Val Venosta or Valle Venosta or Vinschgau DOC is a sub-region of the Alto Adige or Süd-Tirol region of northern Italy. It is called Vinschgau by the region’s Austrian-Germany speakers). Since achieveing DOC status in 1995 many local farmers switched from apples to wine grapes. The Venosta Valley is overlooked by the Ortler, a peak rising to nearly 4,000 metres (13,000 feet). The climate is very cool, and dry (annual rainfall of 50cm/20 inches, and only half that in the Bassa Atesina). Soils are sandy, low in fertility. 

Communes: The zone includes the communes of Castelbello-Ciardes, Laces, Naturno, Parcines and Silandro.

Vineyard area: 2018 76ha (46% white, 54% red).

Main grape varieties: Pinot Blanc, Muller Thurgau, and Pinot Noir.

Soils: Weathered slate and gneiss.

Wines: The varietal labelled wines may contain up to 10% of other varieties of the same colour. The wines are Pinot Nero, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer (Tramine Aromatico), Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Schiava and Pinot Bianco.

Bibliography

Burton Anderson, The Wine Atlas of Italy (Mitchell Beazley, London, 1990).

David Gleave, The Wines of Italy (Salamander Books, London, 1989).

Dr Ian D’Agata, Native Wine Grapes of Italy (University of California Press, 2014).

Nicolas Belfrage MW, Life Beyond Lambrusco (Sidgwick & Jackson, 1985). 

Nicolas Belfrage MW, From Barolo to Valpolicella—The Wines of Northern Italy (Faber & Faber, 1999).

Nicolas Belfrage MW, From Brunello to Zibibbo–The Wines of Tuscany, Central and Southern Italy (2nd edition, London, 2003).

Oxford Companion to Wine 4th edition ed. Jancis Robinson MW and Julia Harding MW (Oxford University Press, 2015).