Cantina Pisoni, passion and tradition

Here we grow Nosiola, a white berried grape, which is believed to have first been grown in the Valle della Laghi. This indigenous grape variety pairs very well with fish. Documents dating back to 1500 mention Nosiola as being a wine that was drunk during the Council of Trent.

“With Nosiola,” explains Marco, “we make Trentino Vino Santo, which differs from the Tuscan wine because the grapes here are dried for six months, generally from September to Easter. Raisining is performed on arèle, large racks through which the wind passes. In the area, in the afternoon, the lake Garda Ora wind blows, which plays an extremely important role for this wine.”

The very concentrated Trentino Vino Santo bears the Slow Food presidium mark: “It is limiting to talk about sweet wine here.” continues Marco “It is a tonic, a medicine for the body and soul. The sipping wine can be cellared for many years and it must be aged in barrels for ten years before it is sold.”

There are 8 producers of Vino Santo, six of which are winegrowers. The Associazione dei Vignaioli del Vino Santo (Association of Vino Santo Winegrowers) was established in 2002 in Padergnone, where you can also find the Museo del Vino Santo (museum).

However, the production of this wine is limited; just a few thousand bottles per year. It matches very well with simple baked almond-based cakes, such as the Torta di Fregoloti, or with very tasty blue cheeses.

Not only Vino Santo. “Always adopting the raisining method, in 2011,” Marco continues, “we had the idea of making an important red wine. This red wine is called Reboro because it is made from the Rebo grape variety, which was created in the 1950s by a researcher called Rebo Rigotti. It is a Teroldego and Merlot hybrid grape variety.”

Reboro wine made with the same raisined grapes ‒ although with a higher alcohol content and longer cellarability ‒ is well suited to Fiorentina (grilled T-bone steak) and other barbecued meats.

Marco and Stefano have been running the winery with an eye to innovation and research, recounting its story in guided tours followed by wine tastings. “We have created itineraries extending from the cellar to the vineyards that end off with wine tastings accompanied by cold meats, cheese and cakes. We also obviously sell our wines directly in our wine estate.