Archive for the ‘Trentino Alto Adige’ Category

Life is too short to drink mediocre wines.                           J. W. Goethe

The wine is a mixture of love and light.                                G. Galilei

The harvest

The year 2011 was defined by the winemakers Year of Providence: low production and high quality. The harvest was anticipated throughout Italy for the climatic conditions that have characterized this long summer.
The phenological phases of grape-vine have been changed by high temperatures in April and May, leading to this early harvest.
The quality will be great for white wines: it is expected to decline by 5% and then a production of 44 million hectoliters, while for the red wines we will only know shortly.
The decline in the Centre-North is from 0 to -5%, while in the Center-South vary from -5% to -20%.
The most productive region is Veneto, with more than 8 million hectoliters.
The vineyard once again demonstrates its ability to adapt to climatic vagaries, unlike other agricultural crops that have been compromised.
We predict high-profile wines and this will help the positive trend in foreign sales (+11.9% in 2010), in fact in Italy it is produced the 17% of world production.

 The first Sunday in November in Italy we will celebrate the birth of the new wine,”Vino novello”, a red wine produced in all regions of Italy, but mainly in the Veneto, Trentino Alto Adige and Tuscany. The “Vino novello”, very fresh and aromatic, is the first wine of the harvest just passed, which is celebrated throughout Italy, especially combined with chestnuts.

Firenze

From 24th August 2011, after Rome, Florence, Otranto and other Italian turist destinations, Venice as well has introduced a tax for tourists.

The tourist tax to be paid varies depending on the following elements: the city where you stay, the type and site of the accommodation, the number of stars, the type and quality of the facilities provived by the accommodation chosen.

For example: in Venice tourists will be asked to pay just a few cents if they stay in a camping in the mainland, or up to 5 euros if they opt for a room in a 5-star hotel.

Venezia

But if you stay in Venice for more than 5 days, your stay is free of charge from the sixth night.

The task of collecting the tribute has been given to the accommodations’ host: the tourist tax, in fact, has to be paid in place.

The rules concerning the maximum number of nights to be paid and the minimum and maximum amounts to be applied change from town to town.

However, the only thing that is the same in all the Italian cities with tourist tax is that children under the age of 10 are free of charge.

Christmas in Trentino

At the foot of the Dolomites near Bleggio Superiore, the charming village of Rango, with its medieval houses and piazzas linked by covered walkways, is a pleasure to visit at any time of the year.  However during the month of December, Rango becomes enveloped in Christmas magic when it hosts a Christmas market and fair.

Rango is considered one of Italy’s most beautiful villages, and on the run up to Christmas its beauty is enhanced by the presence of all things Christmas.  This is probably the place which put the ‘jingle’ in the classic Christmas song Jingle Bells, as Rango is brimming with Christmas spirit, especially on the 5, 6, 8, 12 and 19 December, when Rango’s cosy covered streets will be filled with stalls selling all manner of winter wonders.

During the Christmast markets many of the village’s inhabitants dress in traditional costume in order to recall the spirit of Christmases past.  Rango itself is covered in Christmas decorations with decorations embellishing balconies and then there are the open doors of the houses in Rango from which the aroma of Christmas treats fills the intimate streets of this mountain village.

Visitors to this Christmas event will be able to sample all manner of Christmas delights, such the local walnut cake made with sweet Bleggia walnuts.  This local cake is served with cafe d’orzo or mulled wine.  Competition to produce the tastiest walnut cake is fierce, and the best of the best of these cakes will be sold at auction, with the proceeds going to charity.

In addition to the walnut cakes and their enticing aroma, local craftsmen and women will be displaying their wares.  Christmas gift ideas will be abundant, as is often the case with Italy’s multitude of Christmas markets and fairs.  The streets of Rango will be a veritable feast for the eyes and for the senses.

As if the food and colourful costumes were not enough, Rango’s Christmas fair will have a musical accompaniment, with local groups playing both Christmas and local classics to add to the suggestive atmosphere of the Rango Christmas festivities.  Christmas melodies played by local musicians on the ‘cornamusa’, the Italian equivalent of Scottish bagpipes, will add to the distinctive flavour of this Christmas event.

On the 12 December the village will dedicate its festivities to the young and the streets of Rango will be filled with street entertainment, and Christmas tales will be told to children.  Back in days gone by, peasants would wrap themselves in straw to keep themselves warm while they worked, and as they worked, they would regale local children with tales of Christmas and local legend.  Rango has always been a magical place.

If you’ve been finding it hard to drum up the right quantity of Christmas spirit this year, then perhaps taking your family to Rango for a few days will help rekindle that traditional Christmas flame.  If this idea appeals, then here is are a couple of places to stay in Trentino, Italy.

The nearest airport is Verona, and a hire car equipped with snow chains is essential if you wish to get the most out of a holiday break in this mountain area of Italy.  Direct flights to Verona are available from London’s Gatwick and Stansted airports.