Visiting Ferrari Trentodoc

Visiting Ferrari Trentodoc

by | Dec 27, 2023 | Italian wines, Italy, Wine study, Wine tasting

Ferrari Trentodoc is an important brand that needs to be explained.

The brand does not refer to the the Ferrari car company. Ferrari Trentodoc is Italy’s leading Metodo Classico sparkling wine producer and it is the most popular Trento DOC wine.

Ferrari is a historic label appreciated all over the world.

Ferrari Trentodoc

Ferrari Trento was founded in 1902 by Giulio Ferrari. He was an enologist, nobleman and native of the Trentino region. He was born in Calceranica al Lago in 1879.

At the end of the 19th century Giulio Ferrari spent time in the Champagne area for his study viticulture in Montpellier. Giulio was convinced that Trentino was suitable for the production of sparkling wines.

Why?

Because of the ideal climate and local mountainous terroir for Chardonnay grapes. He even brought back the Champagne region’s Chardonnay grape to plant in his own Italian vineyards.

When having planted Chardonnay grapes in Trentino to make the sparkling wine, the brand Ferrari was born. Giulio Ferrari wanted to make sparkling wines from exceptional quality!

Lunelli

Since 1952 the “large” Lunelli family runs this business. Merchant Bruno Lunelli owned a wine shop in Trento, he was a good friend of Giulio Ferrari.

Giulio had no children and one day he decided to sell the business onto Bruno. In that time the production was less than 1000 bottles per year. Now the production is about 5 million bottles of Ferrari Trentodoc sparkling wines.

Giulio Ferrari died in Trento in 1965.

Today the third generation of Lunelli is keeping the Ferrari dream alive. In the 1980’s, alongside its Trentodoc, Lunelli started bottling water (brand Surgiva) and making still and sparkling wines in other Italian regions:

  1. Trento wines (Tenuta Margon in Trentino)
  2. Umbrian wines (Castelbuono in Bevagna)
  3. Tuscany wines (Podernovo in Monticiano)
  4. Prosecco Superiore (Bisol1542 in Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG)

Podium sponsor

Ferrari is luxury wine, it is a symbol of the Italian Art of Living and accompanies the most important moments in the world of institutions, culture, entertainment and sport.

To be podium sponsor of the Formula 1 Matteo Lunelli has signed a partnership with Formula 1 to celebrate victories of the best pilots.

Matteo Lunelli is CEO & president of Ferrari Trento.

The Formula 1 podium toast is a wine made from 100% Chardonnay and available in a limited edition. The drivers present the wines with a Jeroboam 3 liter bottle of Ferrari Trentodoc.

Ferrari Trentodoc is also official partner of Juventus and the Tennis Tournament in Rome.

Cheers!

Grape growing and wine making

Ferrari has its own vineyards (about 100 ha) and purchase grapes from growers to be transformed into a varied range of sparkling wines: Non Vintage, Vintage, Riserva and Prestige Cuvée.

Metodo Classico, traditional method, stands for second fermentation in the bottle. Traditional method is a prestigious method for producing sparkling wine.

The base wine in the bottle matures in the bottle by adding the liqeur de tirage. This process is similar to making Champagne. Prosecco, on the other hand, has the second fermentation in tank.

Trentodoc is a trademarked name and falls under the appellation Trento DOC. The Trentodoc trademark was created in 2007. The two O’s in the trademarked name are designed to be reminiscent of the process of riddling.

The grapes they use are mainly Chardonnay, but also Pinot Noir is used for some labels. The DOC regulations require the producers the wine to be made as follows:

  • handpicking the grapes (no machine harvesting)
  • using only grapes from Trentino (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Blanc)
  • second fermentation in bottle (not in tank)
  • yeast contact for a long maturing process (normally most wine makers leave the wines on the lees for longer for more autolytic characteristics)

Great vintages Ferrari tour

A visit to Ferrari includes learning about its history. Walking through the silent cellars and seeing places where the wines are produced is a wonderful experience.

In the tasting room you will get a taste from the products (in this case 3 reserve sparkling wines).

I did the Great Vintages tour. The tour is in a beautiful setting and takes about 1-2 hours. It is a must do if you are in the area!

We tasted the following wines:

  1. Ferrari Riserva Lunelli Trentodoc
  2. Giulio Ferrare Riserva del Fondatore Trendodoc
  3. Giuio Ferrari Rosé Trentodoc

The winery is along the river Adige and the A22 highway (Brennero). You can’t miss it.

Enjoy the wines!

Ferrari Fratelli Lunelli
Via del Ponte, 15
38123 Trento (TN)
Italië

Wine tasting at Cantina Mori colli Zugna in Trentino

Wine tasting at Cantina Mori colli Zugna in Trentino

by | Aug 1, 2019 | Italian wines, Italy, Wine tasting

Wine cooperative in Trentino

A wine cooperative is where wineries buy in grapes from a network of grape owners and make their own labelled wine. Most of the co-ops are after volume sales. Often it seems that co-op wineries produce a lot of boring wines and that they are more after volumes than quality.

In Trentino Alto Adige cooperatives create extremely high value wines. Some wines are even nationally and internationally awarded. The wines are worth seeking out!

Cantina Mori colli Zugna

Cantina Mori colli Zugna is a wine cooperative in Mori Trentino. They are part of Cavit (Cantina Viticoltori del Trentino). Cavit incorporates 10 cooperative wineries in Trentino. They are the largest wine cooperative in the region Trentino Alto Adige.

Cantina Mori colli Zugna

In the mid fifties Cantina Mori colli Zugna was founded. It counts now 700 partners who cultivate about 650 hectares. They converts over 90% of the area’s production.

Cantina Mori colli Zugna

The vineyards of Cantina Mori colli Zugna in Trentino are between the valley of River Adige and Lake Garda, on the slopes of the Monte Baldo (Malcesine) and the Gresta Valley.

Riva del Garda Trentino

Wine tasting

Today Cantina Mori Colli Zugna organizes food and wine tours. The special wines and the Spumante under the appellation Trento DOC amused me.

Cantina Mori colli Zugna

My tasting notes

Morus Brut Millesimato TrentoDOC – this is a classic method only produced in the best years. Millesimato means that the grapes are harvested in the same year.

The Morus Brut sparkling wine is made from Chardonnay and Pinot Nero. The grape growing are on the hills of Monte Baldo. This elegant wine undergoes a long period of aging on lees, therefor the wine has an intense, persistent perlage, buttery and creamy texture. The second fermentation in the bottle has a period of aging at least 36 months.

The colour of the spumante is yellow-greenish with aromas of crusty bread and green apples. This wine is excellent as an aperitif and good pairing with national and international cuisine or delicate fish dishes.

Vicarius – Rosso Trentino DOP – this is a blended wine made of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes. The grapes are selected to guarantee a high quality production of the wine.

The wine making process of this wine involves a long maceration on the skins in steel. This is to increase color, flavor and aromas to the wine. Following the maceration the aging proces takes place 6 months in wooden barrique and later 6-10 months refinement in bottle.

The color is ruby red. On the nose a delicate and elegant bouquet. On the palate dry, structured with spicy notes. This wine is good pairing certainly with meat dishes and game.

Cantina Mori colli Zugna

Conclusion

As a result the wine cooperatives in Trentino Alto Adige are worth finding out.

During the wine tour I’ve had been able to taste other local wines like Pinot Grigio, Müller Thurgau, Pinot Nero and Marzemino. This wine tour and tasting is a superb experience. For that reason I recommend a visit to this winery to everyone who loves wine!

Sylvia Italy

Torbole Trentino