Ferrari | Trentino, Italy

 

Ferrari Vineyards in the Trentino Region of Italy

Ferrari is the leading producer in Italy of sparkling wine made exclusively by the 'Metodo Classico' or classical method, where the second fermentation takes place in the bottle itself.

The story of Ferrari began with one man, Giulio Ferrari, and his dream of creating a wine in Italy inspired by the very finest French Champagne. A skilled and painstaking oenologist who had studied at the prestigious School of Viticulture in Montpellier, Giulio created Ferrari in 1902, producing a very few, extremely selected bottles which were still never enough to satisfy the demand of wine lovers.

In 1952 Bruno Lunelli, the owner of Trento’s best-known wine bar, took over Ferrari from Giulio, who continued to work in the winery until his death. Thanks to meticulous work in the winery combined with his innate entrepreneurial verve, Bruno Lunelli increased production until it reached a hundred thousand bottles a year. In the decades that followed, the Lunelli family has continued Giulio’s legacy in line with Ferrari’s founding principle: to express the singularity of the Trentino territory through exceptional sparkling wines. They currently own 100 hectares of certified organic vineyards within the region, all dedicated to the production of Ferrari’s exceptional wines.

Ferrari focuses primarily on Chardonnay, which Giulio Ferrari introduced to the area, planted on the slopes of the Dolomites, between 300 and 600 meters above sea level. These elevations create significant diurnal temperature variation, giving the grapes aromatic complexity, elegance, and acidity. In addition to the estate’s organic vineyards, Ferrari works with 600 like-minded local grape growers whose sustainability practices align with their own. The estate’s efforts towards maintaining the environment have also led to Ferrari achieving ‘Carbon neutral’ and ‘Biodiversity Friend’ certifications.

Ferrari’s wines are made and bottled in their state-of-the-art winery just outside of Trentino. Across their range, from the ‘Maximum’ non-vintage cuvées to the vintage ‘Giulio Ferrari’ Riserva del Fondatore, Ferrari consistently over-delivers thanks to an uncompromising selection of grapes, attentive winemaking and extended lees ageing. In June 2023, the estate appointed two-time IWC Sparkling Winemaker of the Year, Cyril Brun, as Chef de Cave. Previously at Charles Heidsieck, Aÿ native Cyril brings his vast experience and new perspective to Trento DOC ‘Metodo Classico’ sparkling wines.

Ferrari Website