not only a wine expert, but also an interpreter of desires, expectations and curiosities. Someone who knows how to guide the guest through an experience that goes beyond the glass, telling a story of territory, passion and emotion.