Despite its load of history it had been almost abandoned at the beginning of the twentieth century. Still, if they had any traces since the XNUMXth century when in the dinners and banquets that served as a side dish to the Council of Trent which threw the basic lines of Catholic Christianity against the spread of the Protestant Reformation in Europe, were amply served to churchmen and nobles who debated the future of the Church of Rome “exquisite white, red and rosé wines from the hills of Trento and sweet wines from Santa Massenza”. Only in the last century their properties were re-evaluated in the context of that international movement for the defense of biodiversity which led to rediscovery of local vines. And the Nosiola, an autochthonous white grape variety of Trentino-Alto Adige typical of the Valle dei Laghi, the Val di Cembra and the hills of the Val d'Adige has returned to being produced offering a quality wine, dry or passito, no longer destined to the canteens of the poor farmers but to an increasingly growing public of connoisseurs and enthusiasts.
According to a recurring vulgate, Nosiola's new fortune should even be traced back at 800 to the intuition of cellarman of the Counts Wolkenstein, lords of Castel Toblino, who asked for a very special wine to celebrate their return in the spring. The wine prepared on that occasion was a sweet wine, an exceptional passito made from Nosiola grapes. Thus, according to tradition, Trentino's Vino Santo was born.
Nosiola, the wine obtained by pressing the grapes during Holy Week
And the holy wine of the Trentino valleys "precious nectar obtained by pressing the Nosiola grapes during Holy Week which rests at least 50 months in small wooden barrels before being tasted" is the protagonist from 31 March to 9 April – every Thursday, Friday and Saturday of “DiVinNosiola” tastings of Trentino Doc Vino Santo, Nosiola wines, and single-variety Nosiola grappas and Vino Santo pomace, a series of events involving the entire production area. In particular, a Roccabruna Palace in Trento Friday 1 April 2022, at 20 is scheduled “Vino Santo, a vertical masterclass” organized by the Associazione Vignaioli del Vino Santo Trentinor. Tasting guided by the sommelier Marina Schmohl, in a journey back through the vintages of Vino Santo. The Winegrowers will be present: Graziano Poli of the az. agricultural Giovanni Poli – Alessandro Poli of the az. agricultural Francesco Poli – Silvio Chistè of the az. agricultural Pravis. In closing, a combination with the "Trentino di Malga" cheese.
Thursday 7 and Friday 8 April will be the turn of "La Nosiola: a bunch and many wines", a tasting workshop in collaboration with ONAV Trentino which offers two educational and tasting evenings dedicated to Nosiola, Vino Santo and Grappa from pomace of Nosiola, combined with Trentino products.
But throughout the period of the event along the Trentino Wine and Flavors Route, from Valsugana to Lake Garda, from Piana Rotaliana to Vallagarina, from the Pinè Plateau to the Valle dei Laghi passing through Trento, there are tastings with the producers, visits to the cellar, special holiday offers, themed menus and many other events. Protagonists the culture, history and nature of the Valle dei Laghi in DiVinNosiola trekking with local guide on the Nosiola Path and on the occasion of the traditional rite of squeezing the dried Nosiola grapes. For more info: Trentino Wine and Flavors Route, tel. 0461-921863. info@stradavinotrentino.com – tastetrentino.it/atuttonosiola.
