Words by Sabi Phagura
There was only one way Charles Leclerc was going to celebrate his stunning victory on the Formula One podium in Monza at this year’s Italian Grand Prix – and that was by cracking open the special Ferrari F1 Grand Premio d’Italia Jeroboam. The tailor-made three-litre bottle embellished with the Italian flag was designed specifically for this prestigious event.
Sparkling Wine and F1 have been synonymous since 1950, but how and where did this tradition start? It began with Juan Manuel Fangio, when he was presented a bottle of Moët & Chandon on the podium after completing the 64 laps first for Alfa Romeo at the French Grand Prix. But it wouldn’t be until 1966 that the tradition of spraying drivers, teams and fans was born.
Jo Siffert accidentally sprayed Champagne over elated crowds when the cork popped unprompted after winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Little did he know this mishap would be the catalyst for spraying fizz on racing podiums around the globe to mark wins in the racing world.
Since 2021 Champagne has been replaced in the motor racing world as the victory drink of choice in favour of Ferrari Trento sparkling wine. What’s more, the producer recently renewed its place on the podium until the end of the 2025 season.
But the sparkling wine is very much made for drinking and a day before Leclerc’s win, I eagerly sampled the liquid flowing freely at The Paddock Club – the popular space at all races where guests, revellers, drivers, and team members mingle, have exclusive access to pit walks and get unenviable views of the racetrack.
With a glass of Ferrari Trento in hand, I too was immersed in the action watching racers driving at break-neck speed around the track during the practice run. Watching the race first-hand with the thundering sound of engines blasting was nothing short of thrilling.
Ferrari Trento Vineyard
Intrigued to learn more about Ferrari Trento and its rise to pole position in the toast stakes, I head to the foothills of the Dolomites to Trento, some two hours’ drive from Monza’s racetrack, where the fizz is produced.
Founded in 1902 (long before Enzo Ferrari started his racing team) Giulio Ferrari began experimenting with creating a wine in Trentino capable of competing with the best French Champagnes. A pioneer, he was the first to establish substantial plantings of Chardonnay in Italy. He began producing a few select bottles paying meticulous attention to quality.
The wine thrived and went on to become a success. But with no children of his own, Giulio Ferrari chose wine shop owner Bruno Lunelli, in Trento, to continue his legacy. Lunelli’s passion and entrepreneurial skills resulted in increased production. At the time he purchased the company, it was making around 9,000 bottles a year. That number has now risen to around seven million.
Today, the third generation of the Lunelli family is keeping the Ferrari dream alive. And while Trentodoc is produced in the Champagne method, it can’t call itself such because it’s not produced in the Champagne region.
Before tasting more of the Ferrari range, I was taken on a tour of the vineyard on the Ferrari Trento’s hillside estate covering 135 hectares. With it being a glorious sunny day, I couldn’t forgo a walk in the fresh air, ascending a steep incline from Villa Margon (more on that later).
After entering the woods along a sinuous path, before emerging from the trees into the vineyard, I had to stop to take in the setting as well as catch my breath. I was delighted to be met with swathes of neat rows of vines against a backdrop of hills in every direction. Hands down it’s one of the prettiest vineyards I’ve encountered.
As we meandered through the vines, Camilla Lunelli, granddaughter of Bruno Lunelli and communications director at Ferrari Trento, explained that their wines are made entirely from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Camilla added that biodiversity is incredibly important. This explained the bug activity (that I was having to swat off my limbs) which indicated the sustainable nature of the vineyard. Furthermore, a dedicated beehive area on the edge of the land further ensures the quality of the vines and contributes to the surrounding areas. The brand’s dedication to biodiversity has led it to gain organic certification status since 2005.
The climate in which the grapes grow due to the day-night temperature is an important factor in producing outstanding sparkling wine. Camilla said August temperatures reach around 93 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, dropping to 54 degrees at night. The result is an acidity level as high or higher than those in the Champagne region.
The techy and sophisticated wine-making facility close by is one of the biggest I have seen. Housed inside in the cellar are 30 million bottles some of which date back to the original owner. Walking around the maze and sections of it will make you feel like you’ve stepped into a museum with various traditional wine-making machinery dotted around. It’s hardly surprising that Ferrari is Italy’s biggest and best-known classic-method sparkling wine house contributing to the country’s 25 percent annual production of bottle-fermented bubbly.
All Ferrari wines are made through a second fermentation in the bottle. Strict doc regulations stipulate sparkling wines must be aged for at least 15 months on the lees of the subsequent fermentation. The brand’s bottles remain on the lees for two years.
Villa Margon
Back at the estate, and before I had the opportunity to quaff some more of the sparkling wine I was learning about, I couldn’t resist marvelling at Villa Margon, a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance. It’s like a time capsule.
The incredible sixteenth-century home (acquired by the Lunelli family in 1990) sits close to the main entrance to the vineyards and is well-preserved. Its majestic rooms are brimming with original furniture and the frescoes covering the walls and ceilings look as fresh as the day they were created without having a lick of paint in 500 years.
As well as depicting the wine-making process in the region, other frescoes have been dedicated to rural life connecting the land and the values it held. Each is meticulous in its detail with one room painting scenes in the form of months of a calendar. You could, quite literally, spend hours spotting new scenes each time you lay eyes on them.
Discussing the frescoes while tasting the sparkling wines on the terrace made for a perfect afternoon in the August sunshine. We tasted some of the house’s key bottles including the Ferrari Maximum blanc de blancs, (crisp, with floral notes and well-balanced), the Ferrari Maximum rosé (notes of red berries), and the Ferrari Maximum demi-sec (nutty and subtly sweet).
Having tasted them, I couldn’t fathom ever wasting any by spraying them at any celebration. Still, the rosé was my favourite, which went down rather well with the dishes prepared from the Michelin-stared restaurant on the estate.
The estate is open for free public tours on Wednesdays and Saturdays while tours on other days taking in the vineyard, the villa and the winery can be booked at a fee.
The tradition of spraying a bottle of this sparkling wine (or Champagne) will continue to thrive for years to come. Whether it is on the podium, at a wedding or another special occasion, be sure to hold some back for tasting. It’s worth every drop.
Factbox
Address: FERRARI F.lli Lunelli S.p.A.,Trento, Italia, Via Ponte di Ravina 15
Phone: +39 0461 972 311
Email: customercare@ferraritrento.it / ferraritrento@clementinecom.com
Website: ferraritrento.com/en
