Trentino-Alto Adige: Knocking on Heaven’s Door

BY ERIC GUIDO | MAY 02, 2023

There is simply something fantastical about Trentino-Alto Adige. It’s like traveling into another world. A world of impossibly high snow-covered peaks and vineyards interspersed between alpine wilderness and gripping to craggy rock outcroppings on the side of a cliff. Sunsets, set against Dolomite slopes, are rainbow and neon. At each turn, castles and ruins sit upon summits. Cities exist within secret valleys lined with mountains. Wineries are sealed within great stone walls to keep out the cosmopolitan surroundings outside their doors. Each time I visit, I’m in awe. The best part about Trentino-Alto Adige is that these magical surroundings help to create some of Italy’s finest wines. 

The high-altitude vineyards in Bozen, Alto Adige.

In the Northeastern part of Italy, like Emilia-Romagna or Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige is actually two very distinct regions combined into one. Geographically speaking, it’s very easy to travel from Lake Garda in the south, watching elevations steadily rise on each side as the valley approaches Trento and ends in Bolzano, where the Isarco and Adige Valleys split. If not for the road signs, you would never know where Trentino ends and Alto-Adige begins.

Looking closer, there are very distinct contrasts between these two regions. While Trentino is mostly Italian-speaking, Alto Adige (also known as Südtirol) is mostly German-speaking, as it was annexed to Italy after World War I. Foods and cultures are unique as well. Dining in Alto Adige feels significantly more Austrian than Italian, and each area’s thriving grapes are vastly different. 

Grape Varieties and Grower’s Cooperatives

Trentino’s typical native white variety is the aromatic Nosiola, which can be either crisp and dry or done as a dessert-style wine. Pojer & Sandri and Foradori remain benchmark producers for Nosiola. To counteract the variety’s lack of international popularity, Trentino turns to Chardonnay, which can be world-class in the right hands. As for reds, Marzemino is a fresh and zesty alpine wine, fantastic when lightly chilled, while Teroldego, grown in the Rotaliana plain and previously known for its brawn and structure, is finding a new level of purity and grace today. Foradori, who originally brought Teroldego international fame, is now pushing the envelope for biodynamics and natural winemaking. Tasting through their lineup of amphora-aged and no-sulfur Teroldego is a treat each year. Bordeaux varieties excel here as well, made even more potent these days by the onset of global warming. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Carménère line the hillsides of Valle dell'Adige. These vines have been thriving here long enough that the area's inhabitants regard them as “local” varieties, even if we consider them international. Tenuta San Leonardo continues to define the region’s Bordeaux blend, sourcing from their old pergola-trained vines. San Leonardo also looks to the future, with higher-elevation vineyards currently being constructed and planted.

In the middle of the Ignaz Niedrist vineyards.

In Alto-Adige, we find a dizzying list of varieties. Trentino and Alto-Adige share the red Schiava, a pure and zesty wine that pairs well with almost any imaginable cuisine. The local Lagrein is dark, powerful and sometimes rustic. A good amount of Merlot and Cabernet is bottled, yet only the best wines are worth seeking out. Then there’s Pinot Noir (Pinot Nero), and that’s when things get interesting. With vineyards located throughout the southern parts of Alto Adige, Pinot Noir may be the future of the region’s red varieties. A system of crus has already been established, and the continued warming trends have helped producers achieve a level of ripeness they find appealing. The only issue is that many of these wines are still being “made” in the winery instead of the vineyards, often with strong oak that masks the fruit.