(November 2016) On the morning of our second day in Trento, Italy, we were invited to experience a grand tasting of 115 sparkling wines from the Trentodoc DOC. The event took place at the Palazzo Roccabruna from 9am to 11:45am, and was a self-paced tasting with several producers in attendance to answer questions.
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| Tasting of 115 Sparkling Trentodoc Wines at Palazzo Roccabruna in Trento, Italy |
As you enter the ornate stucco Palazzo, there is a plaque above the door illustrating the date of 1554, when it was first constructed. Owned by a series of families over the centuries, it was also the meeting place of the Council of Trent for a few years in the mid 1500’s, and is filled with beautifully carved and painted ceilings as well as colorful frescos along the walls. An impressive white stone fireplace dominates the main reception hall, complete with ancient crest.
Today the palace is jointly operated by the Chamber of Commerce, Trentino Industry Observatory, and our hosts, Enoteca Provinciale del Trentino (Provincial Wine Promotion Board of Trentino). It was completely renovated and restored in 2002.
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| Trentodoc Wine Tasting at the Palazzo Roccabruna with Its Carved Ceiling |
Our tasting took place in the main reception room of the palace and had to be one of the most beautiful settings for a sparkling wine tasting. Each of the twelve MWs took notes on the wines tasted, though not everyone was able to taste all 115 wines. At the end of the tasting, each MW documented the page number of their top 2 to 5 favorite wines. The wine that received the most votes was the 2005 Riserva Giulio Ferrari.
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| One of the Favorite Wines of the Tasting |