Study / Region guides
Trentino-Alto Adige
No DOCG and 6 DOCs. Examined in Unit 1: Northern Italy.
- Borders
- Lombardy, Veneto
- Wine provinces
- Trento, Bolzano
The land
This is two autonomous provinces. Trentino in the south speaks Italian. Alto Adige in the north, also called Südtirol, speaks mostly German, and its labels carry both languages.
The Adige river cuts a valley through the Dolomites, and vineyards climb from about 200 metres to 1,000. Days are warm and nights are cold. The Ora, a wind off Lake Garda, blows up the valley every afternoon.
The grapes
Trentino grows Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio in volume, with Teroldego, Marzemino and the white Nosiola as its native grapes.
Alto Adige's own grapes are the pale red Schiava (Vernatsch) and the dark Lagrein. Its reputation rests on whites: Pinot Bianco, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon and Kerner.
Which grape leads which appellation
- Merlot 1
- Casteller
- Schiava 1
- Lago di Caldaro (Kalterersee)
Local names
- Enantio
- Lambrusco a Foglia Frastagliata, in Casteller
- Vernatsch
- Schiava, in Lago di Caldaro (Kalterersee)
In the vineyard and cellar
Cooperatives make most of the wine in both provinces and many are very good. Pergola training is still common on the steep slopes.
Trento DOC is metodo classico only, from Chardonnay and Pinot Nero grown at altitude. Trentino's Vino Santo comes from Nosiola dried for months.
History and trade
The region was part of Austria until 1919, which explains the German grape names and the taste for varietal wines. Giulio Ferrari started making sparkling wine in Trento in 1902.
The DOCGs
Trentino-Alto Adige has no DOCG.
The DOCs
| Appellation | DOC since | Grapes | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alto Adige (Südtirol) | 1975 | Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon, Kerner; Schiava, Lagrein, Pinot Nero | Bolzano |
| Casteller | 1974 | Merlot (min 50%), Schiava, Lambrusco a Foglia Frastagliata (Enantio), Teroldego, Lagrein | Trento |
| Lago di Caldaro (Kalterersee) | 1970 | Schiava (Vernatsch), min 85% | Bolzano |
| Teroldego Rotaliano | 1971 | Teroldego | Trento |
| Trentino | 1971 | Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Müller-Thurgau, Nosiola; Marzemino, Lagrein, Teroldego, Pinot Nero | Trento |
| Trento | 1993 | Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Meunier | Trento |
Facts that get tested
The kind of thing an exam asks about Trentino-Alto Adige. Cover the answers and try them.
Trento DOC covers
Metodo classico sparkling wine only. Trento DOC, marketed as Trentodoc, is sparkling only, mostly from Chardonnay and Pinot Nero grown at altitude.
Who founded Trentino's sparkling wine tradition in 1902?
Giulio Ferrari. Ferrari trained in Champagne and was among the first to plant Chardonnay in Italy.
Teroldego's home is which gravelly plain?
Campo Rotaliano. The Campo Rotaliano lies north of Trento where the Noce meets the Adige. Teroldego Rotaliano is its DOC.
Santa Maddalena, on the hills above Bolzano, is based on which grape?
Schiava. Schiava, or Vernatsch in German, gives pale, light reds. A little Lagrein is often added for colour.
Gewürztraminer is named after which Alto Adige village?
Termeno. Termeno is Tramin in German, on the wine road south of Bolzano.
What is the Ora?
A warm afternoon wind that blows north from Lake Garda. It dries the vineyards and moderates the heat in the Adige valley and the Valle dei Laghi.
Trentino's Vino Santo is made from dried grapes of which variety?
Nosiola. Nosiola from the Valle dei Laghi is dried until Holy Week, far longer than a Tuscan Vin Santo.
Which Alto Adige valley is known for Kerner, Sylvaner and Veltliner?
Valle Isarco. The Valle Isarco, or Eisacktal, runs northeast from Bolzano and is the coolest part of the region.
On an Alto Adige Lagrein, what does Kretzer mean?
It is a rosato. Lagrein Kretzer is the rosato. The red is called Lagrein Dunkel or simply Lagrein.
Think you've got it?
Twenty questions on Trentino-Alto Adige, with every wrong answer drawn from the region and its neighbours.
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