Trentino-Alto Adige

History

Due to its complex geopolitical history, Trentino-Alto Adige is composed of two autonomous provinces, linguistically and administratively separated: Trentino in the south and Alto Adige in the north. The valleys formed by the Adige river and its tributaries are home to almost all of the region’s vineyards. Trentino is almost entirely Italian-speaking, while Alto Adige is predominantly German-speaking. This bilingualism is due to the fact that the region was a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1919. In 1839 the first Etruscan evidence was found indicating that the area was already growing grapes since pre-Roman times. In 1874 the Agrarian Institute of San Michele was founded; over the years it became the real engine and drive towards continuous improvements in the quality of wines from Trentino.

Territory

Trentino is an almost entirely mountainous region of about 14,000 sq km. The climate is very different from area to area, winters are very cold, rainfall is heavy, and fluctuating temperatures are often very important. Vines are cultivated between 300 and 600 meters in altitude. In many ways, the climate here defies what might be expected in an alpine region straddling the 46th parallel north (it shares this latitude with central Burgundy). The valley floors heat up very quickly on summer mornings, sending warm air up into the vineyard-lined slopes. This, coupled with the bright alpine sunshine, results in rich, ripe wine styles that one might not expect from such a cool, fresh region. The currents of warm alpine air also help to ward off vine diseases and fungal afflictions. The soils hold fewer surprises, being made up largely of alluvial and colluvial deposits, relatively free-draining and rich in minerals.

Trentino, the area on either side of Valdadige from Rovereto to Salorno, has a vineyard area of about 9,000 hectares. Three native red grapes are: Marzemino in the area south of Trento; Teroldego Rotaliano the plain north of Trento; Schiava in the northern part close to the provincial boundaries with the Alto Adige. Alto Adige or South-Tyrol (Süd Tirol) has less than 5,000 hectares of vineyards, all in mountain areas or foothills. Among the native red grapes the most common are Schiava the most widely planted variety of all in this region (also called Vernatsch in German) and Lagrein, together with Pinot Noir among the international ones. Among the most commonly grown white grapes there is Gewürztraminer (the Tramin village from which ‘Gewurz’ takes its name is actually located in Alto Adige), while north of Bolzano, in the Isarco Valley, there are also Kerner and Sylvaner. Also common are Moscato Rosa and Moscato Giallo (Rosenmuskateller and Goldmuskateller), the first in the form of dessert wines of considerable thickness, the second made in both dry and sweet versions. The area of Terlano is characterized by porphyries that give the wines a pleasing minerality as well as characteristics of respectable longevity.

The first DOC to be recognized was Lake Caldaro in 1970, followed shortly afterwards by Merano, Santa Maddalena, Teroldego, and Trentino. An important fact in the production of grapes is that over 80% of regional production is within the DOC and this figure is the highest in Italy.