Wine Enthusiast, the leading American wine magazine, has recently announced this year's Wine Star Awards 2020 series of awards. The wine region of the year 2020 was awarded to the autonomous province of Trentino in northern Italy.
Image from: Italian Wine Network
Trentino is part of Trentino-Alto Adige, the northernmost region of Italy, bordered to the north by Austria and Germany, and nestled among the mountains of the Dolomites in the eastern section of the Alps. The towering Alps shield Trentino from the colder winter air from the north, and the complex geology of the terrain provides a rich and varied soil structure. The vineyards are scattered in the mountains between 200 and 800 meters above sea level, with strong light, pure air and significant temperature differences between day and night. Trentino has over 10,211 hectares of vines, accounting for 1.6% of Italy"s total vineyard area.
The province of Trentino is very rich in grape varieties, and in general there are slightly more white varieties than red ones. The most planted white varieties are Pinot Grigio (34%), Chardonnay (26%), Muller-Thurgau (10%), but also Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Bianco, Nosiola and Muscat. Nosiola and Muscat (Moscato Giallo), among others. Among the red varieties, the more widely planted are Teroldego, Merlot, Marzemino, Pinot Nero and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Trentino's wines are famous because of its unique terroir. As early as the 17th and 18th centuries, Trentino wines were loved by the Austro-Hungarian royal family of the time. After World War II, viticulture and winemaking began to be one of the economic pillars of the province of Trentino. The province of Trentino has the highest percentage of Italian appellations, accounting for about 80% of the province's vineyard area.
Even against the backdrop of a slight decline in grape production across Italy in 2020, the Trentino Alto Adige region saw a 5% increase in grape production.
The emphasis on sustainability is also a reason why Trentino has been awarded the WE 2020 World Wine Region of the Year. Currently, 12 percent of Trentino's vineyards are certified organic (Bio). In order to protect the environment and the end consumer, most Trentino winegrowers avoid and reduce the use of chemicals in the vineyard whenever possible.
In 2016, the Consorzio Vini del Trentino began certifying grape production under the Italian National Integrated Production Quality System (Sistema Qualit Nazionale Produzione Integrata). In 2019, more than 90% of Trentino's grape production was certified under this quality system.
