Whether you are reaching for sparkling wine, or wine tasting in Trentino I am here to implore you to get to know what I think is the lesser known sparkler of Italy, TrentoDOC. 

Little did I know when I moved to Trentino that I was in a place of one of the most delicious sparkling wines of Italy (and maybe even the world). Of the utmost quality TrentoDOC sparkling seems to be the biggest secret in the sparkling wine world outside of Italy. Some might venture to say (and I do say, but who am I) that the Dolomite mountain range that runs through Trentino is home to grapes perfectly suited for making a crisp, delicate, complex, sparkling wine which showcases the complex terrior of steep hills, rocky soils, rushing rivers and the limestone mountains.

What is TrentoDOC?

TrentoDOC is sparkling wine made in the “traditional method” which starts with a dry base wine. The grapes must be from the Trentino region of Italy. This wine can be made up of Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco, and possibly Meunier grapes. Chardonnay is the true star of TrentoDOC wines, with Pinot Nero coming in second, and lastly the little used Pinot Bianco, and even less used Meunier. 

To this base wine, a “liqueur de tirage” is added which is a mix of yeast and sugar for the wine to start fermentation again once it is in the bottle. The wine must stay on the lees for at least 15 months to be get the TrentoDOC classification, but is kept by some for 48+ months. The wine is then disgorged after traditional riddling.

Where is this secret sparkling? 

As its name suggests TrentoDOC must come from grapes grown in the Trentino region. With wineries and vineyards spanning the valleys and hills of the province, you can find a great expression of Trentino in your glass. 

What are you looking for in a good TrentoDOC Spumante? 

Straw-yellow, golden colour, varied fruit and florals, notes of fresh baked bread, pastries – yum! There can be notes of stone or tropical fruits, toasted hazelnuts, honey, hay, and most likely has a nice balance of flowers. It is full flavoured, persistent, rich, and has a fine yet strong sparkle. 

TrentoDOC is famous or most known for being a pure Chardonnay, straight shooting, with an elegant sparkle. These wines can be white or rosé, and made in Extra Brut to Demi Sec styes.

*note: spumante = sparkling wine in Italian 

How do TrentoDOC sparkling wines compare to others you might know? You may never have heard of TrentoDOC but you have heard of Champagne, Franciacorta, or Prosecco? So, what’s the difference? 

Champagne Both TrentoDOC and Champagne are made in the “traditional method” where the wine undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle, but simply Champagne can only come from the Champagne region in France. With similar grape allowances, Champagne is made of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay (with the possibility of the rarely used Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Arbane, and Petit Meslier). 

Franciacorta? This well marketed Italian sparkling wine has grown in popularity over the last 10 years, and it comes from the Veneto region of Italy. Franciacorta has a similar grape allowance (Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco, and Erbamat ((only 10%)) are allowed). The traditional method is used with Franciacorta as well. The main difference between these two delicious Northern Italian sparkling wines is really terroir. The grapes come from very different growing conditions, and you can taste this in the wines. 

Prosecco, I don’t want to bore you (or insult you) but Prosecco is made from the Glera grape, and is made sparkling in the tank (“the tank method”) and wines tend be more fruit forward and younger. From these comparisons, for me Prosecco is a completely different category. No hate, just a totally different sparkle.

A note:

Maybe random maybe to some, but what the hell does Ferrari have to do with it? 

You may have heard of or seen this wine, but it has confused some people I have talked to so I will write a little something about it here. It is a bit confusing. What is Ferrari? A car? Yes, but also a winery (Giulio Ferrari) in Trentino. Not the same people, but some might argue same super high quality. 

Since the early 1900’s Ferrari has been Italys largest sparkling wine producer. Bruno Lunelli excelled at Ferrari in increasing Spumante production while never skipping on quality. They describe the mountain vineyards as the perfect expression of Italy in every bottle. I do conquer, this is definitely a bottle to get next time you are looking for Italian quality. You could say this is the winery that has set TrentoDOC standards and put this Spumante on the map.

Wine Tourism of TrentoDOC in Trentino

Wineries producing TrentoDOC typically are found along The Adige River. Of course there are some outliers, but a tasting itinerary for TrentoDOC is more clear cut than others. Your tasting itinerary could last for days, but it is also possible to get a great introduction by visiting a few different wineries in one day. You have a variety of options from massive producers (Ferrari/Mezzocorona) to very small producers like us at Cantina Martinelli, or the impressive Cantina Romanese who ages their Spumante in cages at the bottom of Lake Levico. Throughout the region you will find some very interesting wines, and dedicating a day or two to TrentoDOC tasting while in Trentino is very high on my suggestion list! 

My personal tasting itinerary/suggestions while in the area would be to visit balance of bigger and smaller wineries across the province to compare winemaking styles and facilities. 

A few wineries I suggest: 

Cantina Dorigati / Cantina Endrizzi / Pojer e Sandri / Ferrari / Moser / Maso Martis / Azienda Agricola Cesconi / and lastly – how could I not say to come stop by and say hi to us at Cantina Martinelli!

If you click here I have added all of these wineries in a map for you to get an idea of the region. On the map I have also included Mezzocorona because it is in the same town as 3 others. If larger wineries are of interest to you they have a tour and tasting of their impressive industry. As always with Italy, it is safer to call ahead to be sure the tasting room is open/book a tour.

https://www.trentodoc.com/en/ is the official website. They also have a useful app which includes all of the producers on a map to help create your itinerary.

Your next trip to Trentino will only be elevated further with a day (or two) of wine tasting which includes this deliciously delicate wine. And if you happen to see it while wine shopping, I encourage you to not shy away from a name you don’t know, lean in and give the world of TrentoDOC a chance.

Happy tasting the sparkle of the Italian Dolomites, my favourite Italian bubble, TrentoDOC!