The magical setting of the Valle dei Laghi is the background to an event that features lights, colours, atmospheres and emotions. All these and more can be experienced during La Notte degli Alambicchi Accesi, “The Night of the Stills”. Then there are the aromas, traditions and gestures that bring to life a performance capable of charming even those who are quite happy to remain teetotallers.

At Santa Massenza, the village regarded as the capital of craft grappa, such celebrations are not considered sinful. On the contrary, it is this eclectic event that sparked my desire to explore the ancient art of distillation and the method of turning simple grape pomace into a unique product with centuries of history.

But you don’t have to sample the grappa in order to appreciate it: just open up your other senses and allow yourself to be carried along by the experience. The intense aroma of the many varieties, the chromatic nuances, the soft shapes of the tasting glasses: these are all first steps in discovering the wide-ranging world of this Trentino speciality, fashioned from a diverse combination of local customs, knowledge and territory, while the fantastical, sparkling, rounded shapes of the copper stills blend with the spirit of Christmas, of tradition and of the landscape.

How does the Night of the Stills work?

But how is grappa made? What is its history? These are just two of the questions that stimulate my curiosity while visiting the village: the answers can be found when the Compagnia Koinè puts on its enchanting travelling show, which relates the practical, historical and anthropological aspects of the art of distilling through the experiences of the many families of craftspeople whose roots are here and whose stories are upheld by the Istituto di Tutela Grappa del Trentino (Trentino Institute for the Protection of Grappa).

Listening to a radio guide on my headphones, I wander through the village streets and watch performances against the backdrop of the ancient instruments and lyrical songs that celebrate the conviviality and pleasure of gathering punctually each night in early December to savour The Night of the Stills.

This article was published in the first issue of BLU, the Garda Trentino magazine. It highlights one of the most distinctive winter events in Garda Trentino, where the small village of Santa Massenza turns into an atmospheric open-air stage. Want to know the dates of the next edition? Keep an eye on our winter events page!