MEET THE MAKER: FORADORI

Located in Mezzolombardo of the World Heritage Site of Trentino, Italy, the Foradori family winery was originally purchased in the 1930s by Elisabetta’s grandfather, then managed by her father before she took over at the ripe age of 19 purely out of a sense of duty after her father had passed away. However, more time among the vines has resulted in a distinct fiery, energetic personal character that is embodied in the wines she produces.

Since 2002, Elisabetta has farmed using only biodynamic principles and very little intervention, most notably known for pioneering the use of old vineyards to propagate new ones in Italy with a technique called Massal Selection – a method that not only recycles native vines but also encourages individuality and spontaneity often lacking in conventional farming.

Foradori aims to express the terroir of Trentino in a few different ways:

1. Her first-ever internationally recognised oak-aged ‘Granato’, which comes from three 70 year old pergola vineyards and still stands tall as the Teroldego wine to get.
2. Vineyards created through mass selection and reconstruction (experimentation) of different varieties in the Campo Rotaliano region.
3. Through the younger vines with Lezèr, a light Teroldego red.

Nowadays, while Elisabetta is still the face of Foradori, it is mostly the efforts of her children, Emilio, Theo and Myrtha, that are continually redefining what a sustainable winery really is. Emilio, the oldest of the children, heads viticulture since 2013 alongside Theo, Foradori’s traveller, and ambassador. Lastly, Myrtha brings her experience working in farms out in Oregon and Quebec in turning the winery into a fully blown polycultural farm.

Image: https://talkcork.com/2020/05/09/2016-foradori-teroldego/