The history of the vine in Trentino has sunk its roots in Val di Cembra. A viticulture of mountain, defined "bold" for the difficulties of the cultivation of the wine, due to the particular morphology of the territory and practiced on over 700 kilometers of dry stone walls that go up to 870 mt above sea level. It is a unique landscape for its pedoclimatic characteristics (its south-east exposure, the strong thermal excursion and the porphyry terroir) and for its rich biodiversity, that can guarantee the production of excellent wines - from the steely white wines, that are also used to produce refined spumanti (Italian sparkling wines), to fruity red wines.
The Müller Thurgau is cultivated in vineyards up to 600 mt above the sea-level, on the right side of Valle di Cembra where the exposure to sunlight is better as it can go up to 800 mt of altitude. The microclimate of these altitudes and the strong temperature changes of the days before the harvest can enhance the original freshness and floral fragrance that distinguish this wine, giving it an aromantic and quite persistent taste.
From Chardonnay’s grapes are produced both refined apple-scented wines and sparkling wine bases for the excellent Trento D.O.C. metodo classico (Trento D.O.C. classical method), that is the second world recognized Denominazione di Origine Controllata (Denomination of Controlled Origin), after the champagne.
The Schiava is the basic historical vine that has characterized the vitienology of Valle di Cembra for a long time. The first documents on “schiave” in this region date back to the 13th century. The breeding system is the traditional “pergola trentina” (inclined plants, to guarantee a better solar exposure).
Translated by the students of the third year of the Language School 'La Rosa Bianca' of Cavalese.
Val di Cembra is considered to be the home of Trentino Grappa, an exclusively Italian distillate that comes from the distillation of grape skins. Distillation of the grape marc was often the only guaranteed source of income and survival for families living in a very harsh, impoverished economic climate, so much so that “lambicàr” in Trentino dialect means both distilling and living a hard laborious life. Grappa was not just drunk, it was also used for medicinal purposes: as an aid to digestion, a tonic, a disinfectant and for poultices, rubs and as a mouthwash against any kind of pain.
Today, distillation still uses the all-Trentino artisan bain-marie pot still method perfected in the fifties and sixties by Tullio Zadra. The work done by the distiller to cut head, heart and tail is fundamental. The use of very fresh marc and its slow, even steam heating gives a softer, finer product and better preserves its aroma. The high quality achieved by blends or monovarietal grappas, whether young or from reserves matured in wooden barrels, is widely renowned in Italy and abroad.
