“Monte Baldo trentino: dialogue between viticulture and mountain landscape.” A day of in-depth study, the protagonist was mountain viticulture, told by the voices of experts in the field in an alternating dialogue with winemakers active in the area.
Introduced by Albino Armani, the creator and promoter of this event, the day – hosted in the magnificent Palazzo Eccheli-Baisi in Brentonico – was rich in insights from different perspectives. The aim was to give the right value to viticulture on Monte Baldo, in open dialogue with local administrations and citizens, but also with the other players in the wine world present in the area, such as the farms Foradori and Sondelaite, Ferrari Trento and Cantina Endrizzi, who spoke at the conference telling their perspectives for the future. The voice that accompanied the day was that of “our” Sissi Baratella, oenologist and taster, who in her words was able to emphasize how in addition to the characteristics proper to the area in which we are located, the hand of man is then fundamental where the choice of a method can only influence the work, revealing the very style of the winery.
The first part involved Attilio Scienza – professor, author and promoter of the viticultural world -, Andrea Faustini – oenologist, coordinator and scientific head of Cavit’s agronomic team -, Duilio Porro – F.E.M. Technology Transfer Center -, who through different perspectives showed the suitability of Monte Baldo for vine cultivation.
Attilio Scienza’s speech
Attilio Scienza’s words explained how the vocation of a place can change over time, due to climatic or social needs. It was an enlightening speech that questioned some certainties but also redefined – according to Scienza’s analysis – what are today’s parameters to talk about suitability, such as altitude: today, in fact, there is a greater tendency than ever to look in it for the answer to the criticalities related to vine phenology. But in addition to altitude, there are substantial pedoclimate characteristics to keep in mind, such as the doline effect, which characterizes the valleys of Trentino and manifests important effects on the mesoclimate, especially as a result of climate change. In this era, the vineyard must enter into a relationship with its terroir and its biodiversity. There are many factors that describe an area: with a focus on Brentonico, these indicators were related with the application of Winkler’s parameter, which is able to translate the suitability of the area for a given grape variety into indicators, showing how varieties suitable for sparkling wine production find fertile ground here.
The floor is given to Andrea Faustini and Duilio Porro
Next, Andrea Faustini brought a comparison of the Baldo area with the wine-growing areas of Valle di Cavedine and Val di Cembra; here the similarities immediately emerged, not only in terms of altimetry, but also in terms of the types of vines grown, climate and fruit ripening. Thus, from the analysis of sample vineyards on the three territories, the results showed that the evolution of sugars and acidity are on the three areas very similar. The morning ended with Duilio Porro’s talk, focused on the benefit of the soil on the plant, thanks to the zoneations made over the years. In this scenario, Baldo is characterized by sedimentary rocks, with the presence of limestone, dolomite, red flake and basalt, and the area of Crosano shows its volcanic matrix, unique in the area.
The second part of the conference
The second part featured Albino Armani, Alessandro De Bertolini – of the Fondazione Museo Storico del Trentino -, Gianluca Telloli – head of Research and Development at Proposta Vini – with Michael Hock, winemaker at the St. Jodern Kellerei Winery, in connection from the wine region of Valais, which is in the midst of the harvest these days. Albino Armani, among the very first companies to have believed and invested in the plateau, spoke with a few clear words and a willingness to open a discussion table, hoping for a “Brentonico model” in which to build value in order to look to the future, seeing viticulture as a key to economic development and biodiversity. Alessandro De Bertolini went on to explain how the farmer has always been the builder of agricultural landscapes-a protagonist of yesterday, today and tomorrow-who for years has been the beating heart of the Alpine economy. It is thanks to this figure that over the centuries the natural environment has become a cultural landscape, thanks to a necessary work of domestication of the surrounding nature, not to be looked upon with fear. The voice of Gianluca Telloli built a new parallel between the Monte Baldo experience and that of Valais in Switzerland: a successful example of a healthy, balanced and sustainable integration between viticulture and landscape, between local economy and proper remuneration of winegrowers. In conversation with Michael Hock, winemaker at the local winery, he remarked how maintaining historical farming practices and small splits makes the work more complex, but succeeds in then enhancing the final product. The floor was passed to Rosaria Benedetti – Donna del Vino, professional wine taster and trainer – who opened the last part with a heartfelt remembrance to Tiziano Bianchi, “Tano” for those who knew him, a rebellious genius, journalist, expert in Trentino viticulture but above all Brentegano DOC, who passed away last summer.
A roundtable discussion with local companies
Finally, it closed with a round table discussion together with the companies of the area: Albino Armani, Elisabetta Foradori, Giacomo Antonini of Sondelaite, Luca Cavallaro as Director of the Technical Viticultural Office of Ferrari Trento and finally Paolo Endrici of Cantina Endrizzi (which will soon start a viticultural project in the area), all present at the conference and at the concluding part of the debate. It was a dialogue projected mostly to the future of this area,intended to illustrate what prospects the companies themselves see-and hope-for the balance between viticulture and the mountain landscape in this area. In spite of the clear differences at the entrepreneurial and stylistic level that characterize the intervening realities, the goal is undoubtedly common: to believe strongly in the viticultural – and multivarietal – potential of Baldo and to enhance it through a new way, to be built together, with companies, administrations, promotion bodies and not least local inhabitants as active participants. Landscape management is a great responsibility in the hands of the winemaker, who must take care of it, knowing how to seize its potential while maintaining great respect. The desire expressed by all participants is to reopen this debate by the end of the year by forming a collective working table that does not involve only the components of the wine world but the entire social and economic fabric of the Brentonico Plateau area.
