Italy is home to over 800 varieties of viniferous grapes, some extremely rare. It's mountainous topography and diverse geology have created some of the worlds most unique microclimates. One such area of noteworthy distinction is the Campo Rotaliano in Northern Trentino. It's a small relatively flat glacial vale around the confluence of the Adige and Noce rivers. It's part of an important wine production area between Mezzolombardo and Mezzacorona. The Campo Rotaliano is somewhat of an archipelago being hemmed in and protected by mountains on all sides. It's name may have derived from the resettlement of the longobard barbarians under king Rothari in the 7th century or in describing the geological formation of the round stones found in the valley. As the glacial mass moved through the limestone gap between the mountains it acted like a giant mill, grinding out the gravely limestone soil thus creating the valley floor. Subsequent silting from the cyclical torrents of the Adige and Noce rivers added to the alluvial river basin. The resulting composite of silt and gravel and protected weather offer the ideal conditions in which to grow the rare teroldego grape. Attempts to grow the sensitive teroldego elsewhere have generally been met with failure.

The Campo Rotaliano is more or less the boundary for the tiny production zone designated as the Teroldego Rotaliano D.O.C. Teroldego Rotaliano is called the Prince of Trentino wines. Because of it's rarity and unique character. When handled properly, Teroldego produces an ageworthy wine of intense color, aroma and flavor. Teroldego wines have a fascinating yin and yang interplay of rich fruit and earthy tar and savory flavors. This dichotomy of aromas and flavors offers a wine of extremely unique character and complexity.


Counted among the Campo Rotaliano's most accomplished producers of Teroldego are the Zeni brothers, Andrea and Roberto. The Zeni family has been producing wine in the tiny hamlet of Grumo di S.Michele all'Adige since the time the Trentino was part of Austria. Today the Zeni's operate a modern winery/distillery complex and are one of the largest producers of Teroldego in the Campo Rotaliano. Zeni Teroldego Rotalino is dark garnet in color with a prominent nose of black current and earthy fungus backed by occasional herbal notes and the scent of violets. On the palate it is rich and harmoneous with a certain mineral and mushroom quality that gives way to a burst of dried papaya, caramel and spice. It's flavors are uniquely transcendent yet round and supple. Zeni Teroldego offers a great opportunity for anyone wanting an extraordinary wine experience.

Perceptions aside, There are some pleasant surprises in store for those willing to look for the exception to conventional thinking. In his regularly featured article in the December 31, 2005 issue, The Wine Spectator's Matt Kramer names his four wines of the year. "What I look for are what might be called "wines that redefine."" The wines he speaks of are those that defy categorization with their peers. "Soave has long been a light weight, in every sense, in the white wine division. But this dense, Oak-free Soave Classico from the Prà family will change your view of what Soave can do." He likes the price too, describing it as just as "head turning" as the Wine.

I recently tasted the 2002 Prà Soave Classico. The floral and fresh lime scents lead to a rich tropical fruit surprise on the palate. It's a luscious wine, no lightweight by any means. The Prà family has been turning out high quality wines for generations. From their 10 Hectares of vineyards and winery at Monteforte D'Alpone (Verona) in the heart of the Soave Classico zone, Brothers Sergio and Graziano Prà continue to build on the family winemaking traditions. Years of experience and innovative new techniques in the vineyard and the winery are the guiding principles for the wines they produce today. Brother Sergio manages the vineyards to exacting standards. Denser plantings, thinning of the bunches, organic fertilization and green trimming practices reduce output and ultimately improve the quality of the fruit. Sergio's innovative "pergoletta" vine training techniques have recently been adopted as part of the Soave DOCG regulations. Quality standards in the vineyards produce exceptional fruit but Graziano's hand in the winery adds the refinement to the wine. The Prà brothers have invested heavily in modern wine making equipment allowing them to control all aspects of the fermentation process.

They produce Soave in several styles. The Soave Classico is the standard bearer and the bulk of the production, about 150,000 bottles/year. The traditional Soave formula calls for a blend of trebiano and garganega but the Prà Soave Classico is 100% garganega. garganega is a fleshy fruity variety capable of producing intensely flavored wine when handled properly. Under the hands of the Prà brothers the Garganega reaches it's full potential. There are also two single vineyard crus. The Monte Grande and the Colle Sant' Antonio. Here the yields are further reduced and only the best bunches are used. In the Monte Grande the aromatic trebiano is blended with the gaganega and fermentation is completed in large oaken butts. The wood adds complexity and spicy notes to the wine. Like the Soave Classico, the Colle Sant' Antonio is 100% garganega but here the yields are dramatically reduced to less than a third of the normal yield. The Harvest is delayed allowing for further withering and concentration on the vine. Again, fermentation is completed in oaken butts. The result is an opulent, well structured wine with higher alcohol content and showing vanilla, sweet almonds and honey notes. Pra also produces the DOCG Soave Recioto. Recioto wines are highly concentrated sweet wines made by drying the grapes on racks for three to 4 months after the harvest. Incomplete fermentation is takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks allowing for residual sugars to concentrate in the wine.

The Prà wines are atypical of the Soave image for light weight mediocre wines. They are meticulously crafted high quality wines setting a new standard for the Soave region.