Italy is the only country in the world where great wines are made just a few kilometres from great ski slopes. Mountain winemaking, known in Italy as ‘heroic viticulture’ because of the sheer effort it takes, produces wines with a remarkable personality: lively acidity, aromatic complexity and a unique character that comes from the altitude and the big swings between day and night temperatures.
What is heroic viticulture?
Italian law calls viticulture ‘heroic’ when it is carried out in extreme conditions:
- Slopes steeper than 30% or altitudes above 500 m
- Terraces or steps cut into the hillside
- Work by hand: machines cannot be used
- Extreme microclimates: winter frosts, strong summer sun, large differences between day and night
These tough conditions give concentrated grapes with thick skins and intense aromas.
South Tyrol (Alto Adige): a paradise for white wines
South Tyrol is one of Italy’s most awarded wine regions, with vineyards up to 1,000 m above sea level.
Grapes to know
- Gewürztraminer: aromatic and spicy, with notes of rose and lychee. The best comes from around Termeno (Tramin)
- Pinot Bianco: fresh and elegant, perfect with canederli (bread dumplings)
- Lagrein: an intense, velvety local red, ideal with speck
- Schiava (Vernatsch): a light, easy-drinking red, South Tyrol’s everyday wine
Wineries to visit near the slopes
Cantina Tramin, 15 minutes from Obereggen: a world benchmark for Gewürztraminer. Tastings by appointment.
Cantina di Caldaro, near Carezza: overlooking Lake Caldaro, it makes excellent Schiava and Pinot Bianco.
Abbazia di Novacella (Neustift Abbey), near Racines-Giovo: the oldest winery in South Tyrol, founded in 1142. Top-quality Kerner and Sylvaner.
Trentino: mountain bubbles
Trentino is the home of Trentodoc, the mountain sparkling wine made by the traditional method that rivals Champagne.
Grapes and wines
- Trentodoc: traditional-method sparkling wine from Chardonnay and Pinot Nero grown up to 800 m
- Teroldego Rotaliano: a powerful red from the Piana Rotaliana, perfect with grilled meat
- Nosiola: a local white grape, also the basis for the rare Trentino Vino Santo
Wineries to visit
Ferrari (Trento): the best-known Trentodoc producer, 30 minutes from Madonna di Campiglio.
Mezzacorona, in the Valle di Cembra: terraced vineyards up to 700 m and excellent Pinot Grigio and Müller-Thurgau.
Aosta Valley: heroism in its purest form
The Aosta Valley makes the highest wines in Europe, from vineyards up to 1,200 m.
Local grapes
- Petit Rouge: a light, fragrant red, the valley’s everyday wine
- Fumin: a deep, structured red with notes of pepper and wild berries
- Prié Blanc: a white grape grown beneath the Mont Blanc glaciers at Morgex (1,000 m). The highest vineyard in Europe
- Blanc de Morgex: a very fresh sparkling wine made from Prié Blanc
Wineries to visit
Cave Mont Blanc (Morgex), 10 minutes from Courmayeur: the highest vineyard in Europe, with a view of Mont Blanc.
Institut Agricole Régional, in Aosta, near Pila: a wine school with a cellar you can visit and tastings.
Valtellina: Sfursat and the terraces
Valtellina makes great reds from Nebbiolo grapes (known locally as Chiavennasca), grown on dizzying terraces.
Wines to know
- Sforzato (Sfursat) di Valtellina DOCG: an intense red made from dried grapes, the most prestigious wine of mountain Lombardy
- Valtellina Superiore DOCG: from the Sassella, Grumello, Inferno and Valgella sub-zones
- Rosso di Valtellina: lighter, for everyday drinking
Wineries to visit
Nino Negri (Chiuro), 30 minutes from Bormio. Its ‘5 Stelle’ Sforzato is a masterpiece.
ARPEPE (Sondrio): a historic estate with breathtaking terraces and very refined wines.
Abruzzo: high-altitude Montepulciano
The Apennines have their own mountain wines too:
- Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grown at altitude (up to 600 m) is fresher and more elegant than the lowland versions
- It is perfect with arrosticini (lamb skewers) and grilled lamb after a day in Roccaraso
Pairing wine with mountain food
| Dish | Wine to try | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Canederli (bread dumplings) | South Tyrol Pinot Bianco | South Tyrol |
| Cheese fondue | Gewürztraminer | South Tyrol |
| Pizzoccheri (buckwheat pasta) | Sfursat di Valtellina | Lombardy |
| Polenta concia (with cheese and butter) | Petit Rouge | Aosta Valley |
| Speck and cheese | Lagrein | South Tyrol |
| Arrosticini | Montepulciano d’Abruzzo | Abruzzo |
| Apple strudel | Trentino Moscato Giallo | Trentino |
To discover the typical dishes of each region, read our guide to Alpine food.
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