Foradori

Over the past 40 years, the Foradori family has fundamentally reshaped viticulture in Trentino.
Since taking over her father’s estate in 1985, Elisabetta Foradori has, almost single-handedly, saved the Teroldego grape from oblivion and, with her ever-curious approach, consciously or not, paved the way for countless winemakers. From the very beginning, she has seen winemaking as a cultural responsibility and has always embraced experimentation. For nearly a decade now, she has shown how beautifully wines can evolve in amphorae, and why it makes perfect sense to harvest Pinot Grigio late and ferment it on the skins.

Today, the estate comprises a substantial 30 hectares, 80% of which are planted with Teroldego. The remaining vineyards are home to Nosiola, Incrocio Manzoni, and Pinot Grigio. In total, there are 14 vineyard parcels, each of which is initially vinified separately.

TEROLDEGO & CO
The majority of the grapes go into the wine simply called TEROLDEGO, aged in concrete. It’s a juicy, spirited, vibrant yet deep and substantial expression of the grape — a unique kind of entry-level wine. Another portion goes into Granato, one of the great classics of the Italian red wine world. Profound, dense, complex, and long-lived, it often shows best in cooler vintages, when drinkability, concentration, and power come into perfect balance.

The white Incrocio Manzoni is made after a brief maceration and aged in stainless steel. Citrus and herbal aromas combine with a clean, focused body — never overpowering — that reveals new sensory dimensions with a few years of bottle age.

In 2009, Elisabetta Foradori launched a project focusing on select single vineyards. Morei and Sgarzon, two Teroldegos, along with the superb Fontanasanta Nosiola, are the fruits of this initiative. They are aged in amphorae — specifically Spanish tinajas — which provide the ideal environment for the wines to gradually express the full potential of their terroir.

Biodynamics with Scientific Rigor
Her vineyards are farmed biodynamically, and she seeks to support her methods with scientific grounding. Collaborations with the University of Milan and the research center in San Michele aimed to verify the effectiveness of her approach.

An early conclusion reads as follows:

"Little do we know of the life that beats beneath a plant, of the soil that lives thanks to an infinite profusion of microorganisms. Yet, it is thanks to the increase in microbiological activity arising from the use of biodynamic preparations, to the care invested in soil management, to the balance reached by the very plant that has interacted positively with the soil that we contribute to maintain and increase the fertility of the soil. Only with a soil that is alive can we harvest fruits that are alive."

In Tune with Her Environment
Beyond this, she lives out her holistic philosophy, which includes her employees and thus incorporates social components — the key to true sustainability. She understands the countless interconnections that influence her vineyards and wines, and knows the geological foundations (granite and limestone) down to the smallest detail.

Elisabetta Foradori is a vivid example of what it means to live wine and its production — always open to new ideas, free from dogma, and continually ready to innovate.

And even though she has now handed over winemaking responsibilities to her equally gifted son Emilio, devoting herself entirely to the work in the vineyard, the final word is still rightly hers:

"We feel that we are part of a natural cycle, and we are gradually combining our knowledge with an intuitive understanding of nature — we have become part of its rhythm. We have finally begun to listen and learned to understand."