Who among us has never drunk a Trentodoc? Perhaps not everyone knows that the first Trentino Classic Method sparkling wine dates back to 1902, imported and developed by the person who would later found the first and most famous winery in the area. Today, the Trentodoc world includes nearly eighty production realities, some belonging to groups or cooperatives and others small producers carving out their own space of quality. What I want to share with you is the experience of visiting two friends, small producers who, with passion and sacrifice, want to tell the story of a territory suited for sparkling wine production but harsh and often complicated like mountain farming.
"We set off and our first stop is at an old friend, Giulio Larcher"
Owner of the Maso Corno Estate, Giulio was not born a winemaker but became one out of passion. He welcomes us, busy with winter maintenance work, in the winery located in Valbona at the gates of Ala. A warm greeting, quick and precise directions to the guys, and off we go on a dirt road to the beating heart of the company: the vineyards.
Here lies the estate where, around Maso Corno, a centuries-old estate on the slopes of the Lessini Mountains, terraces extend for heroic viticulture, overlooking the Ala stream that flows about 500 meters below. The road is unpaved and winds up the narrow bends through mud and snow, but in the end, the spectacle that unfolds before us is unique: rows divided on the various terraces by grape variety based on exposure to winds and sunlight. Pinot Noir to the northwest on the highest terraces, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc to the east and northeast.
Today it is cold, it’s November, and even though it is midday, our feet stamp on the snow, but in summer, at the same hour, the heat is intense, and the sun's rays reflect off the dolomite and limestone that emerge among the vines, and if it weren’t for the evening winds that weave through the valley, the necessary aromas and acidity for this type of product would never be achieved.
The panorama embraces the entire Adige valley with the Little Dolomites in the background, we descend towards the winery and there awaits us the tasting: hand-sliced speck and cheeses are ready to be paired not only with sparkling wines but also with structured whites and a splendid Pinot Noir.
The visit to the winery allows us to glimpse the secrets of production: we descend two levels underground where, in controlled temperatures and perfect environmental conditions, steel tanks, barriques, and tonneaux do their work. In the end, the long-awaited tasting arrives, and some young people, who arrived almost by chance, join us, making the company more pleasant and allowing Giulio to dive into stories and anecdotes about the history of the Maso and the winery, as well as the experiments to perfect production. Amid the chatter, it is the wines that take center stage:
"The vibrant acidity of Chardonnay creates a union of flavors with speck that delights the palate"
Just like the softness of the white cured meats with cold cuts and aged cheeses, and the Pinot Noir with the more mature ones. Unfortunately, time flies quickly, and Giulio says goodbye because he has to go back to work.
But we do not lose heart and, having gotten into the car, we cross the valley and head back up towards Isera, and having passed it, we arrive in Folaso, where among the vineyards we find another friend, Marco Tonini from the winery of the same name. Marco complements his sparkling wine production with Marzemino, perhaps even more representative of the territory of the Metodo Classico. Marco's winery has its origins in time, in fact it was established in 1911, and with its four hectares of vineyards between 200 and 800 meters, it strives to respect tradition while being certified as organic.
But let's get to Marco, who welcomes us with a contagious smile, apologizing for the absence of his irreplaceable wife Paola, and immediately opens bottles, starting with his Le Grilè, a Metodo Classico Chardonnay that has allowed him to earn the four AIS vines. Marco is a simple but direct person and always says what he thinks, especially if he believes that those who listen can understand how complicated it is to cultivate and harvest on terraces at 800 meters, which allow him to produce what he defines as the true mountain bubbles.
The vines are cultivated partly with the traditional 'Trentino pergola' and partly with 'Guyot'.
On terraces supported by dry-stone walls, an amphitheater facing east is formed, where the vines are accompanied by the sun for almost the entire day, only to be refreshed by the temperature excursions essential for obtaining the aromas that we then savor when tasting, while the limestone soils provide plenty of minerality.
Between tastings, he tells us about the label change; indeed, there is now a new image in which the T of the family indicates the entrance of his son Filippo into the management of the company.
After coming to appreciate his Marzemino in the Superiore version from Isera, which has its natural habitat here, we say goodbye and leave convinced that we have had the pleasure of meeting two small producers who passionately tell and represent a reality that is not only productive but also historical.
