Notes From the Road: Breath-taking Winemaking

I spent yesterday breathless — in every sense of the word.

With Mario and Mauro as my guides, I toured through the Cembra Valley, visiting the various vineyards and new projects of Corvée, just outside of Trento.

The hike around these vineyards will have you breathless in a matter of minutes with combination of steep slopes and high altitude. When you finally pause to take it all in, the views will take your breath away all over again.

Mauro is soft-spoken but clearly raised in these mountains. He, along with his brother Michele, owns the Corvée vineyards. Together they manage everything that mountain viticulture demands: rebuilding stone walls, mending the unique pergolas, cutting grass by hand on narrow terraces… It is constant, physical, relentless work.

Why do you do it? I asked.

Through Mario translating, he said simply: "I am from here, and it is beautiful."

Nothing has ever summed up Italy more perfectly to me. Why do Italians do anything? Because it is beautiful.

There is plenty more to share — a rehabilitated terrace at 900 meters newly planted with Riesling, a historic winery being restored as their new home, new wines that genuinely blew me away. All of that in due time. But first, let me share a few of the bottles Mario and the crew at Corvée poured over lunch and dinner.

We have these in stock at the warehouse. Go ahead, grab a few for yourself, find a great view, and enjoy — because it is beautiful.

Corvée

‘Cór’ Pinot Bianco 2024

It is asparagus season here in Trentino, and our first course of the fresh, fat stalks was paired with this Pinot Bianco. The delicate straw color echoed the white asparagus, and the nose of jasmine, apple, pear and fresh green almonds complimented the sweet grassiness beautifully. On the palate it’s bright, crisp and salty, with a the signature freshness of all the Corvée wines.

Corvée

‘Rosbatù’ Rosato 2024

Batù means pale, and it indeed describes the delicate color of this rosé, made from about 75% Sciava, with a balance of Pinot Nero and Lagrein. Mauro waxed poetic all day about Sciava being his favorite grape. A perfumed nose of rose and violets, accompanied by clementine, wild crunchy red fruits, and a long saline finish. We started this with our second course of gnocchi, but as the meal went on, I kept jumping back and forth between wines and found this equally at home with pork and roast vegetables.

Corvée

‘Passacroce’ Lagrein 2022

Trentino has long been a crossroads of empires, and the prevalence of international varieties (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir) speak to the constant movement through the region. But Lagrein is something that Trentino-Alto Adige can claim as their own.

This deeply colored red grape handles the high elevation climate well, and resembles Syrah or Pinot Noir aromatically--brambly blackberry and blueberry, with cocoa and tobacco, but then also high-toned notes of lilac, star anise, and sage. In the mouth, it is silky and smooth, with light tannin and crunchy acid, and like the whites, you’ll perceive the taste of salt on the finish.

We enjoyed this with a delicate pork tenderloin and sweet potato purée, but it would be equally suited to a ragù, grilled meats or savory roasted vegetables.

Frankly, I’m sad to be moving on from Trentino. The city of Trento hums with life, and everywhere you look mountains form a dramatic backdrop. The landscape, the food, the wine — it is all, simply, beautiful!