Santa Massenza di Vallelaghi, a charming village with about a hundred inhabitants, also known as the "little Nizza de Trent" is preparing to celebrate Trentino Grappa in grand style. In this enchanting village, a quarter of an hour's drive from the capital, along the road that connects the suggestive Valle dei Laghi to Garda, where five artisanal grappa distilleries have been operating for generations, within walking distance of each other family-run, for ten years now the Night of the stills lit festival has been held, three days at a high rate of distillation
Here there is the largest concentration of distilleries in the whole province, but above all the testimony of a truly unique historical and cultural heritage. All the inhabitants of the town and the surrounding area are involved in the Night of the Stills on which this year will take place on the days of the Immaculate Conception from 4 to 8 December. A party that in just over a decade has become a "must" far beyond the borders of Trentino. And so, the small village comes alive to host a large group of connoisseurs, enthusiasts and tourists who arrive in the Valle dei Laghi from all over Italy. United by the passion for a distillate that represents a piece of history and the desire to get to know it better, upsetting the rhythms of the small Trentino village for a few days.
Grappa from Trentino comes from a century-old family tradition that has been handed down from father to son. Its production strongly characterizes the whole Trentino area: each area of the province, in fact, is characterized by particular microclimates that lend themselves as natural habitats for various types of vines. And so, like wine, grappa too is characterized by the valley of origin: the Cembra Valley is specialized in the production of Müller Thurgau grappa, the Piana Rotaliana in that of Teroldego, the Valle dei Laghi – and, in particular Santa Massenza – in that of Nosiola, the Vallagarina in that of Marzemino.
The companies, all medium-small in size and family-run, process exclusively very fresh pomace, in modest quantities, to ensure quality, aromas and elegance to the finished product, and distill it according to the traditional "bain-marie" method inside the alembics of copper, which heat the contents gradually and evenly, in order to guarantee the extraction of the aromas. During the operation, the master distillers separate the essence into head, tail and heart, eliminating the first two and keeping only the latter, which represents the best of the production.
Once again, the soul of the event is represented by the itinerant show of the actors of the Koinè theater company, called to celebrate, tell and promote, with an engaging and ironic tone, artisanal grappa from Trentino. A precious distillate produced only with fresh local pomace.
Over five days, the company will stage 8 shows (three more than in previous editions) to allow everyone to participate in serenity and in compliance with current anti-gathering regulations. This year, in fact, the spectators will be divided into 5 groups of a maximum of 25 people: each participant, equipped with radio headphones, will be guided by the unmistakable narrating voice of the TV host Patrizio Roversi, inside the five distilleries of the town - Casimiro Distillery , Francesco Distilleria, Giovanni Poli Distilleria, Giulio & Mauro Distilleria and Maxentia – which will thus become the unprecedented stage on which to stage the five episodes that make up the show. The final meeting will be in the square. Each stage will be an opportunity for adults to taste one of the grappas on offer: among these, the Nosiola grappa, a representative vine of the Valle dei Laghi and the only native white grape variety of the province, and that of Vino Santo, a real gem obtained from pomace of Nosiola grapes left to dry until spring. The appointment is therefore for Saturday 4, Sunday 5 and Tuesday 7 December with two shows – at 17.00 and 21.00 – Monday 6 December at 21.00 and Wednesday 8 December at 17.00.
The night of the lit stills is a project organized by the cultural association "Santa Massenza small Nizza de Trent", assisted by APT Trento, Monte Bondone, Valle dei Laghi and Istituto Tutela Grappa del Trentino, organized with the support of Trentino Marketing and the coordination of the Strada del Vino e dei Sapori del Trentino in the context of the promotion of the provincial wine events called #trentinowinefest, and with the collaboration of the Comunità di Valle, the Pro Loco Valle dei Laghi Trento Monte Bondone Consortium and the Municipality of Vallelaghi.
To safeguard the production techniques, enhance the product and promote it, the Istituto Tutela Grappa del Trentino was born in 1969, which imposes rules of self-discipline and strict controls, to guarantee an indisputable quality, also certified by external bodies, such as the Fondazione Mach, Agricultural Institute of San Michele all'Adige, which deals with laboratory analyses, and by the Chamber of Commerce of Trento, where a Commission for organoleptic examination operates which checks its clarity, harmony of aromas, softness and typicality of taste.
