Terra dei Forti: A Rich Landscape of Wine, Culture, and Nature
“Terra dei Forti is not just a brand indicating a DOC, but a name characterizing an entire territory with its own unique features,” affirms Paolo Castelletti, member of the Consorzio tutela vini Valdadige. Castelletti is among the creators of Terra dei Forti.
The rediscovery of taste: a booklet that illustrates the characteristics of the wines, but also discusses the history, nature, and particularities of this part of the Veronese territory. Just over twenty pages, accompanied by photos, to tell the story of Bassa Vallagarina.
“Promoting wine alone makes no sense, especially in the case of a territory so rich and diverse,” continues Castelletti. “The Terra dei Forti subzone includes four municipalities—Avio, Brentino Belluno, Dolcè, and Rivoli Veronese—each different in history, culture, and traditions. It also spans two regions, Lower Trentino and Upper Veronese, and two mountain communities, Baldo and Lessinia.”
Features and Attractions of the Territory
This area produces Monte Veronese DOC cheese, Veneto DOP extra virgin olive oil, and honey from numerous beekeepers. In Lessinia and on Mount Baldo, black truffles are harvested.
Regarding sports, the stretch of Adige River running through this territory is among the cleanest and most fish-rich, with designated zones for no-kill fishing. There are also rock climbing walls, the Vajo dell’Orsa canyon for canyoning, and hiking trails.
In short, there is enough to attract wine and food enthusiasts, tourists, and athletes.
Introduction of the Booklet and Contents
The booklet was first presented at Vinitaly. Written in three languages—Italian, English, and German—it is divided into 11 chapters, each two pages long. It broadly recounts the history of the Valdadige and, most importantly, that of the forts, Rivoli and Avio, which give the subzone its name.
It also discusses the botanical garden of Novezza, the Lessinia region with Bolca fossils, and the Molina natural park. There are also indicated opening periods, visiting hours, and contact details for further information.
The central part is dedicated to wine, especially the grape varieties that local producers are focusing on to relaunch the area in the market. Notably, one chapter is devoted to Enantio, a prehistoric native grape variety of Valdadige, and to Pinot Grigio, which has replaced the more international Chardonnay.
The brochure was produced with the collaboration of the Comunità montane di Baldo e Lessinia, the administrations of the four municipalities that make up the subzone, the Consorzio per la tutela del formaggio Monte veronese, the Camera di commercio di Verona, and was printed with the support of the Cassa rurale Bassa Vallagarina of Avio.
