Trentino-Alto Adige is Italy's northernmost wine region, located right on the border with Austria. Production was once dominated by the local red varieties Lagrein and Schiava. Now white wines are becoming more important in terms of Volume. Increasingly, they are made from internationally renowned Grape varieties such as Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay.
Reflecting its Complex geopolitical history, Trentino-Alto Adige is composed of two autonomous provinces. Trentino is almost entirely Italian-speaking, while Alto Adige has a predominantly German-speaking population. The latter know their province as Südtirol (South Tyrol in English). This name is due to the former status of the region, which was Part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and was recovered by Italy in 1919.
Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.
red wines from the region of Trentino-Alto-Adige go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, pasta or lamb such as recipes of fricandeaux german style, maultaschen ( swabian ravioli ) or steamed lamb shoulder with cumin and coriander.
