The Italian Lakes are one of the most beautiful and popular places to visit in Europe. The glory of nature lies all around with glistening waters, picturesque lakeside villages, medieval castles and imposing mountain views. Stretching from the River Po in the south to the lower Alps and the Dolomites to the north, the five major lakes exude their own distinctive charm and jaw-dropping scenery.
Yet there's beauty in the bottle too, as the region boasts many wonderful wines from world-class vineyards with historic names. Some of the most famous come from around Lake Garda, Italy's largest lake and home to the northernmost Mediterranean climate in Europe.
However, venture north to the Trentino region, past the resort town of Riva del Garda and you'll find yourself in the Dolomites, a mountain range and UNESCO World Heritage site, covering the Italian provinces of Trentino, Alto Adige (South Tyrol), Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Belluno. It is here, amid the stunning Alpine landscape, that some of Italy's finest fizz is made, as Trentodoc.
Trentodoc is the first DOC in Italy (and, in 1993, second in the world) devoted exclusively to traditional method sparkling wine. The region's Alpine location and microclimates result in a large diurnal range of warm days and cool nights, ideal for ripening grapes while maintaining freshness and acidity.
Wines are made from local grapes only, grown at up to 800 metres above sea level, with vineyards covering over 10,000 hectares (2% of Italian vineyards, according to the Trento DOC Institute).
There are currently over 60 wineries, most of which are small and only sell locally, while there are two co-operatives as well. More than 100 different wines are produced under the Trentodoc label.
One of the most famous producers is Ferrari Trento, founded in 1902 by Giulio Ferrari, when Trento was still a province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. With a catalogue of international awards, including five times winner of 'Producer of the Year' at the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships, the Ferrari name is synonymous with high quality sparkling wine (as well as the unrelated motoring brand!).
Ferrari Trento is part of the Lunelli Group, which also owns Tenuta Podernovo in Tuscany, Tenuta Castelbuono in Umbria and Bisol in Prosecco Superiore DOCG.
Visionary entrepreneur, Giulio Ferrari, had previously studied winemaking in Germany and France, including an internship in Champagne. As a result, he saw the potential for growing Chardonnay in his native Trentino. Although 1000km to the south, he realised how the climate-moderating effects of the mountains and lakes could preserve acidity in the grapes, crucial for secondary fermentation and for ageing wines on their lees. He wanted to compete with the best Champagnes, making traditional method sparkling wine.
So, Guilio Ferrari became the first winemaker to plant Chardonnay in Italy. Success and reputation soon followed with a Gold Medal in Milan in 1906. However, with no children, he decided in 1952 to sell his company to Bruno Lunelli, owner of a local wine shop which stocked his wine. Lunelli took on Ferrari's vision and grew the company, eventually handing over to his sons.
From left to right: Alessandro, Camilla, Matteo and Marcello Lunelli
Today, the president and CEO is Matteo Lunelli, third generation of the family and equally determined to maintain Ferrari's position as an iconic, world-class sparkling wine brand. His three cousins: Marcello, Camilla and Alessandro Lunelli, are all actively involved in the business as well.
While in 1952, the company was producing less than 9,000 bottles, today they make almost 7 million, exporting to over 70 countries. As the leading producer of luxury sparkling wine in Italy, 80-85% of sales are in the domestic market and Ferrari makes more than half of all Trentodoc wines.
Cyril Brun, former Chef de Cave at Champagne Charles Heidsieck, recently took over as the company's full-time oenologist. After working for over 25 years in Champagne, he decided he needed a new challenge. Seeing the potential of a brand which he already considered made excellent wines, he decided to come to Ferrari Trento.
Cyril Brun in animated conversation at lunch!
"I'd been working most of my career in Champagne, for over 25 years", explains Brun, "and I was considering that I needed a change. Among the different options, Italy, especially Ferrari, was the option of choice. I travelled there a few times … and when testing the wines again and again, I was reconvinced of the potential."
Despite the region's protection from climate change, harvest dates, which were usually around 25th August, have come forward, with last year's 10th August and this year's expected 18th August looking more normal now.
Soil in the Trentino vineyards was formed millions of years ago by glacial debris and mountain erosion. While limestone is a major element, other soils also exist, although the pH does not vary much. Vineyard and individual plot differences, therefore, are dependent on altitude, training systems, proximity to the lakes and exposure to the sun (south, east-facing etc.).
Indeed, Trentodoc's mountainous location was one of the deciding factors in Brun choosing to make this region his new home for sparkling wine production, particularly in the face of global warming. With climate change not having as big an impact here as in Prosecco and further south in Italy, due to the altitude and the proximity of Lake Garda, he says he is re-evaluating his own understanding of terroir. "It's unusual for me", he says, "because what is being described as terroir has very little link to the soil. It's linked to altitude - the role of the mountains - and the lake. I have to reconsider my vision of terroir. It's super exciting!"
Matteo Lunelli, President and CEO of Ferrari Trento and CEO of the Lunelli Group, has no doubt that Brun is the right person to take the company forwards. "It's an incredible opportunity. Getting him is like a cross-fertilisation of Champagne and Trentodoc. It can create a lot of new opportunities, new ideas and new energy. We have been doing many things the same way for years, which have worked well. So, we will experiment and do something different. it's also a great experience for the rest of the team - an opportunity to learn. Cyril doesn't want to come here to make a copy of Champagne. He wants to emphasise the style and uniqueness of the mountain viticulture, here in Trentino."
Ferrari Trento produce 15% of grapes from the Lunelli family's own vineyards and buy in the remaining 85% from 600-700 trusted growers across Trentino. While Chardonnay is the main focus at around 95% of plantings, Pinot Noir at only 5% is, nevertheless, also important, particularly for the rosés. Additionally, a small quantity of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris is grown.
In keeping with Brun's expertise, they are experimenting with Voltis, a disease-resistant PIWI grape, approved in 2021 for Champagne (producers there are allowed to plant a maximum of 5% of their vineyards with this variety). Brun confirms that 2026 will see the first vintage using Voltis.
The Lunellis' 12-hectare vineyard, planted ten years ago in the grounds of the beautiful 16th century Villa Margon, lies on the right bank of the River Adige to the south-west of Trento.
At 500m altitude, the vineyard comprises 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. However, new plantings at 700m will increase the amount of Pinot, reflecting the long-term growth in rosés. Indeed, the rosé market in Italy is increasing year-on-year by 5-10%, so there is a clear market for this domestically, as well as in export markets.
Tenuta Margon represents 10% of the family's 124 hectares of estate-owned vineyards. They also rent a further 20 hectares on a long term basis, so overall are directly responsible for 144 hectares of vineyards.
At low altitudes, the traditional pergola system tends to be used, allowing the grapes to maintain a good balance of yield, acidity and sugar levels. However, Ferrari Trento have been converting their own vineyards to a Double Guyot training system with short canes and a limited number of buds per cane. This encourages more uniform and improved ripening of the grapes and development of the shoots.
Ferrari Trento viticulturist, Luca Cavallaro
"At higher ground, we need a different system to maintain good quality grapes with perfect balance of acidity and sugar and ripening of the grape skins", says Ferrari's viticulturist, Luca Cavallaro. "Guyot is more expensive than Pergola", he adds. "Yet, we want to focus on Guyot, as it's a much better system to manage. It does give a lower yield per hectare, but the grape quality is incredible with perfect ripening of the skins."
Mountain viticulture presents its own challenges in managing the vines, particularly to ensure grapes reach optimum ripeness and a healthy colour. Therefore, they lower yields at flowering time, removing flowers and leaves, exposing the grapes to the sun with rows spaced two metres apart. Additionally, netting protects against hail, important for the current harvest which was slightly impacted.
While harvesting here is carried out by hand so as not to damage the grapes, many of their growers' vineyards are so small (average 1 hectare) and steep, that picking by machine would not even be possible.
All Ferrari's own vineyards are organic, with certification granted in 2017. Although not all their growers are certified, many have always practised organic farming principles. Similarly, sustainability is a key value of the brand and the company is committed to reducing its impact on the environment by an ongoing series of initiatives.
Ivy next to the vineyard, bee hives and the use of green manure are improving biodiversity. Another measure is the placement of new bird boxes, a project with the Trento Natural Science Museum looking at the different species that live inside and outside the vineyard.
Using drip irrigation only when needed, the level of water in the soil is carefully monitored. To this end, they have an agreement with a local company to help manage irrigation using a wi-fi system that regularly monitors the moisture content of the soil in four of their sites, including at Tenuta Margon. They plan to gradually incorporate this technology into all their vineyards. Additionally, they are experimenting with weekly satellite imaging to monitor canopy management, fertilisation and water stress of their estate vineyards.
Biodiversity at Ferrari Trento
In 2014, the company created a protocol, 'The Ferrari Vineyard: for a sustainable and healthy mountain winemaking industry', certified by CSQA, the main authority in Italy for accreditation of agriculture. This sets standards that are very close to organic farming, for example by banning chemical herbicides and pesticides. "Historically it was very hard to get people to change their way of producing", adds Camilla, "but when we proposed the new system in 2014, nearly all followed."
Within the protocol, Ferrari also provide training to the growers who supply them with grapes. They have six agronomists dedicated to this, who visit five times a year, and phone messaging is also used to advise on when to start vine treatments, irrigation and harvesting etc. Ferrari's vineyard team, as well as external experts and scientists, also give classes to support the growers, particularly on sustainability issues.
Camilla Lunelli, Communication & PR Director of the Lunelli Group, describes the importance of these initiatives: "In terms of sustainability, what we are most proud of is not the organic [agriculture] or biodiversity in our own vineyards. It's the work of spreading a culture of sustainability that we've been doing throughout the years with our growers. We have around 700 growers, so it's a huge effort to talk to each of them."
Beekeeping at Ferrari Trento
These are some of the initiatives that have earned the company 'Biodiversity Friend' certification from the World Biodiversity Association. You can read more about their approach to carbon neutrality, environmental and biodiversity projects on their website here.
Ferrari Trento's sponsorship of Formula 1 began in 2021 and has since been extended to 2025. Indeed, the brand is determined to increase communication of its name, story and quality of its sparkling wines and continues to see growth in the USA and across well-established European markets. Additionally, as part of Altagamma, a group of luxury Italian companies in fashion, design, hospitality and other sectors, Ferrari has partnered with 50 of the best restaurants, training professionals in "the art of hospitality".
Villa Margon is free to visit on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but you can book for other days too
Villa Margon is an ideal tourist spot for wine lovers looking to enjoy a full Ferrari experience. The villa itself is a unique place with history, beauty and art combined, including original and untouched frescos dating back to the middle of the 16th century.
Locanda Margon's Executive Chef, Edoardo Fumagalli
After visiting the winery in Trento, the villa and vineyards are only a short drive away. Then fine dining with carefully matched wines at 1* Michelin restaurant, Locanda Margon, will complete a memorable day. "The restaurant is part of the experience of those coming to visit us", says Matteo Lunelli. "It's like a laboratory for pairing Ferrari and food. One of the characteristics of Trentodoc [sparkling wines]", he adds "is that they are very food-friendly and flexible with pairings."
Flavours and colours characterise Executive Chef, Edoardo Fumagalli's exquisite dishes
The wine list, unsurprisingly, centres on Ferrari, but has other bottles too, including some individual and now rare bottles that Bruno Lunelli had bought for his wine shop in the 1970s. Apart from these and other old vintages, you can order by the glass.
Ferrari Trento have six collections of sparkling wines, all made by the traditional method with each cuvée remaining in the bottle for between two and ten years. The rosés, in particular, are a revelation for me, particularly for their food-matching possibilities.
Every bottle of Ferrari Trento sparkling wine lists the disgorgement date on the back label, which winemaker, Marcello Lunelli, sees as very important. "It started around 1985. This way, we teach our customers the difference between bottles disgorged after one year and after seven or ten years."
Disgorgement date shown at the bottom of a bottle of Ferrari Trento sparkling wine
The following is a summary of the main wine styles with tasting notes on individual wines sampled:-
The Classic Line comprises Ferrari Brut, Ferrari Rosé and Ferrari Demi-Sec. The Brut is widely available in the UK, is excellent as an aperitif and very affordable at around £20 RRP.
Ferrari Maximum Rosé, with its wild berry, cherry, biscuit and saline/savoury edge, pairs superbly with many lunch and dinner options, particularly lighter meat dishes like veal and spinach or earthier mushroom-based pasta dishes. A non-vintage expression like the similarly versatile, aperitif-perfect, fruity and biscuity Ferrari Maximum Blanc de Blancs (magnum), both are available in UK on-trade and independent retail.
The more premium Ferrari Perlé line spends more time on lees. Marcello Lunelli describes this vintage range. "We want to have more than 100 different wines, so every year we select the best [grapes] for the quality of the blend. So, there's no recipe with regards to where grapes are from."
Generally, around 80% of the grapes come from estate vineyards, but in an exceptional vintage, they may select from others. Tasting a mini-vertical of three Chardonnays from 2017, 2011 and 2006, it's clear how well they age, showing complexity, refined autolysis, floral and fruity notes, but also retaining freshness and vitality.
Two exceptions to the Perlé Blanc de Blancs style are Ferrari Perlé Rosé Riserva and Ferrari Perlé Nero Riserva. Made with 80% Pinot Nero (with around 10 hours' skin contact) and 10% Chardonnay, the rosé is classy and beautifully refreshing, the 2012 showing a defined soft raspberry fruit character with a squeeze of citrus. In contrast, the 2016 is a mixed fruit salad of small red berries and cherries.
The Perlé Nero Riserva 2015, made from 100% Pinot Nero, is a beautiful and characterful mélange of fruity, tangy, autolytic and savoury flavours with a balanced creamy texture. Both these wine styles again show excellent versatility for food pairings.
Ferrari Perlé Bianco Reserva is a special edition of Perlé. It's made from a strict selection of Chardonnay that Ferrari's winemakers deem to be most suitable for long ageing. The wine spends longer time on its lees and only 50,000 bottles are made. Camilla Lunelli describes further: "Every label is disgorged when we think it reaches the right level of complexity and balance, even if this implies that the vintages of the various Perlé on the market are not the same. Ferrari Perlé (with the traditional gold label) and Perlé Bianco are both Blanc de Blancs. Perlé Bianco is a selection made while creating the cuvées of the Chardonnay, which has more aging potential and is usually disgorged two years after Perlé."
On tasting the Ferrari Perlé Bianco Reserva 2015, disgorged in 2022, the evolution in bottle is clear. There's a soft, rounded mouthfeel and an intriguing sweet/dried fruit character, along with tangy citrus, gentle spice, elegance, complexity and length.
The top of the range Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore wines are the most complex. Grapes come from the Lunelli family's oldest vineyards and have extended lees ageing.
The first vintage of 1972 was released in 1980 after eight years' maturation on the lees, highly unusual then, as Marcello notes. "Some sommeliers describe it as "like a top quality Burgundy with bubbles!", he adds. The 2009 shows an evolved character with white peach, white chocolate, beeswax and honey notes, while the 2010 Magnum is a more delicate expression with lemon and light biscuity notes to the fore plus a perfumed edge and will surely age for a long time.
The 2001 Magnum is a sheer delight, showing richness and vibrancy with notes of pineapple, satsuma, biscuit, grapefruit and saffron. It's also a very good match for Chef Edoardo Fumagalli's wonderfully light risotto, made with extract of laurel, organic lemon peel and toasted almonds, and also with the citrus-flavoured saltiness of his Seared Alpine Char.
Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore Rosé 2010 is another triumph. Made almost entirely from Pinot Noir, plus a small percentage of Chardonnay, this is a complex and beguiling rosé that's crisp and fruity with notes of orange caramel, nectarine and tamarind. It can also age for many years, an attribute not always associated with sparking rosés. The 2006 received 98 points in Wine Advocate, Ferrari Trento's highest score so far.
The above is not an extensive list of Ferrari Trento's wines and visitors to Locanda Margon can enjoy a special wine list, including old and rare vintages not available anywhere else.
You can scroll through the table below for details of Ferrari Trento sparkling wines available in the UK.
Trentodoc may not be the best known of sparkling wine appellations, but this jewel of the Italian Alps deserves to be discovered by more people. These unique wines have Italian identity and soul and Ferrari Trento stands out as a world-class brand. With recent news, as reported in the drinks business, that American Airlines is replacing Champagne with Ferrari Brut on first and business class flights, along with the company's continuing partnership with Formula 1, future prospects for the brand look good. The appointment of Cyril Brun further underlines its forward-thinking approach, while far-reaching environmental initiatives make the company all the more relevant for today's eco-conscious consumer.
Cin-cin!
