Teroldego

Teroldego is a red grape strongly tied to Trentino in northern Italy, especially the Campo Rotaliano. Teroldego Rotaliano is the classic label to recognise. It can deliver deep colour and dark fruit while retaining the freshness that keeps a red wine useful at the table, rather than turning concentration into heaviness.

The local range includes straightforward, fruit-led wines and more ambitious bottlings with greater extraction or maturation. Oak is one possible choice, not the definition of Teroldego itself. A producer working in steel can make the grape's fruit especially clear, while a more structured version may be intended for food and a longer period before drinking.

Use a young dry bottle with sausages, roast pork, mushrooms or meat-based pasta. A richer example can take on a substantial roast. If you are new to the variety, begin with a direct, lightly oaked or unoaked wine so its fruit and fresh outline are easy to recognise before exploring a producer's most concentrated selection.