Hunt Mozart's wine at Il Gallo Cedrone - 900 bottles, 1 Michelin star

Marzemino - the wine Don Giovanni calls for just before his descent into hell in Mozart's opera. Il Gallo Cedrone holds a Michelin star and stocks over 900 wines. Chef Sabino Fortunato's mountain cuisine paired with the wine Mozart loved enough to immortalize.

What to do there

4 things to do

1. 1 Find the Wine Mozart Called For Before Hell Wine · Free

   Hunt Marzemino - the red wine Don Giovanni orders moments before his descent

   In 1769, Mozart stayed in Rovereto, Trentino, and tasted MARZEMINO for the first time. Eighteen years later, he immortalized it in Don Giovanni: 'Versa il vino! Eccellente Marzimino!' - the wine Don Giovanni drinks before descending into hell. At Il Gallo Cedrone (Hotel Bertelli, Via Cima Tosa 80), ask to see the wine cellar or speak with sommelier Giuseppe Greco. Request the wine list and scan for 'Marzemino' or ask Giuseppe: 'Do you have the Marzemino from Don Giovanni?' He WILL know - sommeliers in Trentino live for this question about their opera-famous red wine.

   Backup: If Giuseppe is off-duty, ask ANY staff: 'Can you show me Mozart's wine?' The Don Giovanni connection is Trentino folklore - everyone knows it.

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2. 2 Taste the Opera-Famous Marzemino With Alpine Game Wine · Price: high

   Pair Mozart's red wine with Chef Fortunato's mountain cuisine

   Order a glass of Marzemino (€12-18) paired with one of Chef Sabino Fortunato's game dishes. Fortunato earned his Michelin star in 2016 with his mountain ingredients, hay-smoked preparations, and Mediterranean influences. Tell your server: 'I want to pair Marzemino with a game dish, as Chef Fortunato recommends.' When the wine arrives, smell for violet and blackcurrant - the berry notes and balanced tannins that have complemented game since Mozart's time. Note how the wine's acidity cuts through rich meat and sour cherry notes mirror game's natural sweetness.

   Backup: If no game available (menu changes seasonally), ask for 'any dish Chef Fortunato recommends with Marzemino.' Aged cheeses also work - the wine's herbal notes pair with mountain dairy.

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3. 3 Decode the 900-Bottle Cellar With Sommelier Greco Wine · Free · Optional

   Get insider access to one of the Alps' deepest wine cellars

   Over 900 labels selected by Marco Masè and Giuseppe Greco fill Hotel Bertelli's wine cellar, including 'bottles difficult to find' and alternative pairings built on decades of Alpine wine knowledge. At the end of your meal, ask: 'May I see the wine cellar? I'd love Giuseppe's perspective.' Most sommeliers LOVE showing their domain to curious guests. Ask specific questions: 'What's your rarest Trentino bottle?' or 'Which wine surprises guests most?' Watch for his passion - that's where the hidden gems are.

   Backup: If cellar tour isn't possible (timing, staffing), request: 'Giuseppe, what's one bottle in your cellar that tells Trentino's story?' His answer will reveal a wine you've never heard of - write it down, find it later.

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4. 4 Hunt the Original Don Giovanni Score Reference History · Free · Optional

   Find the exact moment Mozart wrote Marzemino into musical history

   Don Giovanni, Act II, Scene 2 - the infamous supper scene where Don Giovanni sings: 'Versa il vino! Eccellente Marzimino!' just before the Commendatore's statue drags him to hell. Mozart premiered this October 29, 1787 in Prague - 18 years after tasting Marzemino in Rovereto. Find a recording of Don Giovanni Act II online and listen to the 'Versa il vino' moment (around 2:40:00 in full recordings). Hear the cheerful, defiant tone - Don Giovanni drinks with death at the door. Now taste your Marzemino with that context: you're drinking a wine famous enough to be someone's LAST DRINK before hell.

   Backup: If streaming isn't practical, read the libretto translation online. The Marzemino reference is brief but ICONIC - it's the only wine Mozart named in any opera.

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