Elisabetta Foradori has a reputation that proceeds her as one of the greatest female winemakers in the world and is considered the godmother of sustainable wine production in Italy.
Foradori is based in the Trentino town of Mezzolambardo, at the foot of the Dolomite Mountains. The winery was first founded in 1901 and focuses on the traditional varieties of Trentino such as Teroldego, Manzoni Bianco, and Nosiola, with Teroldego making up the majority of the wine production. Her stunning wines from Italy's alpine north are evocative and generous, but rare.
In 2002, Elisabetta began converting her winery to the principles of Biodynamics. This was achieved by firstly, only practicing organic viticulture, that is, no herbicides, pesticides, or synthetic fertilisers. Other biodynamic principals were gradually introduced by generating soil fertility through composting, integrating animals, cover cropping and crop rotation.
The wines released annually include curious but delectable whites, a lighter red and more intense, perfumed reds. Tasting notes for each wine can be found if you click on each product, but there are a few key pointers:
The Manzoni Bianco and Nosiola are textural, floral, herbal. The Manzoni was once described by James Suckling as "the greatest natural wine I have ever tasted". These are tremendously delicious and interesting varieties that need the maximum care and diligent vineyard management that Foradori offers.
The reds stylistically range from light, chillable and fresh (the Lezer), powerful and savoury (the estate Teroldego) to the incredibly complex, fragrant and mineral with the top cuvées (Morei, Sgarzon and Granato).
All cuvées - bar the Lezer - will benefit from cellaring but could equally be enjoyed in their youth. This is our third year offering the Foradori wines and each year they are snapped up shockingly fast. To receive future allocation offers before the wines hit the shelves, be sure to subscribe to our AO email list by following the prompts here.