Zanotelli Wines

Zanotelli is a historic, family-run winery rooted in the dramatic landscape of the Valle di Cembra, where the family has cultivated vineyards since 1860. This unique valley, shaped by more than 700 kilometers of dry-stone terraces, is considered an icon of mountain viticulture. Today, the Zanotelli cousins sustainably farm around 15 hectares of vineyards situated between 400 and 900 meters above sea level, benefitting from steep southeast-facing slopes, porphyritic soils, and strong day-night temperature swings that enhance aroma and freshness in their wines.

Originally known for producing Schiava—long the dominant red grape of the valley since Napoleonic times—the family gradually discovered the exceptional potential of the area for white varieties. Their current portfolio highlights the purity and tension of mountain whites such as Müller Thurgau, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Kerner, Riesling, and Manzoni Bianco. They also craft elegant red wines including Pinot Noir and Lagrein, as well as Trentodoc traditional-method sparkling wines (Nature, Brut, and Rosé Forneri) and a Passito made from white grapes.

The Valle di Cembra itself is a remarkable cultural landscape, recognized nationally as a “Historical Rural Italian Landscape.” Terraced vineyards rise above the Avisio stream from 200 to 800 meters, forming a vast vine garden created over centuries to support rural life. Viticulture here dates back to ancient times, evidenced by the discovery of a Rhaetic wine vessel, the Situla, in the local countryside.

The valley’s rugged beauty has also inspired artists—most notably Albrecht Dürer, who traveled through the area in 1494 on his journey to Italy, capturing its dramatic scenery in his watercolors. Each year, his passage is commemorated with a cultural trek that follows in the master’s footsteps.

Zanotelli embodies this deep heritage, combining tradition, passion, and modern expertise to express one of Italy’s most distinctive mountain wine regions.