The Groppello di Santo Stefano grape variety belongs to the Groppelli family, all originating from the western shore of Lake Garda, from Desenzano to the Val di Non in Trentino. The Groppelli varieties are also cultivated in Veneto (in the provinces of Vicenza, Verona, and Treviso) and in Lombardy (in the provinces of Brescia and Bergamo). Many Latin authors, including Virgil and Pliny the Elder, have mentioned the Groppelli. Groppello di Santo Stefano coincides with Groppello di Mocasina, although they are registered separately in the national register of varieties, and it is also known as molinèr (miller, hence floury, whitened). The name Groppello derives from “groppo” (“knot” in the Veneto dialect), as the bunches of this variety are very compact.
The Groppello di Santo Stefano prefers hilly soils of morainic origin, clayey, and well-exposed, ensuring good vigor, production, and ripening of the grapes. From an ampelographic point of view, the leaf of the Groppello di Santo Stefano is medium-sized, pentagonal with three or five lobes, with characteristic whitish shades that make it appear “floury.” The bunch is small, cylindrical or conical, compact, winged, and the berry is medium, round with medium consistency skin covered in bloom. The Groppello di Santo Stefano is vinified both as a single variety, together with other Groppelli, and blended with other local varieties, depending on the production area. When vinified as a single variety, the Groppello produces wines with a beautiful bright ruby color, very lively, with a good range of aromas, very delicate and fruity with small touches of spices. On the palate, it presents good softness, light but fairly full-bodied, with characteristic freshness due to good natural acidity. It is a light wine, suitable for pairing throughout a meal, from fresh cold cuts to pasta with sauce, to red meats and moderately aged cheeses. The Groppello is a wine to be enjoyed young, although it can bear the mention Riserva after two years of aging, during which it develops more pronounced spiciness that pairs well with more elaborate red meat dishes. In the Garda area, Groppello is blended with Marzemino, Sangiovese, and Barbera to vinify Garda Classico, resulting in a richer and fuller-bodied wine, best accompanied by game meats.
