There are no less than 24 million – a number more or less equal to half the Italians! – the bottles ageing inside the Ferrari cellars, each for a period of time that varies according to the product. This is a truly impressive quantity for a story that began way back in 1902, when the winemaker Giulio Ferrari, after a period spent abroad, realised that the Trentino region presented, thanks to its mountains, a perfect terroir for producing excellent sparkling wines.
Ferrari thus began planting the first Chardonnay vines in Valsugana and the hills of Trento and producing the first sparkling wines using the classic method, starting with just a few thousand bottles reserved for a limited number of exclusive customers.
Giulio Ferrari, however, had no children or heirs. So Bruno Lunelli, owner of the wine shop that sold Ferrari sparkling wine, decided to take over the company. He did so by signing thirty million promissory notes, accepting Giulio Ferrari’s lifelong advice and hiring his two trusted collaborators: the accountant and the cellarman.
The Lunelli family’s second generation
Since then, the company has remained in the hands of the Lunelli family, and with the second generation – with Bruno’s sons Franco, Gino and Mauro at work – Ferrari has become a leader in Italy. Over time, the range of labels has also expanded thanks to the production of Ferrari Rosé and Ferrari Perlé.
In 1972, Mauro Lunelli set aside 5,000 bottles of 100% Chardonnay sparkling wine from Maso Pianizza, a vineyard unique in its characteristics, located at an altitude of 500 metres and surrounded by centuries-old forests. This is how Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore was born: a Trento DOC that ages on the lees for over 10 years, maintaining balance, freshness and elegance while acquiring remarkable complexity.
The value of land
The estate’s vineyards are all certified organic, and thanks to the recovery of certain traditional agronomic practices, such as green manure, the aim is to enhance and optimize the soil’s natural fertility. Therefore, herbicides, acaricides, and synthetic pesticides are banned, ensuring maximum attention not only to the quality of the grapes but also to the health of the growers and the protection of the environment in general. All this has enabled Ferrari to obtain ‘Biodiversity Friend’ certification from the Worldwide Biodiversity Association.
Over 120 years of history
Today, the company – which recently celebrated its 120th anniversary – not only maintains but strengthens its privileged relationship with the Trento region and is managed by the third generation of the Lunelli family. Under Marcello, Matteo, Camilla and Alessandro’s leadership, the goal is to continue to grow and innovate, becoming ambassadors throughout the world for Italian winemaking tradition and the Italian art of living.
Congratulations to those who bring Italian bubbly to the world!
Read about other outstanding companies from Trentino-Alto Adige.
