Trentino-Alto Adige Wine Region Guide

Geography and terroir

Trentino-Alto Adige is undoubtedly one of Europe’s most spectacular wine regions, home to snow-capped mountains, verdant valleys, and crystal-clear lakes. Formerly the property of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it now forms a dramatic corridor that travels into the beating heart of the Austrian Alps, encompassing an eclectic mix of grape varieties, mesoclimates, and subregions.

Travel the 128-kilometer distance from Avio in the southern tip to Merano in the far north of Alto Adige, and you will encounter a myriad of vine-covered slopes and terraced rock walls, some of which contain beautiful pergolas – used to ripen grapes since Roman times. Meanwhile, the Adige River and its tributaries have spent centuries eroding this rock-lined trench to create several lush, fertile valleys, including the Valle di Cei and the Val di Cembra. Oenophiles, nature lovers, winter enthusiasts, and gourmets will find much to love here.

Altitude and Climate’s Impact

Today, vintners have planted approximately 13,700 hectares in Trentino-Alto Adige, cultivating them on the valley slopes and the hills to the east and west of the river. Much like Piedmont, there are plenty of high-altitude climats (vineyard sites) in the region, some climbing to as high as 900 meters above sea level. Indeed, vineyards cover the vast majority (80%) of the steep slopes, although most do not exceed an elevation of 600 meters. Yet despite the nominally Alpine climate (and moderating effects of altitude), summer temperatures in Trentino-Alto Adige can rise above 86°F in July and August.

Meanwhile, the Dolomites act as a rain shadow, blocking the passage of rain clouds and thus protecting the valley floor from rainfall. As a result, the lower slopes heat up relatively quickly in the summer as pockets of warm air rise from the valley. This warm Alpine air and many hours of intense sunshine yield concentrated red and white wines rich in fruit and extract. Achieving a satisfactory level of physiological ripeness is seldom a problem in the hills of Trentino-Alto Adige. These gusts of warm air also provide natural protection against fungal diseases occurring during the growing season, such as powdery and downy mildew.

Wine Production Techniques

However, maintaining freshness in the wines, especially white varieties, has become more difficult as global warming takes its toll on the region. The production of sparkling wines is key here: high-quality base wines need sufficient levels of acidity to provide structure and freshness, balancing out the exuberant fruit that comes all too easily to growers in Trentino-Alto Adige. For that reason, leading companies such as Ferrari are increasingly planting at higher altitudes in the zone, mindful of the changing climate. And still, wine producers are following suit.

In 2021, Andreas Kofler, president of Cantina Kurtatsch, revealed:

“We replaced our Müller Thurgau (which needs the coolest climate) vineyards at below 800 meters with Pinot Grigio or Pinot Bianco. We also replanted our Sauvignon and Pinot Blanc vineyards at altitudes of 450m above sea level – they were formerly planted at 350m.”

Irrigation also plays an important role in local viticulture despite an average of 900 millimeters of rainfall per annum. However, due to the extremely well-drained soils – alluvial matter with some gravel and limestone – and an abundance of moisture-sapping grass, a lack of water is a big problem in the region. Nevertheless, Trentino-Alto Adige offers many mesoclimates with significant elevation, aspect, and soil type differences. This is a highly diverse, challenging, and parcellated vineyard.

Winemaking and regional classifications

Trentino-Alto Adige showcases both international flavors and regional idiosyncrasies. Yet its biggest triumphs, at least in the premium marketplace, are well-made imitations of French classics.

Trentino

Trento DOC is a shining example. Thanks to the pioneering efforts of Giulio Ferrari, over 55 wineries now cultivate growing quantities of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Bianco, and Pinot Meunier in the province of Trento, used to make metodo classico sparkling wine that can rival vintage Champagne in its depth and complexity. The secret to their success? High elevation (vital for maintaining freshness in the wines) and rigorous quality regulations are behind it all. Producers must age every bottle of non-vintage Trento DOC for at least 15 months on the lees, similar to Champagne, before disgorgement.

Meanwhile, irrigation is allowed only as an emergency measure under the appellation rules, while vintage and riserva expressions are aged 24 and 36 months, respectively. Thus, any tour of a major winery in Trento will call forth instant recognition from a Champagne aficionado; the winemaking processes, riddling equipment, dark cellars, bottle-stacked lathes, and disgorgement lines all look strikingly similar. The only key difference is the inclusion of Pinot Blanc – only a tiny percentage of growers in Champagne blend in the grape. Exemplified by the brilliant wines of Ferrari, Trento DOC has an Italian panache all of its own.

However, internationalized companies do not dominate production in Trentino-Alto Adige – local cooperatives manage much of the acreage. Many of these associations market wines under the catch-all Trentino DOC created in 1971. It is a very expansive appellation, casting its net over a broad range of red and white wine styles based on imported or native grapes. The commercial favorite, of course, is Pinot Grigio, grown in vast quantities and sold to hypermarkets worldwide.

We suspect that oenophiles will find much more interest and excitement in the little-known Marzemino grape. Cultivated in several locations, including Trentino Isera and the Vallagarina Gorge, it yields very pretty and floral red wine with highly fashionable moderate alcohol levels.

From the northern end of Trentino comes another obscure red variety known as Teroldego. Yet it boasts its own geographical designation, Teroldego Rotaliano DOC, based in the Campo Rotaliano between Mezzocorona and Mezzolombardo. Teroldego thrives on a mixture of sand and gravel terroir, producing medium-bodied reds with hallmark bracing acidity and a hint of bitterness that deserves rich, hearty cuisine.

According to the DOC framework, both (100% Teroldego) red and rosé wines can be produced and aged for at least two years to qualify for riserva status. Certain winemakers favor a maturation period in new French barrique, although it is not always to the wine’s benefit. Used oak barrels or, even better, aging in a steel tank is far more preferable in our experience. Elisabetta Foradori, however, has been experimenting with fermentation and maturation in clay amphorae, and it’s hard to argue with the results.

Meanwhile, the eastern Adige slopes that flank San Michele grow a broad palate of white and red varieties, often labeled as Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica). Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc can all thrive here. The Valle del Lahgi, west of the central Trentino Valley with its three small lakes, also dabbles in international styles, albeit sommeliers favor the sweet Vin Santo produced from Nosiola – a now revived indigenous grape. Dry versions, however, are becoming more popular due to a lack of consumer interest in dessert wines. The best examples are truly delicious: fruit-driven and very fresh saline whites.

Yet few wineries rival San Leonardo’s dazzling brilliance and exquisite Bordeaux blends. In the southern reaches of the zone close to Avio, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Carmenère are grown on gravel soils and aged in French oak for 24 months, creating a Medoc-like red that continues to dazzle sommeliers and win gold medals at competitions.

Alto Adige

Today, a great deal of local wine is sold under the flagship Alto Adige DOC. Inspired by Alsace, varietal labeling is widespread in the zone, as are French grape varieties and racy, fruity, dry whites. Cooperatives are the most important stakeholders in Alto Adige, harvesting generous quantities of fruit from the benchland and lower slopes of the Adige Valley.

But some leading private wineries, such as Hofstatter, also source grapes from a network of intricate and highly valued crus, often based on the slopes above Bolzano and Termeno. As elsewhere, low yields, judicious winemaking, and exceptional terroir deliver superior results, particularly in the Valle Venosta and Valle Isarco northeast of Bolzano.

Grown at elevations that can exceed 600 meters, Riesling, Silvaner, and Traminer yield concentrated, super-fresh whites on both calcareous and granite terroirs. They join an ocean of very reliable Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc, typically fermented in stainless steel and bottled less than 12 months after the harvest. The oak-aged Chardonnays, however, are quite different: ripe and round with aromas of buttered toast and vanilla.

The most planted native red grape is Schiava, also known as Vernatsch in Trentino. Often cropped at high yields and produced in industrial conditions, Schiava delivers pale, anodyne, and soft red wines that are nonetheless enthusiastically quaffed by tourists in Bolzano. Yet, thanks to a renewed interest in old vines, some very impressive examples are also being made. So, too, can Lagrein shine in the hills around Alto Adige’s capital, as can blends of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Of course, Lagrein offers a more original entry into the region’s viticultural history, celebrated for its tannic profile and black cherry and plum flavors. Sadly, selling abroad is not always easy due to a lack of awareness. However, the refined and long-lived Pinot Noir wines of Franz Haas continue to seduce jet-setting buyers. The thirst for affordable alternatives to red Burgundy, produced in Europe and the New World, remains unquenchable.

Trentino-Alto Adige gastronomy

Like everything else in Trentino-Alto Adige, local gastronomy riffs on Italian, Austrian, and Germanic influences deliver one of Europe’s most fascinating and eclectic culinary experiences. Thus, wine bars will serve a large selection of German-style beers on tap and copious amounts of spritzes and Schiava by the glass.

You cannot go wrong with venison ragu with pine nuts, ‘taiadele smalzade’ (pan-fried fat noodles), or mushroom canederli. Still hungry? Try the wild boar sausages, river trout, and pine-scented risotto. You’ve come to the right place if you seek rich nourishment, unabashed hedonism, and a warm welcome.