Schiava Nera from Valle dei Laghi in Trentino, Italy.

The story of Azienda Agricola Gino Pedrotti begins more than 100 years ago, when Giuseppe Pedrotti started a small farm in the Valle dei Laghi, to the south-west of Trento, close to Lago di Cavedine. With a series of small lakes in the valley and airflow from Lake Garda nearby moderating the alpine climate, the vines that he planted flourished. After the First World War, Giuseppe constructed a small cantina and started his winemaking venture. Giuseppe’s wife, Tullia, contributed to the success of the business by opening a small osteria. When their son, Gino, took over, he combined the two businesses and then further expanded the wine production side by acquiring new vineyards in the area. Despite this expansion, Azienda Agricola Gino Pedrotti remains an artisan, family operated business producing around 25,000 bottles, now run by Gino’s three children, Tullia, Clara and Giuseppe. The vineyards are farmed using organic practices supplemented with biodynamic treatments. Though the company has organic certification, they choose not to label their wines as such. All fermentations are spontaneous with indigenous yeasts. The overriding principle in the vineyard and the winery is that the wine production is performed with utmost respect for the environment.