The art of Pop!

The history of "spumante" and the Italian region of Trentino are inextricably linked, and any visit to the city of Trento and its surroundings should ideally include a trip to the Ferrari wine cellars.

This prestigious company is one of 31 wineries which apply the Trento Doc Metodo Classico disciplinary, which specifies the exclusive use of high quality grapes from Trentino and fermentation in the bottle.

Mission impossible

The foundations of the Ferrari empire were laid by Giulio Ferrari, an expert enologist and pupil of the Montepellier school of viniculture who, in 1902, decided to attempt what was widely considered an impossible feat: that of producing an Italian wine which could compete with the finest French champagnes.

Initially, Ferrari produced just a few bottles of wine for a connoisseur market, bottles which soon became collector's items.

Timely takeover

In 1952, Brunello Lunelli, owner of the best wine shop in Trento, purchased Giulio Ferrari's company. Despite no longer being the owner, Ferrari continued to work in the cellars until his death.
Bruno Lunelli's feisty entrepreneurial spirit together with the commitment of the work force resulted in the company quickly increasing annual production to 100.000 bottles.

Family classic

Over the decades, Cantine Ferrari passed into the hands of Lunelli's children and today the third generation of the family continues to faithfully follow the "Metodo Classico".

The success of this wine producing dynasty is, in part, due to the expertise of its collaborators and it is no coincidence that Cantine Ferrari's technical director, Ruben Larentis, has been recently elected "Enologist of the Year" by the Gambero Rosso Guide

Pop Art Artist Doc

As they tour the Cantine Ferrari, wine lovers learn about the fascinating history of Italian sparkling wines and how the Chardonnay produced in the hills of Trentino is transformed into the finest spumante.

At the entrance to the cellars, Arnaldo Pomodoro's seven meter high art work, "Centenarium Ferrari", introduces visitors to the labyrinth of rooms and corridors in which there is an almost mystic silence.

The combination of art and this great wine is not new: in the past, 31 bottles of Ferrari Brut were designed by artists the caliber of Mimmo Rotella, Ugo Nespolo' and Marco Lodola, resulting in the company's Pop Art Artist Doc collection

Locanda Margon

Offering the perfect conclusion to a visit to the cellars, Cantine Ferrari's hill top Locanda Margon restaurant, named after the nearby 16th century villa which is now company headquarters, enjoys spectacular views of the city of Trento.

Here, Chef Alfo Ghezzi, a pupil of the great Gualtiero Marchesi, produces excellent regional cuisine, to be accompanied by the company's superb wines.

You can't go wrong with Locanda Margon's "Un piatto per un vino": a dish created by the chef according to the wine chosen by the client

Cantine Ferrari
Via Ponte di Ravina
Trento
www.cantineferrari.it

Visits (free of charge): all year from Monday to Saturday. During the month of December, also on Sunday.
For reservations: phone +39 0461 972416