Enjoy a wine in our farmsteads

Masi: a welcome so warm you’ll never want to leave

The term maso describes a sort of farmstead, a cluster of centuries-old farm buildings nestled deep in the countryside of Trentino’s green valleys. These country homes and barns feature solid walls and narrow windows, often with a chapel.

But that’s not to say that all these little farming villages share an identical architectural style, far from it! The buildings are rich in features and touches that vary from town to town.

The term maso has ancient roots, deriving from the Latin mansum, and encapsulates in a single word all the evocative connotations of rimanere, “to stay”.  Visiting them, you will come to understand just how fitting a name this is!

The wine-producing farmsteads around the city of Trento

You may choose to begin your journey to the north of Trento, exploring the farmsteads of the Avisiane Hills, where the ancient Via Claudia Augusta lies.

In the municipality of Pressano you can visit Maso Grener, owned by the Peratoner family. Fausto and his wife Cinzia, along with their daughters, will welcome you to a stunning site which has undergone renovations over the last twenty years. In the warmth of their stube (the main room in the house), you will sample such excellent wines as the highly fragrant Nosiola, made from a grape typical of these hills. You may also decide to spend the night in the welcoming rooms of their B&B, waking up the next day to the enticing smell of the sweet baked goods prepared for guests to enjoy.

The next stop on the Strada del Vino (or Wine Road) of the Avisiane Hills is Maso Poli, an old farmstead dating from the 1700s which offers one of the finest panoramic views over Piana Rotaliana. Today, the farmstead is owned by the Togn family, and over the years has become a required destination for wine tourists. A wide variety of tasting experiences are on offer, and the evening aperitifs at the Wine Point, with aromatic white wines and the prestigious Pinot Nero, are particularly popular.

We move south now to Martignano, where a stop at Maso Martis is a must. This organic vineyard, run by Antonio and Roberta Stelzer and their daughters, has been producing award-winning Trentodoc wines since the early 1990s. A nineteenth-century farmhouse is nestled among the vines, offering a warm welcome to all lovers of this mountain bubbly.

Next, you will find yourself on a sun-dappled hillside to the east of Trento, where noble families would once escape to spend their summers far from the stifling heat of the city. At Maso Bergamini in Cognola, you can experience the charmed life of the aristocratic classes of long ago. The gorgeous seventeenth-century villa with its little church once belonged to the Prince-Bishop of Trento.

Remo Tomasi and his family, who are its current owners, are pioneers in modern organic viticulture. You simply can’t miss the opportunity to visit their winery and taste its famous Riesling Renano or Moscato Rosa.

Have we managed to pique your curiosity? The farmstead tour is particularly perfect during spring and autumn. Get ready to savour a relaxed pace and family-style welcomes. Remember to book your visit early and immerse yourself in the charm of rural life at Trentino’s farmsteads.