Trentino - Alto Adige: Sunday, September 06 - Sunday, September 13, 2026
Being
the northernmost wine region of Italy, Trentino -Alto Adige is a very
special place where Italian and German traditions merge. It is a
fascinating and unique region in the Alpes. It boasts of an
extraordinary variety of landscapes: snow-capped mountains in the
Dolomites, fertile valleys, streams, century-old breathtakingly
beautiful towns true to their hybrid Germanic-Italian culture.
During
this wine tour we travelled through 3 main valleys carved out by the
rivers Adige (Etsch) and Isarco (Eisack). These valleys form a Y since
in Bozen, the capital of the Alto Adige region, the Isarco joins the
Adige. From Bozen we followed the Adige river further south and spend a
day in Verona the city much beloved by Shakespeare who set more than
just one play in this northern Italian town. We used this
opportunity to also visit a winery where we tasted the unique,
delicious Amarone.
As
the climate gets warmer cool-climate winemaking has captured the
interest of both sides of the wine business: the industry and the
consumer. The focus shifts more and more to higher altitude, cooler
climate regions such as Trentino-Alto Adige in search of elegant,
moderate alcohol wines.
This
tour started and ended in Bozen. During this tour we did not change
hotels. Annette booked 7 nights at the famous, beautiful 5-star Art-Nouveau
style Parkhotel Laurin in Bozen.
Overview of the Alto Adige –Trentino Region and its Winemaking (Annette Schiller, March 2026)
Trentino-Alto Adige, as this region is referred to in English-language guide books to wine
regions, is the northernmost wine region of Italy and a very special place where Italian and
German traditions merge. Trentino-Alto Adige is a fascinating and unique region in the Alps. It
boasts of an extraordinary variety of landscapes: snow-capped mountains in the Dolomites,
valleys, streams, Lake Garda, and century-old breathtakingly beautiful towns true to their hybrid
Germanic-Italian culture.
This region, situated south of the Alpine Brenner Pass, has been through a rollercoaster of
invasions and was a continuous bone of contention due to its strategic importance. Even in
Roman times, the Brenner Pass was strategically significant, on the northern frontier of the
Roman Empire. In the Middle Ages, it served as the main connection between Central Europe
and Italy for merchants, pilgrims, and armies. Finally, in the early 1600s Trentino (Süd-Tirol)-
Alto Adige became part of the Habsburg Empire. After the fall of the Austro-Hungarian
Habsburg Empire and the Central Powers after WW I, this region was annexed by Italy.
Countless uprisings by the Germanic population followed and Italy tried to eliminate the German
language and culture.
Modern-day Alto Adige (Süd-Tirol)-Trentino was created in 1948, after WW II. It was in 1946
that an official agreement was signed which gave this region extensive autonomy. Since the
1970s, most legislative and administrative powers have been transferred to the two self-
governing provinces that make up the region: the province of Trento, commonly known as
Trentino and the province of Bolzano (Bozen), commonly known as Alto Adige or Süd-Tirol in
German. Official languages are German and Italian. The people have Italian citizenship.
Trentino-Alto Adige has a very long history of winemaking, about 3000 years. Trentino-Alto-
Adige’s vineyards are true Alpin vineyards on elevations of 700 - 3,300 ft. In the thin mountain
air of northern Alto Adige you can hear the echo of cowbells. The higher you climb, the cooler the climate becomes. At midday a breeze (ora) from Lake
Garda usually comes up the valley, while at night the cool mountain air from the Alps slides
down the mountains. The vines are usually grown in a pergola system - in summer this looks like
a rooftop or staircase made of green leaves, with the grapes hanging from the wooden racks
overhead.
The region's fertile valleys, which are often extraordinarily warm in summer, are responsible for
a good 10 percent of total European apple production, so wine is only really grown where the
vines are challenged - the more barren the soil, the better the quality of the grapes, they usually
grow on gravel and rubble soils.
As said, because of the altitude of this region, even in the hot and sunny summers night
temperatures are always cool and these diurnal temperature differences are excellent for the
production of wines of great finesse. This makes the region famous for single variety crisp,
beautiful white wines such as Pinot Bianco (Pinot Blanc), Chardonnay, Riesling,
Gewürztraminer, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, and the indigenous grape Nosiola.
Geographically and geologically speaking, this region is extremely diverse. The southern
foothills of the Alps, which naturally dominate here, are broken up by unique valleys. In between
there are sunny vineyards that find the best conditions in a very special, almost island-like
climate. In addition, there is a geological diversity in the soils, which is also unique. Glacial
grinding, primeval seabed, clay soils and lime deposits, over 150 different types of rock have
been identified so far. The composition of the soil can change within just a few hundred meters.
Around Bozen we have volcanic porphyry, in the Isarco Valley and in Vinschgau the rock is
characterized by quartz and slate, and towards the Dolomites lime dominates. In addition to the
special climate, these different soils are also ideal for the diversity of the vines. There are about
20 different grape varieties grow in the vineyards of Alto Adige.
In terms of quantity, more red wine is produced than white. More than 50 percent of all
vineyards are planted with the light Schiava (Vernatsch in German). Recently more and more
vineyard area has been dedicated to Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir). Flagship red grape variety is
Lagrein which actually comes originally from Trentino, but the finest Lagrein grows in Gries on
flatter, lower-lying vineyards directly near Bozen in Alto Adige. The often almost opaque, dark
purple Teroldego Rotaliano, also an indigenous grape variety of the region, on the other hand,
comes from one of the few rock-lined valleys in the northern part of Trentino. The undisputed
queen of Teroldego is Elisabetta Foradori, who produces wines of high complexity through
natural cultivation and aging in amphoras. Trentino is also home of the production of modern
style red blends, similar to the Bolgheri region in Tuscany.
The quality in Alto Adige-Trentino is always right. 98% of the total cultivated area falls under
DOC regulations - more than in any other wine region in Italy. This is certainly also due to the
many excellently working cooperatives. There are only a few wine regions that are as
characterized by cooperatives as Alto Adige-Trentino and where at the same time the overall
quality of wines from the coops is as consistently high as the quality of private wineries. The
reason for the many coops is the fact that still today, many households possess tiny parcels where
grapes grow and it is impossible for them to produce quality wine.
During this wine tour we travel through 3 main valleys carved out by the rivers Adige (Etsch)
and Isarco (Eisack). These valleys form a Y since in Bozen, the capital of the Alto Adige region,
the Isarco joins the Adige. From Bozen we follow the Adige river further south and spend a day
in the Veneto. We will use this opportunity to visit a winery where we taste the unique, delicious
Amarone and will visit Verona the city much beloved by Shakespeare who set more than just one
play in this northern Italian town.
Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours: Already Released and Forthcoming Postings
Overview: The Alto Adige/ Trentino Region in Northern Italy and its Winemaking - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Day-by-Day Summary: Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Bozen / Bolzano in Alto Adige, Italy: A City Between Two Worlds - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
A Week at Parkhotel Laurien, Built in the Exuberant Art Nouveau Style, in the Center of Bozen - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Meet and Greet at at Parkhotel Laurien - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
After-dinner Wine at Toma by Lisa Wine Bar in Bozen - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided Visit of Oetzi, the Iceman in Bozen - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner in the Mountains at Buschenschaenke Baumannhof, with the Legendary "Soul of the House" Mali - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Monastery Tour, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at the Neustift Monastery in Brixxen - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Granpanorama Hotel Sambergerhof, Way up in the Mountains with a Breathtaking View of the Alps
- Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Cantina Terlan and Cantina Andian, an Alto Adige Flagship Winery, while Farmers were Delivering their Fruit (Pinot Blanc)
- Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Lovely Dinner in Old Town Bolzano at Franziskaner Stuben - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Monastery Tour. Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Muri-Gries, the Historic Benedictine Monastery and Winery known for its Lagrein Wines, with Technical Director Manfred Bernhard - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Cantina Nals Margreid - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Gasthof Apollonia, a Michelin-rated Historic Inn up in the Mountains with Stunning Panoramic Views of the Dolomites and Traditional South Tyrolean Cuisine - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Visit of Weingut Untermoserhof in St. Magdalena, with Current Owner and Winemaker Florian Ramoser and his Father Georg Ramoser - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Winery Tour and Tasting at Azienda Agricola Foradori, the World-renowned Biodynamic Winery in Trentino, with Myrtha Zierock Foradori
- Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Enotheca della Valpolicella in Fumane with Valpolicella Wines, with Owner Ada Riolfi
- Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Visit of Allegrini, a Benchmark Producer in the Valpolicella Classica Region, Tasting through Valpolicella Wine Pyramid: Valpolicella, Valpolicella Superiore, Amarone and Recioto - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour of Verona with the Ancient Roman Arena that still hosts Summer Opera Shows and the Story of Romeo and Juliet - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut Tiefenbrunner with Owner hristof Tiefenbrunner in Kurtatsch - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch and Tasting at Elena Walch at Castel Ringberg, Overlooking Lake Caldero - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at Thaler Arome, an Upscale Rooftop Restaurant in the Heart of Bolzano - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Manincor, a Biodynamic Pioneer and Flagship Winery of the Region, with Owner Count Michael Goess Enzenberg - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Alpin Hut Oberholz up in the Dolomites 6300 Feet Above Sea Level - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Cantina Kurtatsch, a Premier Cooperative, with a Spectacular View of Adige Valley
- Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Extensive Vineyard Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Alois Lageder, a Historic, Family-run Flagship Winery in Alto Adige, with Sarah Daval, Weinakademiker
- Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Tenuta Hofstätter in Tramin, a Flagship Winery of the Alto Adige Region, a Pioneer of Vigna (Single Vineyard) Classification in Alto Adige, with Fourth-generation Owner Martin Hofstaetter - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
Farewell Dinner at Restaurant 1500 (1 Star Michelin) up in the Vigiljoch above Lana (Reachable only by Cable Car), with Chef Daniel Sanin and Sous-Chef Jonas Graber - Alto Adige 2026 by ombiasy WineTours
