Trentino is a land of mountain vineyards. Here the rows of vines climb the slopes, from the valley floor up to heights where few regions in Italy dare to grow grapes. The Alpine climate, with warm days and cool nights, gives wines that are fresh, fragrant and full of character. In this guide we tell you about the typical wines of Trentino: what they are, which grapes they are made from, where they come from and where to taste them during your holiday. We at Italy Holiday welcome guests in the very valleys where these wines are born, and these are the ones we would recommend to a friend on the way.

1. Trentodoc

Trentodoc is the great sparkling wine of Trentino, a classic method wine that ferments a second time directly in the bottle. It is made mainly from Chardonnay and Pinot Nero grapes, grown in the region's mountain vineyards. The secret is the long rest on the lees: at least 15 months for the base version, 24 months for the vintage wines and 36 months for the reserves. This ageing gives it the fine bubbles and the aromas of bread crust and fruit that make it unmistakable.

Trentodoc holds a historic first: it was the first designation in Italy reserved only for classic method sparkling wines, recognised in 1993. It is perfect as an aperitif, but it also pairs well with a board of cured meats and cheeses or a full meal. When you raise your glass, always remember to drink in moderation: it is best enjoyed slowly.

2. Teroldego Rotaliano

Teroldego Rotaliano is considered the prince of the red wines of Trentino. It comes from a native grape variety that gives its best in one precise place: the Piana Rotaliana, the plain between Mezzocorona, Mezzolombardo and Grumo San Michele all'Adige, north of Trento. Here the rich, gravelly soils, formed by the deposits of the Noce river, give the grapes ideal conditions. It was the first single-variety designation of origin recognised in Trentino, in 1971.

In the glass Teroldego has a deep ruby red colour and aromas of blackberry, blueberry and violet. When young it is fresh and pairs with cured meats and rustic dishes; with a few years of ageing it becomes full and structured, perfect with braised meats and aged cheeses. It is the red that best tells the soul of this land.

3. Marzemino

Marzemino is another native red of Trentino, elegant and easy to drink. Its home is the Vallagarina, the valley around Rovereto south of Trento, and in particular the areas of Isera and Ziresi, where the soils of volcanic origin give the wine minerality and depth. It is a fruity red, with aromas of violet and small berries, soft and fresh on the palate.

This wine has a fame that crosses the centuries thanks to music. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart mentioned it in his Don Giovanni, with the famous line "Versa il vino, eccellente Marzemino" (Pour the wine, excellent Marzemino). Since then Marzemino has become the wine that carries Trentino into an opera known all over the world. Tasting it is a small journey through history, always to be enjoyed in moderation.

4. Nosiola and Vino Santo

Nosiola is the only native white grape of Trentino, always linked to the Valle dei Laghi, the area between Trento and Lake Garda dotted with small lakes and blessed with a mild climate. Vinified dry, it gives a delicate, fresh white, with aromas of flowers and apple. But its masterpiece is another: Vino Santo Trentino, a sweet meditation wine among the rarest and most precious in Italy.

To make Vino Santo, the best bunches of Nosiola are picked in autumn and left to dry on cane racks, called arele, until Holy Week: hence the name. During these months the wind from Lake Garda slowly dries the berries, which lose much of their weight and concentrate their sugars. It takes hundreds of kilos of grapes to obtain just a few litres of this amber nectar, sweet and deep. It is enjoyed at the end of a meal, in small sips, perhaps with a dry pastry.

5. Müller Thurgau

Müller Thurgau is the mountain white par excellence of Trentino. It comes from a grape variety created at the end of the nineteenth century by crossing Riesling with another grape, the work of the Swiss Hermann Müller, from the canton of Thurgau. Hence its name. Its Trentino home is the Valle di Cembra, a narrow, steep valley protected by woods and mountains, where the vineyards climb high up on porphyry soils.

It is precisely the altitude, with the strong swings between day and night, that gives this wine its character: a fresh, fragrant white, with notes of aromatic herbs, elderflower and fruit. It is savoury, mineral and with a fine acidity, typical of mountain wines. Perfect as an aperitif or with light dishes, it is a sip that tastes of clean air and peaks.

Where to taste the wines of Trentino

The finest place to discover the wines of Trentino all together is Palazzo Roccabruna, in the historic centre of Trento. This sixteenth-century palace is home to the regional wine cellar of Trentino, where in the old halls you can taste the most representative wines of the territory, from Trentodoc to Teroldego, from Marzemino to Vino Santo. The wines are often served by the glass with local cheeses and cured meats, in evenings dedicated to discovering the region. Check the current opening hours and events on the official website before you go.

We at Italy Holiday welcome guests in the very areas where these wines are born, in homes designed to make you feel at home from the very first moment. Staying in our valleys puts the cellars, wine shops and wine routes within easy reach, and lets you discover a different wine every day. Find out where to stay and pack your bags: the flavours of Trentino are waiting for you. And remember, always drink in moderation.

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