Wine and grappa: unique experiences in Piana Rotaliana

Ph. Paolo Cipriani

The Piana Rotaliana Königsberg, located in the heart of Trentino, is a must-see destination for wine and grappa lovers, leading to the discovery of authentic flavors and a wine heritage of the highest quality.

Surrounded by majestic mountains and crossed by the Adige River and the Noce and Avisio streams, this land is best known for being the birthplace of Teroldego Rotaliano, considered the “prince” of Trentino wines. Here, the vines thrive on mineral-rich alluvial soil, which gives the wine a strong character and a bouquet of intense and varied aromas. But not only Teroldego: this area has a wide variety of wines, such as the reds Lagrein, Rebo, Pinot noir, Merlot and Cabernet, and the whites Nosiola, Chardonnay, Pinot grigio, Pinot bianco, Müller Thurgau, Sauvignon, Riesling and Traminer aromatico. Two other excellences that find maximum expression here are then the Metodo Classico Trento Doc sparkling wine, among the most awarded bubbles in the world, and Trentino grappa.

Maso Grener Ph. Nicola Cagol 4 Maso Grener – Ph. Nicola Cagol

The strength of the area is precisely its wine vocation, which is carried on by the more than 50 wineries present, a rather high concentration in a relatively small area, all of them of great quality and many of them still family-run, where visitors can taste local productions and come into contact with rural tradition and culture.

To make a visit to this area even more memorable, many wineries and distilleries in recent years have been invited to get involved and experiment to offer one-of-a-kind immersive experiences that go beyond mere tasting.

Martinelli Ph. Nicola Cagol 1 Martinelli – Ph. Nicola Cagol

WINE EXPERIENCE

Maso Poli, for example, offers the emotional tour “Terra e Cielo”, an immersive headset tour that weaves artistic elements, music and words through the winery and vineyard to the wooden work created by sculptor Marco Martalar from wood that fell during the storm “Vaia” and shoots from the oldest vines.

Similarly, Cantina Donati Marco with “Discovering Dragon’s Blood” guides guests through the vineyard amidst music and emotional tales on headphones, discovering one of the best known and oldest legends of Trentino tradition, then descending into the late 19th century underground cellar where the Dragon’s Cask is located.

Donati Ph. Nicola Cagol 3 Donati – Ph. Nicola Cagol

Then, among the many activities that the area can offer, there are the walks among the vineyards: in fact, Cantina Klinger proposes the panoramic trekking “A spasso nel tempo”, a guided route through woods, vineyards and a breathtaking view of the entire Piana Rotaliana to discover centuries-old vines. Cantina Endrizzi, on the other hand, offers a “Wine trek” to be walked independently, map in hand, which from the wine shop and passing among several vineyards will take visitors to the foot of the ancient Königsberg castle.

In addition to the walks, the Az. Agr. De Vigili, for example, offers “Wine & Art”, a guided tour to discover the works of Paolo Colombini, which enrich the landscape of the estate giving new visions to experience the intertwining of art and wine. If this is not enough, the winery also offers “Dinner in the Vineyard,” where visitors can enjoy a traditional dish surrounded by rows of Teroldego.

Endrizzi – Ph. Nicola Cagol

For palates in search of something unexpected, Az. Agr. Foradori has thought of “Beyond the Border”, a tasting under the banner of the new, with bottles that are not usually offered in tastings (special bottlings of individual Tinajas, sulfite-free wines and more) or “Travelogue”, where the focus is on biodynamic agriculture, with visits to vineyards, gardens and wineries and wine tasting paired with raw milk cheeses of their own production.

Some experiences are also tailored for families or groups of friends. One example is the “Family Tour” proposed by Maso Poli, during which adults can relax by visiting the property while children have fun in the treasure hunt dedicated to them, complete with juice tasting.

Maso Poli

Cantina Martinelli has also thought of fun: with the “Quadrathlon in the winery”, visitors, divided into teams and blindfolded, will have the opportunity to taste local wines and cheeses while challenging each other to the sounds of Cornhole and Carrom, two ancient games of Asian tradition that will capture the attention of the most curious, under the guidance of expert teachers.

For those seeking simpler but still engaging experiences, many farms offer tastings of various kinds, sensory journeys to discover the taste and tradition of historic local produce. “Espressioni Autoctone Trentine”, proposed by Az. Agr. Zeni Roberto, for example, aims to offer a special tasting to discover the two Trentino varieties par excellence: Nosiola and Teroldego.

Zeni PH. Romano Magrone Zeni – Ph. Romano Magrone

GRAPPA EXPERIENCE

However, the experiences are not limited to wine alone. Grappa, a distillate of excellence produced from the pomace of local grapes, plays an equally important role. In fact, Piana Rotaliana Königsberg is also home to some of Italy’s oldest distilleries, which produce white, young and fragrant grappa, or aged in wooden barrels, thus taking on a softer and more complex character. Like the wineries, the distilleries also offer tours during which it is possible to take a close look at the distillation process, which is handed down from generation to generation with a focus on the quality of raw materials and respect for traditions. Visiting these facilities means not only discovering how grappa is made, but also getting in touch with the history of a product that has deep roots in Trentino culture.

Distilleria Bertagnolli, for example, offers the “Grappino Experience”, with a focus on their historic and iconic product, or “Grappa and Macaron”, the perfect combination of French pastry refinement and the most famous distillate made in Italy.

Instead, with “VdV Experience”, the Villa de Varda distillery opens its doors guiding visitors through the distillery and barrel cellar in the setting of a centuries-old family history with a visit to the family museum “Things of Home”, a space with more than 1,600 tools formerly used by the family. Also new at De Varda is an experience dedicated to mountain whiskies, “InQuota Whisky Discover”.

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