Photo: Monte Tuoro, the most central mountain in Irpinia, situated between Avellino and Taurasi
Irpinia is one of the most remarkable and particular wine regions of Italy. It has to be considered among Europe´s most prominent wine regions, together with Langhe, Cote d´Or, Pauillac, and others. The wines of Irpinia possess a special character, fine acidity and strong aromas, due to the high position of the vineyards. Once tasted, you will never forget them. These are wines with aging potential, both white and red, and with time they develop austere and intense richness of flavors and perfumes. Although they are real gems for connoisseurs and collectors, Irpinia has not yet been discovered by the international public, maybe due to its position in Italy’s far south. But it seems a question of time because gradually the international attention for Irpinia is growing.
Mountainous – there is even a ski region – Irpinia has preserved its authentic character, despite many earthquakes. There are a lot of small, picturesque villages and a beautiful nature: it boasts a rural charm and has several unique characteristics.
Photo: map Campania: Irpinia is another word for the province Avellino, one of the five provinces of Campania, in this map it is the XXXX area.
UNUSUAL CLIMATE
Irpinia´s climate is extremely unusual: it has cold winters and relatively short summers. The mountains protect it against the hot air from the coastal area and snow in winter is common. But the southern sun is strong enough to make the grapes develop intense and strong aromas giving the wines character and body. The vineyards are situated between 300 and 750 meters height and the fluctuating day and night temperatures help preserve aromas and acidity: this is not a Mediterranean climate. One fascinating aspect is that the harvest of Aglianico grapes for Taurasi DOCG starts late October and often does not finish until half November! Most red wines in the Northern hemisphere have already finished fermentation when Aglianico grapes are starting to arrive in the cellar. And all this is just one hour from Naples.
Remarkably enough, olives can thrive here too, up to 700 meters high. I do not understand why the olive tree can survive in this cold climate whereas in other parts (Tuscany, Istria, Friuli) many plants died because of severe frost. How is it possible that they can resist frost here? Does the soil of Irpinia contain a special secret?
CLIMATE
The climate in Irpinia is extremely particular and the most important reason behind the fascinating wines that Irpinia produces. Winters are cold, and at the higher positions a light frost happens often. Snow can arrive in the period from December until March, although climate change causes also here changes. During the months of March and April the weather is often an alternation between cold, rainy days and warm, sunny weather. In May the average temperatures may go higher but there still can be a few cold and rainy days. June can be almost summer, but rain can arrive still often. July and August are generally warm, but not too hot because the nights are cooler because cold air streams down from the mountains. Autumn starts already during September although there can be hot summer days too. October is sunny and stable and often the harvest of the Aglianico grapes starts around 15 October and takes until 15 November. In some places the harvest can take longer until even the first days of December.
One producer told me he harvests a part of his Fiano also in the first week of December and the wine was a delight, without any sign of botrytis, it had more body and intensity without losing too much acidity. Also this shows the exceptional potential of Irpinia´s vineyards.
Photo: the village Taurasi and vineyards near the village. Taurasi DOCG is one of Italy´s most prominent DOCGs but has remained in the shadow of other important wines.
MUSEUM VINEYARDS
Another remarkable aspect of Irpinia is the vast amount of old and extremely old vineyards. The vines just do not die here in the same way as they do elsewhere. There are many vineyards 80-90-100 years old, but others are 150 years old and a few of them even 200 years or older. They were planted during Napoleon. It makes Irpinia a museum of some of the world´s most antique vineyards and this alone can be a reason for many international wine experts to visit Irpinia.
Analyses of those old vineyards show that Aglianico is often 80% of the varieties present. This is remarkable, because 200 years ago most vineyards in Europe were a mix of 15-20 grape varieties without any variety dominating.
In Irpinia, this heritage of monumental value is hardly recognized. It is not uncommon that a local farmer, unaware of the value he has in his hands, picks the grapes from these high-value vineyards and brings them with his tractor to a merchant who pays relatively low prices. Clearly, the region has not yet realized its full potential.
Photo: old vineyards in Irpinia
HISTORY
Although Campania was part of Magna Graecia, the internal regions did not benefit much from that period. The most important remains of Roman times is the Via Appia that goes from Rome to Brindisi through Irpinia. Later, Naples became the capital of the Reign of the two Sicilies, and Campania became an important source for grapes on the peninsula. After the Italian unification, the South served as a source for cheap wines to be mixed with the wines from the North. It was the period when the Mastroberardino family started their commercial activities and managed to sell wines from Campania all over the world. After 1945, Irpinia entered a long period of lethargy of which it has not yet completely recovered. In this period the Mastroberarino family managed to preserve the authentic, local grapes – Aglianico, Fiano, Greco, and others: an important fact in a period when the trend in Italy was to replant vineyards with French grapes. The earthquake of 1980 was another big shock. There were many casualties but it also opened the eye of the Italian government for Irpinia. New roads were built and the flow of money allowed many wine producers to start up their company. Alas, there is still the trend that many young people are trying to get away for a job and a better life elsewhere. Taurasi DOCG, Irpinia´s most important brand, clearly offers potential for development of enotourism and this can be important for Irpinia´s future.
BIODIVERSITY
The name ´Irpinia´ is derived from the Roman word ´hirpus´ (wolf). Near Lioni and Bagnoli you can sometimes hear wolves howling from the mountains in the night. The area has large forests. This is one of South Italy´s biggest water reservoirs and a big part of Southern Italy receives their daily drinking water from Irpinia. Because of the humidity drought is not a problem here.
One of Irpinia´s most important assets is its biodiversity: unlike Burgundy or Barolo there is not a blanket of vineyards, covering the hills. In Irpinia they are covered with a mosaic of forests, olives, hazelnuts, other cultivations, and vineyards. It allows the producers to limit the treatments in the vineyards to 6-7 times a year, at least half the amount of the treatments elsewhere. In a wine market where sustainability and environment are becoming essential, Irpinia has it all. The only problem is that the local inhabitants are not aware and this is a problem: unnecessary fires and pollution are problems that should be taken care of, if Irpinia wants to make it into a high-class wine region.
TAURASI DOCG: Barolo of the South?
The epicentre of Irpinia is Taurasi DOCG. Taurasi plays in the same league as Barolo and Brunello and belongs to the elite of Europe´s viticulture. Some authors still continue to use the phrase ´Barolo of the South´ but it is not right, because both are very different. But this is a great wine, giving the most intense and wonderful expression of Aglianico grapes. Its almost unmatched aging potential has to do with the constitution of the wine, its high acidity, strong tannins, intense body, and medium to high alcohol levels. Normally the wine starts to open up after 6 or 7 years of age but it is really worth waiting longer. After 10 or 15 years the wine is still very fresh and the perfumes and flavors have only become more refined without losing its fragrance and the wine has won in elegance. Taurasi is one of those wines that will generously reward those with patience. It makes Taurasi unique and could become a favorite of many connoisseurs and collectors worldwide.
The area for Taurasi DOCG is a small part of Irpinia, east of Monte Tuoro and along the Calore valley: it is produced in17 communes from vineyards between 300 and 750 meters high. Although it is thought that the wines of Montemarano, Paternopoli and Castelfranci are giving the most austere versions – just like Serralunga in Barolo – it might be too early for conclusions. The best producers are in every corner of the area, also lower-lying vineyards produce some of the best Taurasis. A development of vineyards with ´cru-status´ still needs to start. The university of Naples, with prof.Boris Basile, has started a project of identifying the subzones of Taurasi.
Strange enough for a flagship wine, the demand for Taurasi DOCG is low and producers produce limited quantities, afraid that they might not sell it. Often they prefer to produce easy going-styles like Irpinia Aglianico DOC or Campi Taurasini DOC (both can be good too!). It means there is a big potential to win, both for the producers and for the market.
The good news is also the price: for those looking for a unique, rich and prestigious wine for a reasonable price there is a chance in Taurasi. For as long as it takes: if the wine reaches the status of fame the price development might go in the same direction as Barolo and Brunello. For all those who want to be among the first to discover this high-potential wine region, this is the moment.
Read also:
https://paulbalke.com/taurasi-the-jewel-from-south-italy/
FIANO DI AVELLINO DOCG
Taurasi is the first and Fiano di Avellino DOCG is the second wine in Irpinia´s hierarchy: it is one of Italy´s most important white wines. Its production area is more or less between Taurasi and Avellino. It offers a rich panorama of flavor and taste, floral and mineral in character, can be very refined, and is very suited for high gastronomy. But the impressive range of flavors and perfumes only comes with age, as does this ´oily´ character (idrocarburo). It has a medium-high acidity and develops medium to high alcohol levels. Who wants to learn about Fiano should taste older versions.
It is a big problem that many restaurants offer Fiano in a too young stage. This way consumers never get the chance to discover the real qualities of Fiano.
Also Fiano can be site-specific and gives other perfumes when produced in a warmer area. Like with Aglianico, also for Fiano it seems there is still a lot of work to do to understand its specific characteristics related to the various soil conditions.
There is also Irpinia Fiano DOC, it is also found in Sannio and there are great Fianos from Cilento.
I will write more about Fiano later: follow this space!
GRECO DI TUFO DOCG
The third important wine is Greco di Tufo DOCG. Grape varieties with the name Greco are found in Calabria, Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany, but this Greco is not related to the others and only found in Campania, mostly in Irpinia and Sannio. It has incredible character, it is even tannic and boasts a high acidity, when young it can be aggressive. It is like a red wine, dressed as a white wine. It has a great body, is not very aromatic, but with aging develops nice hints of almonds and mature fruit. It is very dominant and requires strong food. It benefits from aging: generally speaking the best producers are those who give the wine time to develop. Bottling too early (with the idea to present it at fairs) is not the best idea. When aged it can give great length and becomes a wonderful and rich white wine. One producer (Calafe) ages it 10 years before bringing it on the market: his wines are a wonderful example of mature and rich wines, showing the great potential of Greco di Tufo.
I will write more about Greco di Tufo later: follow this space!
CAMPI TAURASINI DOC
This DOC has been created more recently and covers 21 comunes: the 17 comunes of Taurasi, and some comunes south and east of the Taurasi DOCG area. Production of this wine is still limited. But for those who prefer Aglianico in a younger and more easy to drink version, Campi Taurasini is a great idea. Considering that Langhe Nebbiolo and Rosso di Montalcino have become very popular, it might be an option for Campi Taurasini. Some examples are rather light but among the samples that I tasted there were some really good ones.
IRPINIA DOC and other wines
Other grape varieties are Coda di Volpe, Falanghina, Greco Musc, Trebbiano (all white), Aglianicone, Piedirosso, Barbera, Scascinoso, Sangiovese, Coda di Volpe rosso (all red). And there might be more. They can be used for DOC Irpinia. Chardonnay, Merlot or Cabernet are not present in Irpinia.
Coda di Volpe is mostly found in the higher, southern part of the Taurasi area (and in minor quantities elsewhere in Campania). In the hands of a good producer it can be an outstanding wine with wonderful richness, minerality, elegance and power.
Falanghina is found in smaller quantities and is not considered as ´typical for Irpinia´ but can give great wines, especially when it is given some time to mature. A pity that this aspect of Falanghina is a bit under the radar, but maybe it is logical because there are so many great white wines here. It has a high acidity but is different in style from Greco, it is more easy-going and refined, and has no tannins. Other grape varieties, like Coda di Volpe rosso, are very rare, and not classified.
Blends are produced too and logically, they are under the umbrella of Irpinia DOC. There are great wines here too, often a blend of Fiano and Greco. Still, I think that at the level of blends there is a world to win with Irpinia’s wines. I will write more about this aspect: keep following me!
AGLIANICO – the wine
The red wine of Irpinia is Aglianico. It comes in many versions: Taurasi DOCG is its best version, there is also Campania Aglianico IGT, Irpinia Aglianico DOC, and vino da tavola. When the customer asks for ´just Aglianico´ the restaurant owner will know that he wants the basic wine. Most of the wines are easy to drink indeed, offering some of the flavors and perfumes that are typical of Aglianico (blackberries, plums). Some versions can be more austere, but they are far away from Taurasi, also because most of the wines have not aged.
AGLIANICO – the grape
Aglianico is one of Italy’s most important grape varieties, together with Nebbiolo, Sangiovese. Probably it is the result of a crossing between Aglianicone and the rare Campanella grape. There is an indication of a genetic relation with Syrah. Relation to any Greek variety can be excluded. It grows mainly in Campania and Basilicata. It has small, tight bunches, strong tannins and a great freshness (due to the high acidity) and aromatic richness.
Its perfume is intense and refined, with a bouquet layered on delicious violets, blueberries, cherries, currants and hints of rose petals, but also spicy notes of black pepper and tobacco, eucalyptus, liquorice and menthol. With aging it can develop balsamic notes, and wonderful hints of mature fruit, sour cherries, plums, figs and sweet spices. It is a dry, full-bodied wine, with an excellent structure and excellent persistence. It offers powerful, smooth tannins, supported by a marked acidity. The acidity and strong tannins make that the wine has a great aging capacity.
Aglianico expresses its maximum potential after several years of maturation in wood and just as many years of refinement in the bottle. The youthful tannins become softer and more accessible with age: and then Aglianico reaches the perfect harmony making it one of Europe´s great wines, especially if it is Taurasi DOCG.
VISITING IRPINIA
Irpinia is one hour drive from Naples and Pompei and a great number of well equiped cellars is happy to receive you and offer a wine tasting. Public transport is not well organized but it seems that there is an increasingly amount of local touroperators, offering cellar tours to Irpinia. There is a limited number of local restaurants, most of them offering good quality and fair prices, local, rustic food, a few are offering a more sophisticated cuisine. There are only two starred restaurants.
RECENT VINTAGES OF TAURASI:
2023 Difficult but with highlights. A difficult vintage with an unusual long period of rain
during spring (March until June) which caused that the nature was much behind in
development when the summer started. Some hailstorms caused damage. The hot
summer allowed the grapes to gain but still, the delay of the development of the
grapes was felt later: harvest was rather late, from late October until November. Even
in the beginning of December wineries were harvesting. Despite the difficult spring, there will be some great wines, but the yields are far
below average.
2022 Difficult but with highlights. The warm period started soon in spring and continued
with extreme high temperatures until mid August. August and September saw some
hailstorms and excessive rains, that caused considerable damage although the
problem of drought was resolved. The dryness and rains caused a big drop of the
yields of almost 20%. During autumn and harvest there was stable weather and the
expectations are that there will be highly interesting wines from the wineries that
managed to find the right balance.
2021 ?
2020 Excellent, almost like 2019. Higher than average temperatures during the summer
until October favoured excellent ripening of Aglianico. Unstable weather caused that
the expectations are less high than for 2019. Good yields.
The harvest gave healthy and well-matured grapes, without any exception in each
pocket of the Taurasi DOCG area. The resulting wines are mature, have good
phenolics and a good acidity.
Many great wines with excellent aging potential but the expectation is that they will
be rather soon ready for drinking.
2019 Excellent: one of the best vintages ever. Higher than average temperatures in
September and October favoured excellent ripening of Aglianico. Good yields.
The result gives wines with good phenolic maturity and good acidity.
Many great wines with excellent aging potential but the expectation is that they will
be rather soon ready for drinking.
2018 ?
2017 ?
2016 ?
2015 ?
2014 ?
2013 ?
2012 Good vintage, not excellent, lower quantities.
Good wines, and some excellent wines. Good aging potential.
2011 Good vintage, almost great. Qualitatively slightly below the top vintage of 2010.
Stable weather with very hot summer, a little rain in October.
Very good wines, altough the general opinion is that 2010 was slightly higher in
quality.
2010 Great vintage, with warm, sunny weather and some rains. Only the rainfall in the
first half of october was a problem for some. Winemakers with patience could
harvest from half october till 15 november in excellent conditions.
Great wines, with full ripeness and elegance, excellent aging potential
2009 Mixed results. Warm and sunny and very rainy.
There are wines with great aging potential.
2008 Very good. Expressive, harmonious, dynamic
Excellent development potential
2007 Rather good. Balanced, fleshy, accessible
Excellent development potential
2006 Mixed results. Warm, capricious, heterogeneous
The best wines are powerful and nervous, they need time to develop
2005 Very good. Fresh, articulated, elegant
Long aging potential
2004 Very good. Regular, late, austere
Long aging potential
2003 Various results. Dry, horizontal, vital
Ready, good development potential
2002 Problematic. Rainy, long-limbed, varietal
Ready, discreet evolutionary potential
2001 Mixed results. Sunny, powerful, tannic
Ready, good evolutionary potential
2000 Medium. Warm, ripe, heterogeneous
Ready, drink now
1999 Standard, good but not excellent. Classic, severe, acidic
Long aging potential
Many thanks to the Consorzio of Irpinia, the many producers of Irpinia that gave me the opportunity to taste their wines, to Miriade & Partners for the great event Campania Stories! Special thanks to Chiara Romano (Antico Castello) for the invitation to visit Irpinia, Milena Pepe, for your passionate and great hospitality, Piero Mastroberardino, Michele Perillo, Gerardo Perillo and many others.
Qual è il momento giusto per aprire una bottiglia di vino? Questo è un discorso complesso e troppi vini vengono bevuti troppo giovani, soprattutto bianchi. Questo è un grosso problema, soprattutto perché significa che molti vini vengono consumati esattamente nel periodo in cui il vino è ancora in fase di sviluppo in bottiglia e non è ancora arrivato al suo momento migliore di bevuta. Di conseguenza, i consumatori (il più delle volte non sono esperti) si perdono il meglio di ciò che molti vini possono offrire. Pertanto in questo articolo propongo l’argomento di avviare le vendite di vini (bianchi) in un secondo momento.
La mia seconda osservazione è che se un vino è destinato ad essere consumato entro 6 mesi dall’imbottigliamento, le bottiglie di vetro con chiusura in sughero non sono necessarie e possono essere sostituite con altri materiali. In questo caso parliamo di beni di largo consumo (fast-moving consumer goods), e una parte della produzione vitivinicola è da considerarsi come tale. Il vetro è un materiale ad alta impronta di CO2. Ridurre la quantità di bottiglie di vetro utilizzando imballaggi alternativi significa una grande riduzione delle emissioni di CO2 dell’industria vinicola: sarebbe un grande passo verso una maggiore sostenibilità.
INTRODUZIONE
È giugno, sono in un ristorante di Napoli e il cameriere mi offre un Fiano di Avellino DOCG dell’ultima annata: rifiuto il vino. Perché? Perché non è così che voglio godermi questo vino. A questo punto assistiamo ad uno dei problemi del mercato del vino oggi: il Fiano che è stato vendemmiato 8 o 9 mesi fa, è stato imbottigliato 3 o 4 mesi fa: un vino così non può essere al momento giusto per essere bevuto. Il Fiano di Avellino è un vino meraviglioso e raffinato, esempio di pura eccellenza italiana ma ha bisogno di tempo per svilupparsi in bottiglia. Il Fiano è meglio berlo tra i 3 ed i 6 anni dopo la vendemmia e alcuni dei migliori Fiano anche dopo. Forse il mercato vuole un vino fresco per ragioni storiche: molto tempo fa, quando le tecniche di vinificazione non erano ben sviluppate, il vino migliore era il più fresco e il più giovane: i bar di Milano e Venezia commercializzavano i loro vini come i più freschi. Il vino più giovane era il migliore. Ma questo è il passato: la qualità dei vini è cambiata adesso, la produzione, i sistemi di trasporto e, non ultima, la bottiglia di vetro, permettono al vino di maturare e di essere bevibile dopo più tempo.
Nel passato la bottiglia di vetro era un lusso e tutti i vini imbottigliati venivano invecchiati perché ritenuto necessario. Per un lungo periodo le bottiglie di vetro sono rimaste di lusso e i vini venivano stoccati con l’intenzione di berli dopo diversi anni, anche vini bianchi (per lo più i bianchi della Borgogna e Riesling). Anche i consumatori privati mettevano in cantina per qualche anno le loro bottiglie bianche e rosse. L’idea di comprare una bottiglia e berla direttamente non era comune.
È mia intenzione dire che sarebbe una buona idea tornare alla bottiglia di vetro come un lusso, perché è un lusso – abbiamo solo commesso l’errore di dimenticarlo.
Ed è mia intenzione proporre che tutti i vini prodotti con l’intenzione di essere bevuti nel periodo maggio-dicembre dell’anno successivo alla vendemmia non debbano mai vedere una bottiglia di vetro. Le soluzioni di imballaggio adatte sono numerose e questo allenterebbe il mercato del vetro e dei tappi.
Oggi la situazione è opposta rispetto al passato: sembra che produttori e ristoratori si affrettino a vendere il vino in bottiglia il più velocemente possibile. E questo è un grosso problema: il mercato del vino ha dimenticato il concetto di tempo.
EVOLUZIONE DEL VINO IN BOTTIGLIA
Chiunque abbia imbottigliato vini e segua l’evoluzione di quel vino in bottiglia conosce questo sviluppo generale: durante i primi mesi dopo l’imbottigliamento il vino tende a chiudersi e non offre le sensazioni e gli aromi che emergeranno successivamente. A seconda del vino (tipologia, vitigno, qualità) il vino comincia ad aprirsi dopo 6-7-8 mesi, a volte prima, a volte più tardi, ei grandi vini rossi impiegano molti anni per aprirsi (Barolo, Aglianico). Chi beve un vino entro 6 mesi dall’imbottigliamento, berrà quel vino nel periodo di bevuta più sfortunato. Imbottigliato a marzo, il vino inizierà ad aprirsi a novembre dello stesso anno, ma sappiamo che molti vini bianchi e rosati sono già stati bevuti! Vuol dire che molti vini bianchi e rosati vengono bevuti proprio nel periodo in cui il vino non è ancora nel suo periodo migliore. È uno spreco!
VINI BIANCHI E ROSATI
Non solo il Fiano, tutti i vini bianchi e rosati necessitano di un certo periodo di affinamento in bottiglia per essere godibili. Ogni vino di qualità necessita di un certo affinamento in bottiglia: il periodo dipende da vari fattori, varietà, annata, terreno, resa, standard di vinificazione. Quindi non esiste una regola generale relativa a una finestra temporale per bere. Come il Fiano, un vino bianco meraviglioso e ben fatto, o un vino rosato offriranno un po’ di frutta fresca da giovane, ma aspetti come la raffinatezza, la profondità dei sapori, i meravigliosi e complessi aromi, non vengono fuori, come anche i sentori di frutta tropicale e idrocarburi. Tutte le meravigliose sensazioni per le quali un vino è conosciuto e apprezzato non si avvertono quando la bottiglia viene aperta troppo presto. Aprire quella bottiglia troppo presto è un peccato!
A proposito, stiamo assistendo al fatto che molti vini bianchi e rosati vengono imbottigliati anche prima per essere disponibili alle fiere di marzo e aprile e di conseguenza questi vini vengono venduti troppo giovani.
Il periodo di invecchiamento dipende dalla qualità e dal carattere del vitigno: il Vermentino o il Pinot Bianco sono in grado di mostrare grande carattere ed eleganza da giovani. I vini bianchi come Fiano, Albana, Timorasso, Verdicchio, Greco, Riesling, ma anche Chardonnay, hanno bisogno di più tempo ma anche Vermentino e Pinot Bianco si mostrano meglio quando hanno avuto più tempo in bottiglia. Una regola generale è che un vino abbia bisogno di almeno 6 mesi in bottiglia per svilupparsi e diventare piacevole. Ma molti vini bianchi e alcuni rosati continuano a svilupparsi positivamente e raggiungeranno il momento migliore da bere anni dopo. È anche una questione di gusto definire il momento migliore per bere. Non è facile definire il momento migliore per bere e qui non voglio entrare in questo discorso. Voglio semplicemente sottolineare che molti vini possono continuare a sviluppare complessità, profondità, carattere ed espressione del terroir senza perdere la freschezza e la bevibilità essenziali per periodi di tempo considerevoli.
La maggior parte dei vini bianchi e rosati vengono imbottigliati nel periodo di dicembre, gennaio, o febbraio successivo alla vendemmia: considero questa pratica troppo presto e non va bene per vini di qualita. Questa fretta ha da fare con la pressione del mercato che richiede i vini al piu presto in bottiglia: un sistema sbagliata che non aiuta la qualita. Solo un piccolo parte dei vini di qualita riceve piu tempo per maturare prima di andare in bottiglia nel periodo maggio-settembre dopo la vendemmia. Considerando che ogni vino necessita di almeno 6 mesi in bottiglia, significa che possono essere bevuti al meglio dopo novembre-febbraio, cioè 14 a 18 mesi dalla vendemmia. I produttori dicono che “i ristoranti vogliono vini giovani”. E i ristoranti dicono ‘che i consumatori vogliono vini giovani’. Il risultato è che il consumatore ottiene vini che non sono affatto nel loro periodo migliore di consumo e sarebbe bene prendersi un momento di riflessione. Qualcosa è andato completamente storto qui.
VINI ROSSI
La regola generale secondo cui i vini rossi necessitano di un certo periodo di affinamento in bottiglia sembra più generalmente accettata. Ma ci sono delle eccezioni: ci sono alcuni vini rossi, che possono essere bevuti abbastanza velocemente, come alcuni Beaujolais e diversi Barbera. Capita anche che alcuni grandi vini vengano imbottigliati troppo presto: in Sardegna mi hanno proposto un Carignano di Sulcis in bottiglia 12 mesi dopo la vendemmia: questo è ridicolo. Il Carignano è uno dei più meravigliosi vini rossi italiani e può mostrare una ricca gamma di sapori e aromi, ma non entro 12 mesi dalla vendemmia! Questo vino necessita di più tempo di maturazione. Lo stesso accade a volte con il Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, il Nero d’Avola e altri vini rossi. Naturalmente ci sono alcune versioni di Montepulciano o Nero d’Avola che possono essere bevute molto presto, ma la maggior parte di questi vini necessitano di almeno due anni in bottiglia. Un periodo più lungo può essere positivo. Lo stesso vale per la grande maggioranza dei vini rossi.
Anche qui sembra che il mercato sia impazzito e abbia perso il concetto di tempo.
Le differenze tra i vini rossi sono molte: alcuni possono essere bevuti più giovani di altri ma qui non voglio entrare in questo discorso. Il punto è che un numero significativo di vini rossi viene immesso sul mercato troppo presto.
VINI ORANGE
Da 20 anni si è affermata una nuova tendenza nel produrre vini bianchi secondo metodi antichi: il mosto viene fermentato e maturato insieme alle bucce. La tendenza non ha regole fisse e si discute continuamente sul modo migliore di stagionare, sui contenitori più adatti (quevri, botti, tinajas, vasche di cemento o altri contenitori). Alcuni produttori lasciano il vino in fermentazione sulle bucce per alcuni giorni, altri lo prolungano un po’ di più e altri ancora lo lasciano per 6-9 mesi sulle bucce. Il dibattito su quale sia la qualità migliore è in corso e c’è un ampio spettro di opinioni: si va da chi nega categoricamente che questi vini siano corretti o bevibili a chi è più tollerante a chi crede fermamente in questa categoria.
Ho seguito l’andamento durante il periodo di preparazione del mio libro sul Nord Adriatico e ho un’osservazione molto importante: qualunque sia il metodo migliore per produrre questi vini, una cosa dovrebbe essere certa: questi vini necessitano di un lungo periodo di maturazione in cantina e anche in bottiglia prima di essere godibile. Secondo me un periodo di 5-7 anni è il minimo. Non consiglio di bere vini orange che non hanno avuto un periodo di maturazione sufficiente (5-7 anni).
I VECCHI TEMPI
Fino a 100 anni or sono, quando la maggior parte dei vini veniva venduta e trasportata in botti, damigiane o qualsiasi tipo di contenitore, l’idea era che il vino fosse migliore quando più giovane possibile. Ciò era logico perché le possibilità di conservazione e conservazione del vino erano limitate. Anche la produzione del vino era più il risultato di un approccio artigianale, era più un “proviamolo per carità” che un’attività professionale e ben studiata. Strumenti come la fermentazione a freddo, le filtrazioni raffinate e altre tecniche e attrezzature di cantina non esistevano e il vino era il risultato di tentativi ed errori e di conseguenza non poteva invecchiare bene in generale. Taverne e bar si facevano pubblicità con il “vino più giovane che si potesse trovare”. Oggi i nostri sistemi di vendita e di trasporto sono cambiati, le tecniche di produzione sono molto sviluppate e la maggior parte dei vini sono disponibili in bottiglie di vetro. Tuttavia, il mercato vuole che i vini bianchi siano quanto più freschi e giovani possibile. In molti ristoranti italiani è così, ma ho la forte impressione che sia così in molti mercati. I ristoranti mi dicono che il consumatore lo vuole. Presumo che questo sia un concetto che è un residuo di quei tempi antichi.
Sarebbe logico se i mercati rispondessero in modo diverso. I vini in bottiglia si comportano in modo molto diverso da quelli che non hanno mai visto una bottiglia di vetro, ma sembra che il mercato sia rimasto ai vecchi tempi e non si sia adattato al fatto che ora abbiamo il nostro vino in una bottiglia di vetro.
ECONOMIA (oppure : ´aspetti economici´)
Produttori, rivenditori, importatori, ristoranti e bar, tutti hanno bisogno di flusso di cassa. Questo è un altro motivo importante per vendere i vini il più velocemente possibile. Solo pochi ristoranti hanno una grande cantina e i mezzi finanziari per conservare alcuni vini – significa capitale fermo e questo è un problema per molti. Questo aspetto è comprensibile e alcuni consorzi lo hanno capito creando delle regole sul momento di immissione del vino sul mercato. Vini importanti come Barolo, Brunello, Taurasi e i loro equivalenti, hanno alcune regole e alcune cantine addirittura superano quelle regole per dare alle loro bottiglie più tempo per svilupparsi. Ma per molti vini importanti, bianchi e rossi, queste regole sembrano inesistenti e secondo me servono. Al fine di proteggere la qualità di alcuni vini, un tempo minimo di cantina di 18 mesi per vini come il Collio DOC o il Fiano di Avellino DOCG sembra molto logico. Quando c’è la regola il produttore deve adattarsi e troverà il modo di adattarsi. E, a proposito: anche queste regole contribuiscono al prestigio di un vino e aiutano ad accrescerne il valore!
IL RUOLO DEI DISTRIBUTORI
Molto si potrebbe dire sul ruolo dei distributori nel panorama del vino. Il loro ruolo è fondamentale perché senza di loro i vini non arriverebbero nei ristoranti, nei bar, nei negozi, dove finalmente il pubblico potrà cercare il vino preferito. Questo sistema è altamente frammentato, in parte perché la produzione di vino è altamente frammentata ma anche perché il sistema di distribuzione deve servire un gran numero di piccoli negozi, ristoranti e bar. Per ogni attore in questo segmento il vino significa un investimento e vogliono che il vino si muova il più velocemente possibile. Questo è logico. Quindi: quando il vino ha bisogno di più tempo in bottiglia per svilupparsi, quale sarebbe la soluzione migliore? Questa non è una domanda facile e ci sono molte risposte. Una delle risposte sta nelle norme sul vino stesso: quando l’associazione dei produttori vuole proteggere il proprio vino deve creare un sistema affidabile di regole che permetta al vino di rimanere in cantina finché non è pronto per essere bevuto. Purtroppo, sono davvero pochi i vini che restano nella cantina di un produttore prima di essere pronti. Magari un po’ di Barolo, Taurasi o Brunello, ma la maggior parte dei vini viene venduta prima. Questo non dovrebbe essere un grosso problema, perché durante le fasi di distribuzione, il vino verrà stoccato nei magazzini, nelle navi, nelle cantine di bar e ristoranti, prima di essere finalmente consumato e talvolta un appassionato di vino ha una grande cantina dove conservare il suo vino da anni. Ma in realtà è un problema, perché molti vini arrivano nei ristoranti, nei bar e nei negozi poco tempo dopo la vendemmia e vengono bevuti prima che il vino abbia davvero sviluppato le sue qualità più raffinate.
Un altro aspetto è che molti distributori stanno facendo pressioni sui produttori affinché inizino a vendere i vini bianchi giovani il prima possibile. Ogni produttore di vino può confermare che c’è una forte pressione su di lui per imbottigliare vini troppo giovani e venderli troppo giovani perché c’è un mercato che lo aspetta. Ciò significa che non solo i ristoranti, i bar e i negozi vendono i vini troppo presto, ma significa anche che gli intermediari, i distributori dietro le quinte esercitano molta pressione sui produttori di vino affinché introducano i loro vini sul mercato troppo presto. Questa pressione da parte degli intermediari o dei distributori può essere piuttosto forte, anche perché se il produttore vuole resistere per proteggere la qualità del suo vino, potrebbe passare ad un altro produttore. Qualcosa è andato completamente storto qui.
MOMENTO DELL’IMBOTTIGLIAMENTO
Il vino deve attraversare varie fasi prima di essere pronto per la bottiglia. Tecnicamente è possibile imbottigliare un vino nei mesi di gennaio-febbraio-marzo, cioè 4-5-6 mesi dopo la vendemmia. Non è la soluzione ottimale per i vini di qualità perché un vino di qualità ha bisogno di tempo. Ma affinché un vino possa essere imbottigliato nei primi 3 mesi dell’anno è necessario accelerarlo: la fermentazione non dovrebbe durare troppo a lungo e anche la seconda fermentazione (malolattica o malo) dovrebbe essere fatta subito dopo la prima fermentazione. Conta anche il periodo di maturazione: ci sono alcune fasi di chiarifica e filtrazione: un vino che necessita di essere filtrato e chiarificato entro 6-7 mesi dalla vendemmia necessita di una filtrazione più intensiva rispetto ad un vino che ha tempi di maturazione più lunghi. Tutto questo è una pratica comune ed è per questo che ad ogni fiera primaverile possiamo aspettarci di degustare alcuni vini, vendemmiati solo 8 mesi prima. Se un vino viene imbottigliato con tale velocità è logico che la qualità non sarà delle migliori. I migliori vini hanno avuto più tempo per il processo di fermentazione, maturazione e imbottigliamento. I migliori vini hanno avuto un periodo più lungo, senza essere ‘spinti’ nel ‘malo’ e hanno avuto un periodo più lungo in botti o serbatoi per maturare e le pratiche di filtraggio possono essere ridotte: questi vini sono i vini più meravigliosi, equilibrati, e questi sono i vini che vi daranno il massimo piacere. In breve: tutti i grandi vini, che offrono la gioia della raffinatezza e del piacere, hanno visto un periodo di maturazione più lungo da parte di un produttore che si è preso più cura di dare al vino il suo tempo di sviluppo.
LA BOTTIGLIA DI VETRO
Fino a 100 anni fa, o forse anche solo 80 anni fa, un vino in una bottiglia di vetro era il massimo del lusso, accessibile solo ad alcune persone facoltose. La maggior parte dei vini in Europa venivano trasportati e venduti in botti o altri tipi di contenitori. La maggior parte dei vini in bottiglia prima del 1940 provenivano da Bordeaux (Haut-Médoc), alcuni produttori di punta in Germania (Mosella, Rheingau), Porto, Sherry e qualche altra eccezione: in Italia o nell’Europa dell’Est non c’era quasi nessun vino che ha visto una bottiglia di vetro in questo periodo, forse con l’eccezione di Tokaj e Crimea. E la cultura di quel periodo era quella di dare a quelle bottiglie il tempo di invecchiare.
Oggi il mondo è totalmente cambiato: i vini affinati in bottiglia sono una rarità. La maggior parte dei consumatori acquista una bottiglia in negozio e la beve la sera stessa. È uno degli aspetti della società ricca e dell’atteggiamento consumistico di oggi: compra qualcosa e bevilo. Ma un vino in bottiglia di vetro non è un prodotto di largo consumo (almeno i vini migliori) e questo è il grande malinteso.
IL MOMENTO GIUSTO
Naturalmente il momento giusto per bere dipende dal gusto ed è soggettivo. Alcune persone vogliono che il loro Riesling sia fresco e giovane e hanno imparato ad apprezzare questo gusto – lo stesso accade con altri vini. Ma anche queste persone apprezzeranno quello stesso vino, quando avrà avuto più tempo in bottiglia. Quando il vino è più maturo, offre aromi deliziosi, sapori più evoluti, allora il vino è molto più piacevole da bere e il punto è che la maggior parte dei degustatori sarà d’accordo con questo, ma l’unico problema è che la maggior parte dei degustatori non ha nessuna conoscenza e deve bere ciò che offrono i ristoranti. Vuol dire che non hanno nemmeno la minima possibilità di sviluppare il proprio gusto e imparare a riconoscere il valore di un vino invecchiato!
Il punto è che usare bottiglie di vetro non ha alcun senso quando un vino viene bevuto entro 6 mesi dall’imbottigliamento.
NON SOLO LUNGO INVECCHIAMENTO
Non è mia intenzione dire che ogni vino debba invecchiare per molti anni. Il mio punto è che molti vini escono sul mercato troppo presto e vengono bevuti troppo presto: in questo modo il vino non ha il tempo di sviluppare il massimo del piacere. Non voglio entrare qui nel discorso dei vini che necessitano anche di un invecchiamento più lungo almeno 2 o 3 anni, come è il caso di molti Timorasso dei Colli Tortonesi, alcuni grandi Riesling, alcuni Fiano e anche alcuni rosati. Che miracolo bere vini come questi dopo, 3 o 4 anni – o più tardi! Sono diventati ricchi, vellutati, maturi e così persistenti: questi vini sono molto lontani dal vino iniziale che è rimasto in bottiglia per 3 mesi. Purtroppo, molti consumatori non se ne accorgeranno mai perché molti di questi grandi bianchi vengono bevuti troppo giovani. Un vero peccato.
TENDENZA AL RIBASSO
Sì: alcuni vini bianchi e rosati non possono invecchiare troppo e non serve aspettare troppo tempo per essere bevuti. Ci sono esempi di vini bianchi e rosati che vanno bevuti velocemente. In questa categoria non stiamo parlando di vini con gli standard più elevati, molti di questi vini sono più economici e spesso venduti tramite i supermercati. Sorge la domanda se tali vini debbano essere venduti in bottiglie di vetro: a mio avviso è meglio evitare le bottiglie di vetro per vini così di bassa qualità e facili da bere.
SOSTENIBILITÀ
E se un vino dovesse essere bevuto giovane, ad esempio nel primo anno dopo la vendemmia? Questo è il caso di alcuni vini bianchi e rosati (e incidentalmente anche di alcuni rossi). La mia proposta per questi vini è quella di cercare soluzioni diverse dalla bottiglia di vetro: un vino del genere non trae alcun vantaggio dalla bottiglia di vetro. Per lo più qui siamo nella gamma di vini più economici e facili e potrebbe essere un’ottima idea cercare carta, cartone o altri materiali per tali vini. Ci sono molte opzioni disponibili e anche il bag-in-box può essere un’opzione.
Il vetro è costoso e ha un’elevata impronta di CO2. Se vogliamo davvero lavorare seriamente sulla sostenibilità nel mercato del vino, allora questa è un’opzione interessante. Probabilmente parliamo di grandi numeri, perché il settore dei vini più economici da bere giovani è immenso. Ciò significa che c’è molta riduzione di CO-2 possibile.
Ciò implica che le bottiglie di vetro verranno utilizzate solo per quei vini bianchi, rosati e rossi che si pensa rimangano in cantina prima di essere bevuti per un periodo più lungo. Parliamo a questo punto dei vini bianchi e rosati di maggiore qualità e di una grande quantità di vini rossi. In ogni caso la soluzione sarebbe una drastica riduzione dell’uso delle bottiglie di vetro.
ALCUNI SUGGERIMENTI:
1 Prima di tutto considero importante di prendere un momento di riflessione. Il vino e un prodotto da godere e la catena di produzione (produttori, organizzazioni di categoria) dovrebbe impegnarsi a curare questo aspetto. Il fatto che tanti vini vengono ´spinto´ per essere vendibile nel mercato al piu presto non serve alla qualita e non va bene per il motivo piu essenziale del vino: essere un prodotto da godere, un prodotto per piacere. Qualcosa e andato male e serve la riflessione su questo aspetto.
2 Se eventualmente i produttori vengono costretto per legge di tenere i vini per piu tempo in cantina sara una regola per tutti e non ci sono problemi di concorrenza. Il primo problema e che i produttori devono aspettare un anno di piu per ricevere i soldi del investimento, pero dopo quell´anno non ci sono problemi. Si tratta solo di un singolo anno che devono passare. In piu si tratta di creare spazio in cantina per tenere una quantita di bottiglie per piu tempo in cantina: questo aspetto potrebbe essere un problema per tanti produttori. Comunque considero che tra l’interesse del consumatore di poter bere un vino migliore e l’interesse commerciale dei produttori dovvrebbe prevalere l’interesse del consumatore.
3 In Italia ci sono i consorzi, i “consorzi di tutela”, in altri paesi ci sono associazioni di produttori simili. La parola tutela significa letteralmente “proteggere”. Potrebbe essere un suggerimento che i consorzi comincino a tutelare i propri vini e a creare la regola che i vini bianchi come Timorasso, Albana, Fiano, Greco, Verdicchio, e i vini del Collio DOC in generale – eccetera – non entrino sul mercato entro 18 mesi dal raccolto. Oppure creano regole che proteggono meglio la qualita. In alcuni casi il vino dovrebbe arrivare addirittura più tardi sul mercato. Sarebbe una misura fantastica per proteggere i vini!
4 Considerando che la sostenibilità è così importante, sarebbe una misura importante per il mondo del vino rivalutare l’uso del vetro. Le bottiglie di vetro non vanno usate per vini bevuti entro 6 mesi dalla vendemmia: per un vino del genere la bottiglia di vetro non è il contenitore migliore, molto meglio cartone o carta (come si usa per il latte), oppure altri tipi di contenitori. (NB: per capirsi bene, non sto parlando di vini di qualita: per i vini di qualita va bene il vetro pero sara da vedere i tempi nei quali i vini arrivano sul mercato!)
Questa misura implicherebbe un enorme miglioramento per l’ambiente. Verrà utilizzato meno vetro e ciò significa una drastica diminuzione delle emissioni di CO-2. Sfortunatamente il vino non è un prodotto molto sostenibile, a causa dell’energia e della quantità di acqua necessarie per produrre una bottiglia di vino.
La sostenibilità è una questione molto ampia e complessa. Ridurre la produzione del vetro sarebbe un piccolo passo in un processo molto più grande ma rappresenterebbe in ogni caso un importante passo avanti.
Un buon vino non è un bene di consumo in rapida evoluzione. Il vino fa parte della nostra cultura e storia (europea), un prodotto che esiste fin dai tempi biblici, con radici in ogni cultura (europea). Il vino ha bisogno di tempo ma il problema è che il mercato del vino ha dimenticato il concetto di tempo.
Mille grazie a Ole Udsen ed a Maurizio Gily per i commenti molto utili ed a Maurizio per l´aiuto con la traduzione!
Photo: Moreno Coronica in his vineyards
Istria is that wonderful peninsula in the shape of a grape bunch south of Trieste. During Yugoslavia it was a touristic hotspot, but the cooperative system did not allow attention to quality – it was mass production. Today, Istria has developed into one of Europe’s most interesting wine regions. Quality has improved and it is helpful that Istria is so close to Italy: the influence of the Italian (viti)culture can be felt everywhere. There is a great number of highly professional wineries and a tasting of Istrian wines is a wonderful experience that offers you the chance to know so many great wines. It has become one of the most interesting parts of the North Adriatic. And there is one winery that stands out here: Coronica.
Photo: vineyards near Umag (Istria, HR) of Coronica winery
In the period when Friuli and Istria were part of the Habsburg empire, his family came from Friuli and settled in this area. Moreno Coronica inherited his passion for the vineyards from his father. One of the first things he realized is the importance of the vineyards: he knew that the quality of the wine is made in the vineyard, not in the cellar. As a result he dedicated much attention to his vineyards. The 21 hectares are well cared for and Coronica tends to give a maximum of 7 treatments a year without using fertilizers or herbicides. His wines could easily be certified as organic but there is indication on the label. He does not want to expand too much: ‘I would not be a farmer anymore, it would become too big. If I have to choose between farmer and winemaker, I choose to be a farmer.’ he says.
The vineyards are located around the winery in a beautiful scenery. The red soils and the Karst-like white rocks play a crucial role in the quality of the wine; also the sea has impact: the sea breezes cool the vineyards in summer and help to avoid frost in the winter. This is the typical landscape of Istria, in combination with a forest with ancient oaks and a rich fauna. There are magnificent views on the Adriatic sea and with clear weather the Austrian Alps can be seen across the sea.
During the period of research for my book North Adriatic, I met Moreno and he immediately gave me the impression of someone with great knowledge but also a modest person, easy going, and who keeps his eye on the most important things to do for his company and his family. I had the honor to have a drive with him in his Lada through his vineyards and he showed me how meticulous they are cared for. He is a hard worker and together with his family he has built the company to its actual size. In 1993 he released the first bottles of Malvazija and slowly, after the year 2000, the market recognized the quality. Today his Malvasias are considered benchmark and examplary for the high quality of Istria’s Malvasia. And his wine ‘Gran Malvasia‘ to me is one of the great white wines of the entire North Adriatic. ‘It is our duty to leave to our children the same land that we have been left with. We work this land with all our heart and soul. And on this path we want to leave our mark, with the local indigenous varieties, Istrian Malvasia and Teran‘ says Moreno.
From the beginning Coronica was assisted by the Italian oenologist Aldo Venco who is another factor for the success of the company. Aldo believed in the potential of Teran and was convinced that the wine is capable of providing outstanding characteristics comparable to wines such as Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo.
Both photos above: vertical tasting of older vintages of Coronica Gran Teran
Coronica Gran Teran
Teran is a local variety, also found in Slovenia and Italy but there is confusion. It is called Teran or Terrano in Slovenia and on the Karst but Teran from Istria is identical to Refošk from Slovenia. In Istria, both varieties Teran and Refosco/Refošk are allowed but Refošk from Croatian Istria is identical to Refosco dal Peduncolo rosso from Italy. DNA has shown that Teran is closely related to other Refoscos but not identical. It’s origin is unclear but I consider it a typical variety for the North Adriatic region where it grows in Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. It is one of the most tannin-rich grapes of the region. The acidity is unusual high for a red wine and the color is that strong that it will never disappear when it has touched textiles. Because of this acidity, it is recommended to let the wine age: this is essential. When the wine is young it shows aggressive acidity and tannins.
Great wine needs time: this is a rule that every winelover knows and many of the greatest wines in the world (Bordeaux, Barolo, Brunello, Taurasi) have had several years of aging before going to the market. This should be the right approach for Teran too. Coronica has understood this rule more than any other winemaker. He has made a wonderful, brilliant wine that can age wonderfully. His Gran Teran is made of 100% Teran grapes, and only produced in years when the grapes are of the highest quality. The result is a rich, well-balanced wine with good ageing potential. On the nose you’ll find aromas of red cherries, jam, plums, prunes, and a hint of spices, while on the palate you’ll also find some other darker fruits like blackberries, minerality, freshness, and in some vintages a hint of tobacco appears. The firm structure and well-rounded tannins are matched by fresh acidity giving the elegance to the wine. The wine has an exceptional balance.
Vinification takes place after careful grape sorting and the wine matures barrels of various sizes. Only after several years of maturation the wine is released: and this is important. This wine needs aging in order to give this sumptuous, refined character.
It is a pity that so few producers presents this style, as many use to offer the wine in a young stage. This is a wrong sales politics, but unfortunately it exists. Therefore it is important that a great producer like Coronica shows the way. The vertical tasting of Gran Teran in his winery proved the fantastic quality of this wine – and also the great hospitality of the Coronica family. At the event some professionals of the wine industry were present from Canada, European countries and Croatia. We had the possibility to taste a series of recent vintage vintages of his Gran Teran, ending with a spectacular 1997. And the proof was there: Teran has shown its splendour and it was clear that the wine ages fantastically. ‘Teran is truly unique and has the potential to succeed in the international market. Istria has a unique variety that is a specialty of this region, and Moreno Coronica does a really great thing with this,” said Paula Bosch, Germany’s well-known sommelier from München.
photo: Moreno Coronica and his family
Conclusion:
The old vintages offered a great impression of what the wine is capable. I really enjoyed the vintage 2011. But 2007 was even more brilliant. It showed how this wine benefits of staying some years in the bottle. The 2007 was soft, easy drinkable, with a lot of structure and still very fresh and balanced. Also the other vintages were great. It is remarkable that the 2000 was only a little paler than the recent vintages. In fact the style difference started with the vintage 2007: both the 2007, 2008 and 2009 were very intense and showed world class wines. Teran is able to offer great elegance and intensity without losing its character.
In short: Coronica Gran Teran is a unique wine. It is one of those wines that will convince after 10 or 20 years or later. I am sure that this wine will develop into a collectors item that winelovers worldwide are looking for. It has all the characteristics. It should be on the list of collectors´wines in magazines such as Decanter and wine searcher!
Gastronomy potential
The tasting was rounded off by a 5-course lunch paired with the wines of the Coronica winery. Each course was prepared by 5 excellent local renowned restaurants and taverns: Restaurant San Rocco, Restaurant Badi, Restaurant Morgan, Konoba Nono and Konoba Bušćina. It shows the gastronomic potential of Teran.
Many thanks to Moreno Coronica and his family.
Photo: Aldo Venco, Coronica’s enologue speaking
Photo: Coronica’s olive oil, home production near Umag, Istria (HR)
Photo: Winery Coronica, near Umag in Istria (HR)
Photos below: some wonderful dishes at the vertical tasting of Gran Teran at Coronica winery:
When is the right moment to open a bottle of wine? This is a complex discussion and too many wines are drunk too young, especially whites. This is a big problem, especially because it means that many wines are consumed exactly in the period when the wine is still developing in the bottle and did not yet arrive at its best drinking moment. As a consequence, the consumers (most often they are not experts) are missing the best of what many wines can offer. Therefore I am proposing in this article the argument to start the sales of (white) wines later.
My second point is that if a wine is intended to be consumed within 6 months after bottling, glass bottles under cork closure are not needed and can be replaced by other materials. In this case we are speaking about fast-moving consumer goods, and a part of the wine production is to be considered as such. Glass is a hugely CO2-intensive material. Reducing the amount of glass bottles by using alternative packaging means a big reduction of CO-2 output from the wine industry: it would be a great step towards more sustainability. The second aspect is that there will be less pressure on the cork production and this would release the pressure on the cork market.
INTRODUCTION
It is June, I am in a restaurant in Naples and the waiter offers me a Fiano di Avellino DOCG of the last vintage: I refuse the wine. Why? Because this is not the way I want to enjoy this wine. At this point we are witnessing one of the problems of the wine market today: Fiano that has been harvested 8 or 9 months ago, has been bottled 3 or 4 months ago: such a wine cannot be at the right moment for drinking. Fiano di Avellino is a wonderful, refined wine, an example of pure Italian excellence but it needs time to develop in the bottle. Fiano is best drunk between 3 and 6 years after the harvest and some of the best Fianos even later. Maybe the market wants a fresh wine for historical reasons: long ago, when the winemaking technics were not well developed, the best wine was the most fresh and the youngest: bars in Milan and Venice marketed their wines as the most fresh. The youngest wine was the best. But that is the past: the quality of the wines is different now, the production, the transport systems and last-but-not least, the glass bottle, allow the wine to mature and be drinkable after more time. Another point is economics: many producers, bars, restaurants and dealers need cash flow and cannot afford to stock wines for a long period: this is a general problem of wine.
Originally, the glass bottle was a luxury and all bottled wines were aged because this was considered necessary. For a long period the glass bottles have remained luxury and wines were stocked with the intention to drink them after several years, also white wines (mostly white Burgundy and Riesling). Also the private consumers put their white and red bottles in the cellar for a few years. The idea of buying a bottle and drink it directly was not common.
It is my intention to say that it would be a good idea to go back to the glass bottle as a luxury, because it is a luxury – we only have made the error to forget that.
And it is my intention to propose that all wines that are made with the intention to be drunk in the period may-december of the year following the harvest should never see a glass bottle. There are many suitable packaging solutions and it would relax the market for glass and for corks.
Today the situation is the opposite of the past: it seems as if producers and restaurants are hurrying to sell a wine in bottle as fast as possible. And that is a big problem: the wine market has forgotten the concept of time.
DEVELOPMENT OF WINE IN THE BOTTLE
Everybody who has bottled wines and follows the development of that wine in the bottle knows this general wisdom: during the first months after bottling a wine tends to close and does not offer the sensations and aromas that will come out later. Depending on the wine (type, grape variety, quality) the wine starts to open up after 6-7-8 months, sometimes earlier, sometimes later, and great red wines need many years to open up (Barolo, Aglianico). Who drinks a wine within 6 months after bottling will drink that wine in the most unfortunate drinking period. When bottled in March, the wine will start to open up in November of that year, but we know that many white and rosé wines have already been drunk! It means that many white and rosé wines are drunk exactly during the period when the wine is still not in its good period. It’s a waste!
WHITE AND ROSE WINES
It is not only Fiano, all white and rosé wines need some time in bottle to be enjoyable. Every quality wine needs some development in bottle: the period depends on various factors, variety, vintage, soil, yield, standards of vinification. So a general rule about a drinking window does not exist. Like Fiano, a wonderful and well-made white, or a rosé wine will offer some fresh fruit when young, but forget the refinement, the depth of flavors, the wonderful, complex aromas, hints of tropical fruit and hydrocarbon. All the wonderful sensations for which a wine is known are not there when the bottle is opened too soon. Opening that bottle is a pity!
By the way, we are witnessing a situation that many white and rosé wines are bottled even earlier to be available at the fairs in March and April and as a result, these wines are sold too young.
The aging period depends on the quality and the character of the variety: Vermentino or Pinot Bianco are able to show great character and elegance when young. White wines like Fiano, Albana, Timorasso, Verdicchio, Greco, Riesling, and also Chardonnay, need more time but also Vermentino and Pinot Bianco show better when they have been given more time. A general rule is that a wine needs at least 6 months in the bottle to develop and become enjoyable. But many white and some rosé wines continue to develop positively and will reach the best drinking moment years later. It is also a matter of taste to define the best drinking moment. It is not easy to define the best drinking moment and here I do not want to go into that discussion. I merely want to make the point that many wines can continue to develop complexity, depth, character and terroir expression without losing essential freshness and drinkability for considerable periods of time.
Most white and rosé wines are bottled in the period of May-September after the harvest (there are exceptions): considering that each wine needs at least 6 months in bottle, means that they can best be drunk after November – February, that is 14 to 18 months after the harvest. Producers use to say that ‘restaurants want young wines‘. And the restaurants say ‘that the consumers want young wines‘. The result is that the consumer gets wines that are not at all in their best drinking period and it would be a good idea to take a moment of reflection. Something has completely gone wrong here.
RED WINES
The general rule that red wines need some time in bottle seems more generally accepted. But there are exceptions: there are some red wines, that can be drunk quite fast, like some Beaujolais and several Barbera wines. It also happens that some great wines are bottled much too early: in Sardinia they offered me a Carignano di Sulcis in bottle 12 months after the harvest: this is ridiculous. Carignano is one of the most wonderful Italian red wines and can show a rich pattern of flavors and aromas – but not within 12 months from the harvest! The wine needs more maturation time. The same happens sometimes with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Nero d’Avola and other red wines. Of course there are some versions of Montepulciano or Nero d’Avola that can be drunk in a very early stage, but most of these wines need at least two years in bottle. A longer period can be positive. The same counts for the large majority of red wines.
Also here it seems that the market has gone crazy and has lost the concept of time.
There are many differences between red wines: some can be drunk more young than others but here I do not want to go into that discussion. The point is that a significant number of red wines are put on the market too early.
ORANGE WINES
Since 20 years a new trend has come up to produce white wines according to ancient methods: the must is fermented and matured together with the skins. The trend has no fixed rules and there are continuous discussions about the best way of maturing, the most suited containers (Quevri, barrels, tinajas, cement vats, or other containers). Some producers leave the fermenting wine on the skins for some days, others continue that period a bit longer and again others leave them for 6-9 months on the skins. The discussion on which quality is best are going and there is a large spectrum of opinions: it goes from those who stifly deny that these wines are correct or drinkable from those who are more tolerant to those who are strong believers in this category.
I have followed the trend during the period of preparation of my book about the North Adriatic and I have one very important observation: whatever the best method for producing these wines, one thing should be sure: these wines need a long period of maturation in the cellar and also on the bottle before being enjoyable. In my opinion a period of 5-7 years is the minimum. I do not recommend for drinking orange wines that have not had a sufficient period of maturation (5-7 years).
REFLECTION OF OLD TIMES
Before 100 years, when most wines were sold and transported in casks or demijohns or any type of container, the idea was that the wine was best when as young as possible. This was logical because the possibilities for preservation and conservation of the wine were limited. Also the production of the wine was more a result of an artigianal approach, it was more a ‘let’s try it for God’s sake’ than a professional and well-studied activity. Instruments such as cold-fermentation, refined filtrations and other cellar techniques and equipment did not exist and the wine was a result of trial and error and as a result it could not age well generally. Taverns and bars made publicity with the ‘youngest wine you can get’. Today our systems of selling and transports have changed, production techniques are highly developed, and most wines are available by glass bottles. But still, the market wants the white wines as fresh and young as possible. This is the case in many Italian restaurants, but I have the strong impression this is the case in many markets. The restaurants tell me that the consumer wants it. I presume this is a concept that is a remnant from those ancient times.
It would be logical if the markets would respond in a different way. Bottled wines behave very differently than those that have never seen a glass bottle but it seems as if the market is remaining with the old times and did not adapt to the fact that now we have our wine in a glass bottle.
ECONOMICS
Producers, dealers, importers, restaurants and bars, they all need cash flow. This is another important reason to sell the wines as fast as possible. Only a few restaurants have a large cellar and the financial means to stock some wines – it means dead capital and this is a problem for many. This aspect is understandable and some consorzios have understood this by creating rules about the moment of release of the wine in the market. Important wines such as Barolo, Brunello, Taurasi and their equals in Burgundy and Bordeaux have some rules and some wineries even exceed those rules to give their bottles more time to develop. But for many important white and red wines these rules seem to be non-existent and in my opinion they are needed. In order to protect the quality of some wines a minimum cellar time of 18 months for wines like Collio DOC or Fiano di Avellino DOCG seems very logical. When the rule is there the producer has to adapt and they will find ways to adapt. And, by the way: such rules also contribute to the prestige of a wine and help to increase its value!
THE ROLE OF THE DISTRIBUTORS
Much can be said about the role of distributors in the wine scene. Their role is fundamental because without them the wines will not arrive at the restaurants, bars, stores, where finally the public can seek out their prefered wine. This system is highly fragmented, partly because the wine production is highly fragmented but also because the system of distribution needs to serve a large amount of small shops, restaurants and bars. For each player in this segment wine means an investment and they want the wine to move as fast as possible. This is logical. So: when the wine needs more time in the bottle to develop, what would be the best solution? This is not an easy question and there are many answers. One of the answers is in the rules about the wine itself: when the producers association wants to protect their wine they need to create a reliable system of rules that will allow the wine to remain in the cellar until the wine is ready for drinking. Alas, very few wines will really remain in the cellar of a producer before they are ready. Maybe some Barolo, Taurasi or Brunello, but most wines are sold earlier. This should not be a big problem, because during the phases of distribution, the wine will be stored in warehouses, in ships, in cellars of bars and restaurants, before finally be consumed and sometimes a wine enthusiast has a large cellar where he can store his wine for years. But in fact it is a problem, because many wines arrive at the restaurants, bars and stores in a short period after the harvest and are drunk before the wine has really developed its most refined quality.
Another aspect is that many distributor are pressing the producers to start selling the young white wines as soon as possible. Every wine producer can tell that there is a strong pressure on him to bottle wines too young and sell them too young because there is a market waiting. It means that not only the restaurants, bars, and stores are selling the wines too early – it also means that the middlemen, the distributors behind the scenes are exercising a lot of pressure on the wine producers to bring their wines on the market too early. This pressure by the middlemen or distributors can be quite strong, also because if the producer wants to resist in order to protect the quality of his wine, they might switch to another producer. Something has gone completely wrong here.
MOMENT OF BOTTLING
Wine has to go through various stages before being ready for the bottle. Technically it is possible to bottle a wine in January-February-March, that is 4-5-6 months after the harvest. It is not the optimal solution for quality wines because a quality wine needs time. But to reach the point that a wine can be bottled in the first 3 months of the year it needs to be speeded up: the fermentation should not take too long and also the second fermentation (malolactic or ‘malo’) should be done soon after the first fermentation. Also the period of maturation counts: there are some phases of clarification and filtration: a wine that needs to be filtered and clarified in 6-7 months after the harvest needs a more intensive filtering than a wine that has a longer maturation time. All this is common practice and this is the reason why we can expect at any spring fair to taste some wines, harvested only 8 months before. If a wine is bottled with such a speed it is only logical that the quality will not be the best. The best wines have had more time for the process of fermentation, maturation and bottling. The best wines have had a longer period, without being ‘pushed’ into the ‘malo’ and having a longer period in casks or tanks to mature and the filtering practises can be reduced: these wines are the most wonderful, balanced wines, and these are the wines that will give you the greatest pleasure. In short: all the great wines, that offer the joy of refinement and pleasure, have seen a longer period of maturation by a producer who took more care in order to give the wine its time for development.
THE GLASS BOTTLE
Until 100 years ago, or maybe even only 80 years ago, a wine in a glass bottle was the ultimate luxury, only accessible to some wealthy persons. Most of the wines in Europe were transported and sold in casks or other types of containers. Most of the wines in bottle before 1940 were from Bordeaux (Haut-Médoc), some top-producers in Germany (Mosel, Rheingau), Port, Sherry and some other, exceptions: in Italy or in Eastern Europe there was hardly any wine that saw a glass bottle in this period, maybe with the exception of Tokaj and Crimea. And the culture in that period was to give those bottles time to age.
Today, the world has totally changed: wines that are aged in bottle are a rarity. Most consumers buy a bottle in the shop and drink it the same evening. It is one of the aspects of a wealthy society and the consumer attitude of today: buy something and drink it. But a wine in a glass bottle is not a fast-moving consumer product (at least the better wines) and this is the big misunderstanding.
THE RIGHT MOMENT
Of course the right moment of drinking depends on taste and is subjective. Some people want their Riesling to be fresh and young, and have learned to appreciate this taste – the same happens with other wines. But also these people will appreciate that same wine, when it has had more time in bottle. When the wine is more mature, it offers delightful aromas, more evolved flavors, then the wine is much more joy to drink and my point is that the majority of tasters will agree with this but the only problem is that the majority of the tasters have no knowledge and have to drink what the restaurants are offering. It means that they do not even get the slightest chance to develop their taste and learn to recognize the value of an older wine!
My point is that using glass bottles makes no sense at all when a wine is drunk within 6 months from bottling.
NOT ONLY LONG AGING
It is not my intention to say that each wine should age for many years. My point is that many wines are on the market too early and are drunk too early: this way the wine has no time to develop the maximum of pleasure. I do not want to go here into the discussion of wines that need even a longer aging at least 2 or 3 years, as is the case with many Timorasso wines from the Colli Tortonesi, some great Rieslings, some Fianos and also some rosés. What a miracle to drink such wines after, 3 or 4 years – or later! They have become rich, velvety, mature and so persistent: such wines are far away from the initial wine that was 3 months in bottle. Alas, many consumers will never notice this because such many of these great whites are drunk too young. A big pity.
DOWNWARD TREND
Yes: some white and rosé wines can become too old and should not wait too long to be drunk. There are examples of white and rosé wines that should be drunk fast. In this category we are not talking about wines with the highest standards, many of these wines are cheaper and often sold via supermarkets. The question arises whether such wines should be sold in glass bottles: in my view it is better to avoid glass bottles for such low-quality and easy-drinking wines.
SUSTAINABILITY
What if a wine should be drunk young, for example in the first year after the harvest? This is the case with some white and rosé wines (and incidentally some red). My proposal for such wines is to search for other solutions than the glass bottle: such a wine does not profit at all from the glass bottle. Mostly we are in the range of cheaper and more easy wines here and it could be a great idea to search for paper, carton or other materials for such wines. There are many options available, and bag-in-box can be an option too.
Glass is expensive, and has a high CO-2 footprint. If we really want to make serious work of sustainability in the wine market, then this is an interesting option. Probably we are talking about big numbers, because the sector of cheaper wines that are drunk young is immense. It means that there is a lot of CO-2 reduction to win here.
The implication of this is that glass bottles will only be used for those white, rosé and red wines that are thought to remain in the cellar before being drunk for a longer period. At this point we are talking about the higher quality white and rosé wines and a large amount of red wines. In any case the solution would be a drastic reduction of the use of glass bottles, but also of corks. As the cork industry has come to a critical point because the demand is too large, this would be a great solution for the cork industry. And it would be a great solution for consumers too, because with lesser ‘pressure’ on the market, we will be sure the amount of cork failures will be reduced too.
In short: there is a lot to win by rethinking the use of glass bottles for wine!
SOME SUGGESTIONS:
1 In Italy there are the consorzios, ‘consorzi di tutela’, in other countries there are similar producers associations. The word tutela litterally means ‘protect‘. It might be a suggestion that the consorzios start to protect their wines and create the rule that white wines like Timorasso, Albana, Fiano, Greco, Verdicchio, and wines from Collio DOC in general – etcetera – will not enter the market within 18 months from the harvest. In some cases the wine should even come later on the market. That would be a fantastic measure to protect the wines!
A problem for the producers? Only one year: they have a period of one year with lower cash flow to overcome: after that they can continue to sell wines that are more mature and better drinkable. It will satisfy all wine drinkers in the world and in the end also the producers will be happy.
2 Considering that sustainability is so important, it would be an important measure for the wine world to re-evaluate the use of glass. Glass bottles should not be used for wines that are drunk within 6 months from the harvest: for such a wine the glass bottle is not the best container, carton or paper (as used for milk), or other types of containers would be much better. This measure would imply a huge improvement for the environment. Less glass will be used and this means a drastic decrease of CO-2 output. Unfortunately wine is not a very sustainable product – due to the energy and the water amount that are needed to produce a bottle of wine.
Sustainability is a very wide and complex matter. Reducing the glass production would be a small step in a much bigger process but in any case it would be an important step forward.
A good wine is not a fast-moving consumer good. Wine is part of our (European) culture and history, a product that exists since biblical times, with roots in every (European) culture. Wine needs time but the problem is that the wine market has forgotten the concept of time.
Many thanks to Ole Udsen for his wise comments!
The region Sulcis-Iglesiente (in Sardinian:(Meurreddìa-Igresiènti) in Southwest Sardinia offers wonderful landscapes, modern and ancient architecture, unique vineyards and a beautiful coast. On the search for interesting wines I arrived in the area of the town Iglesias where sommelier Simone Franceschi introduced me to the area. He told me about the importance of the mining history for this area: the Phoenicians knew about the strong metals found here, and later the Romans, the people from Pisa, the Genovese, the Spanish, and the Italians. The area was inhabited before the 18th century BC (Nuragic period) and probably also the first inhabitants were interested in the metals. Almost no region in Europe knows so many mines in a short distance. Simone, who is also a theologian, showed me the landscapes around, dominated by huge industrial structures, mining towers, almost small towns, all abandoned. In the mountains precious metals like silver, lead, and zink were found. Further south, near Carbonia, there were coal mines and the town Carbonia was built in the period of Mussolini. In the 11th century Pisa founded the town Iglesias. From the 13th until the 17th century this was Aragon, and Spanish territory and there is a lot of Spanish influence everywhere. And the island of Carloforte is inhabited by people who are direct descendants from Genoa. It means that the region also has a lot of cultural monuments of high interest.
‘We hope that tourism will start to develop now’, says Simone. Today, the mines are a monument of industrial archeology and have been included in the UNESCO tentative’s list. A tour through some old mining structures is an attraction. Apart from that the region also offers some interesting monuments from the Nuragic and Carthaginian period. Also lovers of the sea, and the crystal-clear waters of Sardinia can find a lot of fine opportunities here.
WINE POTENTIAL
But it is the wine that should be the most important argument for the area to become an interesting destination. And the soil structure of the area is of high interest: the Cixerri valley has deposits of minerals in the soil that will give an extra dimension to the wines. The geological structure of the mountains – they contain minerals like iron, zink, silver, lead – around has left deposits in the Sulcis area too. Therefore this area can be considered of high interest for viticulture. And the sandy soils of Sant’Antioco are unique because the Phylloxera did not arrive there. A lot of potential that can be used for quality wines.
WINE
The area can be divided in three subzones:
1 the valley that leads from the town Iglesias to the east: the Cixerri valley;
2 on the western side of the mountains, the area of Sulcis on the ‘mainland’;
3 the two islands Sant’Antioco and San Pietro (also called Carloforte).
The DOC Sulcis covers the area east of the mountains towards the sea and includes both islands but does not include the Cixerri valley. Wines from Cixerri can be labelled as Cagliari DOC but many winemakers prefer the IGT Isola dei Nuraghi that gives them some freedom of choice. Geologically speaking the Cixerri valley is very old and the soils are porous and contain fine gravelly parts with a high mineral content: very interesting for the production of quality wines. In the past there were many vineyards here but only 3 wineries remain.
The Sulcis area is quite large and has the biggest amount of vineyards, many of them close to the sea. They are situated on soils that are a mix of sand, clay and deposits from the mountains and can give good wines. Very special is the island Sant’Antioco: it is almost entirely covered with sandy soils where the Phylloxera could not arrive. As a result most plants are ungrafted, which means that they are standing on the original roots of the plant. It is another special gem of this area and Carignano wines from these old vines can be very special.
CARIGNANO
Carignano is the dominant grape variety in Sulcis Iglesiente. The DOC Carignano del Sulcis does not include the vineyards of the Cixerri valley, but also there Carignano offers excellent results. The grape variety (in France known as Carignan) is said to have its origins in Spain. In this area it gives some interesting results and when well-made the wine can be fascinating. The most particular aspect of Carignano is that it is harvested late September or in October, although it is grown in some of the warmest places of Italy. Despite the heat the wines can still contain a rather high acidity – combined with interesting flavors. The wine can age very well and preserves its freshness and aromas. This is why I think that Carignano from this area has a great future. The only problem is that many producers do not age the wine and start selling 9 months after the harvest. A great wine needs time to develop to greatness and Carignano is no exception. The best samples that I tasted were wines that were aged at least 3 or 4 years. And some of them were much older.
Sardinia possesses a lot of autochthonous varieties too. The most important grapes are: Monica, Bovale, Moscato, Nasco, Nuragus and Vermentino. Especially Monica can give very interesting wines in the area lightly spicy in a very elegant way.
Sulcis-Iglesiente is not only a mining territory: the wines from this area can be of high quality and very original. The intense flavors of an aged Carignano are very attractive and this gives the region a unique, strong identity that goes beyond its beautiful beaches.
WINES TASTED:
This is only a small selection and not representative for the entire region:
Cantina Arriali
Situated in the Cixerri valley. Owner Paolo Pitzolu is a very creative man. He thinks and works out-of-the-box and the results are very interesting. This is a winery to follow!
– Carignano IGT 2019
Very fine fruit, great purity and elegance. Fine tannins and length. The wine will show more of its potential with age.
He also produces Vermentino and some other wines. This winery merits attention.
Cantina Santadi
Based in the Sulcis area, not far from Carbonia, this is one of the most important wineries of Sardinia and has played an important role in the development of Sulcis. With some 250 members it covers an area of circa 650 ha. Very important was the contribution by Tuscan enologue Tachis who started working for this winery in 1975.
– Nuragus di Cagliari DOC 2021 Pedraia
Light and fresh aroma, fine and stylish, good acidity, medium length.
– Vermentino di Sardegna DOC 2021 Villa Solais
Very floral, fine fruit, hints of dried grass, small mineral touch, length
– Carignano del Sulcis DOC 2020
fruity and lighter style, some mineral aroma and fine fruit, medium length
– Carignano del Sulcis DOC 2019 riserva Rocca Rubia
Rich and delicate aroma, wealth of fruit and minerals
Character, with abundance of spices and minerals rounded by mature fruit
– Carignano del Sulcis DOC 2018 Terre Brune
partly aged on new oak, it offers soft fruity tones, jammy, a hint of spice
Very full-bodied, but smooth and well-done, fine fruit, balance, velvety and rich
Cantina Rubiu
Situated in the Cixerri valley, east of Iglesias, this is a young winery, managed by Roberto Rubiu and his father. Together they produce from their 11 ha some 80.000 bottles/year.
The winery has a high percentage of Monica wines produced from old vineyards: what a surprise! These wines are wonderful and I hope that these very fine wines remain in production. Alas, the market is small but the wine is wonderful.
– Monica di Sardegna 2021 Bsnoi
light herbs, fine aroma
Very delicate wine, with fine fruit, spice and length that makes me think of a brilliant Verduno Pelaverga from Barolo area. A wine that is very different from all the others but for the better: very interesting wine!
– Carignano igt 2021 Sumbra
This is a promising wine. There is fine fruit, some spices and length but the wine is too young to judge. It needs more time.
Cantina Aru
Small winery in the Cixerri valley, east of Iglesias. The vineyards are on alluvial soils with a very high stones and mineral content – due to the vicinity of the mountains that provided these minerals.
The winery has an old Spanish house that is visitable and reminds of the Spanish period.
– Vermentino 2021
fine, fruity style, some dried grass, typical
– Carignano 2021
This wine offers some fine spices, but it is still very young and needs more time for aging.
Tenuta Evaristano
Winery in Sulcis area, working organically. They work 100 ha but don’t produce Carignano.
But the other wines are worth seeking out:
– Vermentino 2021 Is Araus
Rich and wonderful Vermentino, abundance of fruit, some hints of mineral and elegance.
– Bovale, IGT Isola dei Nuraghi 2021
Alas this is 2021, too young for a wine to show greatness! The wine contains a lot of fruit, intense style, strong tannins, and length. The wine has potential but it will show with some aging.
Ercole Lenzu
Small winery, near Iglesias, working 15 ha.There vineyards have sandy soils but also the mix of chalk and gravel, typical for the Cixerri valley.
– Vermentino di Sardegna DOC 2021
Fine fruit, minerals and a hint of vanilla. Refined and elegant.
– Carignano IGT 2020
produced from ungrafted vines and according to the winery the wine did not have a malolactic fermentation. The wine gives young fruit and some spices.
Az.Agr.Sant’André
A winery near Carbonia in the Sulcis area.
– Vermentino 2021
Fine fruit, elegance and typical
– Carignano 2020
Very young, fruity style, some spices and some hints of berries. A wine that will give more expression with age.
Taris
A small winery near Santadi in the Sulcis area.
– Vermentino DOC 2021
Very young, floral style, fine minerals.
– Carignano 2019
This is made from ungrafted vines near the sea. It gives the wine a special accent: fine spices, some good acidity and fine fruit. A wine that can age.
Sardus Pater
A cooperative cellar based on the island of Sant’Antioco. They have around 250 members and cover about 180 ha.
– Vermentino Sardegna DOC 2021
Very nice, rich style, fine fruit, minerals and length. Very elegant. It shows that Vermentino can have special characteristics in this area. Different from more famous areas, but as interesting.
– Carignano 2020
A young wine with 6 months on bottle. Light character, some spices, easy drinking.
– Carignano del Sulcis riserva 2019 Lis Arenas
The name refers to the sandy soils on the island. Matured 6 month on oak.
Very well-made wine, full-bodied and intense red fruit. The wine is still young and can age.
– Carignano superiore 2018 Arruga
This is still very young but a great wine. Wonderful expression of terroir with fine spices, minerals, fruit and acidity. Offers length and can age well. This wine is one of my preferences.
Enrico Esu
A small winery from Carbonia.
– Carignano 2020 ‘NERO’
Produced from a vineyard 10 km from the sea and on sandy soils.
A great wine: very intense velvety fruit, fresh and concentrated. Fine tannins and some spices. The wine is still very young and will develop more in the years to come. A wine to follow.
Eural Sulcis
A small winery near Sant’Antioco in the Sulcis area.
This winery offers 4 different styles of Carignano: the first one has no oak aging and very short aging before bottling. The second one has more aging before bottling. The third one has oak aging but rather delicate and not too much. The fourth has a lot of oak aging and needs a lot of time to develop:
– Carignano del Sulcis DOC 2020 Primo Solko
fine aroma, some spices, easy going and easy drinkable
– Carignano del Sulcis DOC 2020 Janas
this has a more intense aroma with strong red fruit
The wine offers intense fruit, with quite some tannins, freshness, a ‘bite’ and can develop more years.
– Carignano del Sulcis DOC 2019 Solky
A wine with more skin contact, longer aging and some oak maturation
The aroma is soft, fruity but becomes more complex and intense and offers an abundance of fruit
Fine acidity in the finish.
– Carignano del Sulcis DOC riserva 2019 Ortigu
A wine that clearly had some oak aging.
Fine aromas with mediterranean herbs, spices and some mature red fruit
very intense, but still young. The wine has some strong tannins that makes me think the the wine needs time to develop.
This will become a very intense, rich wine.
Many thanks to Simone Franceschi and to Mario Bonamici for the organization of my visit.
Why does this book cover wine regions in three countries? The answer: because the real, physical wine region is situated in these 3 countries and these territories share the same terroir, the same history, the same viticultural traditions, culture, and gastronomy. And it is a fascinating story to tell. It is in fact ONE TERROIR, THREE COUNTRIES.
In a few weeks, my new book will be published: NORTH ADRIATIC, covering Friuli Venezia Giulia, West Slovenia, Istria, and Kvarner. The North Adriatic is partly Italian, partly Slovenian, and partly Croatian. The present borders were created only after 1947 and, important wine regions were divided into two parts. Today, this is a very peaceful part of Europe and there is a fascinating wine scene with so many interesting producers presenting wines in many different ways. The traditional wines from Friuli Venezia Giulia can be wonderful, elegant, and sometimes overwhelming. This is a great wine region! And the western regions in Slovenia have seen a fast development and many young, enthousiast producers starting recently. Istria is one of the most beautiful areas of the Adriatic and also there is so much development. And who knew that the Kvarner has very authentic and wonderful wines? There is a lot to discover and this makes the region fascinating. All that is reason for my new upcoming book: NORTH ADRIATIC.
MY MISSION is to create worldwide awareness that this region belongs to the selection of most important macro-regions of Europe: next to Bordeaux, Burgundy, Piemonte, Tuscany, also the NORTH ADRIATIC should be seen as one of Europe’s important wine regions. This is an important ambition.
The great wines, the many fascinating winemakers, the interesting diversity, the well-kept wineries, the beauty of the landscapes, the gastronomy, altogether this makes the North Adriatic a European top destination. There are so many elegant wines that show their unique terroir. And it is not only whites, also red wines are of great diversity and can be of great class. But it is not only the prestigious wines that make a region important.; it is also the originality of the wines, and the North Adriatic has a great number of highly original wines.
Few European wine regions have such a moving history. It creates a special attraction because the winemakers not only need to explain their wines, soil, terroir, etc. They also can tell about their history. Everywhere, there are remains of the First or Second World War. But more important is the fact that the region has remained a fascinating wine region. The regions have much in common, also climate and soils, which don’t stop at the borders.
The famous ‘ponca‘ soil is found along a ridge of many kilometers, in Italy, Slovenia, Istria, and Kvarner. And the climate is fascinating because it is very different from that of other wine regions at the same latitude, made possible by the Alps and the Adriatic. The abundance of indigenous grape varieties and the great skills of the winemakers in Friuli, Slovenia, and Istria make that there is a huge diversity of great wines.
And did you ever hear of orange wines? It is here that this trend started. In my book, I will explain the wines and give my vision on some topics related to the orange wines.
Collio is maybe the most well-known part of this region: it has claimed an important status as one of Italy’s top white wine regions. There is a huge number of absolutely fantastic wines of great elegance in Collio. On the other side of the border is Goriška Brda, or ‘Brda‘: once Collio and Brda were the same without any division but in 1947 came the border and Brda became part of Yugoslavia. Is it a setback for Brda? I don’t think so, because Brda, too, is a great wine region that merits the same status as Italian Collio. More you will read in my book. Another important region is Colli Orientali, situated in the eastern hills of Friuli, with an abundance of fantastic wineries. In my book, you will learn more! Also about Isonzo, which is a smaller wine region: it has a large number of high-quality wines and prestigious wineries. And there is much more: Friuli Grave is a large region that is undiscovered by the public, time to discover the wines of Grave! The same for Karst and Aquileia which are smaller regions but have much to offer. And did you ever hear of the Vipava valley? It is such a wonderful wine region: a long valley with many fantastic wines: a particular mosaic of wines. And then Istria: my research learned me many interesting aspects of Istria’s wine history. And, do not forget the Slovenian part of Istria: it makes interesting wines. But the biggest part is Croatian Istria where they make elegant Malvasias. By the way, Istria knows such a huge amount of highly interesting cultural monuments! Everybody loves Istria. And did you know that the Kvarner is a very interesting and original wine region? Read my book!
The interesting aspect of the North Adriatic is the multitude of countries and influences: Slavic, Venetian, Italian, Austrian influences are still everywhere. And the gastronomy? In many restaurants, dishes are offered with Italian, Austrian, and Slavic influences. This is the typical regional cuisine, it is fusion. The gastronomy alone is a reason to discover this region.
Photo: vineyards in Isonzo wine region: it has a lot of high-quality wines.
The NORTH ADRIATIC will be a book with 20 chapters and interesting information about history, gastronomy, geology, and orange wines. There is much information about the patrimony of indigenous grape varieties. The wine regions in the book are Colli Orientali, Collio & Brda, Isonzo, Grave, Aquileia, Karst, Vipava, Slovenian and Croatian Istria, and Kvarner. It contains 256 pages and 600 full-color photos by 2 professional photographers and maps of all regions. The design will be of high quality.
Are you interested? The book can be sent to your home. Price is EUR 50,00 (ex sending costs). For more information contact me: paulbalkewine@gmail.com
Paul Balke
www.paulbalke.com
PS: in one wine tour you can visit wineries, places, and restaurants in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Slovenia, and Istria, in 3 countries. It makes the region extra interesting!
The region has great beauty and herewith some impressions:
The book offers an introduction to the regions of Friuli Venezia Giulia – West Slovenia – Istria – Kvarner.
Are you interested in a copy? There are several ways of acquiring it:
This is my email address: paulbarolo@gmail.com.
This wine, Goriška Brda belo 2015, is a blend of 50% Sauvignonasse, 30% Rebula, 15% Pinot Blanc and 5% Pinot Gris.
The alcohol-level in wines has become a topic.* According to many reviews and blogs there is a trend for lower-alcohol wines. First of all: I’m not sure if such a trend exists: some high-alcohol wines have great success (think of Amarone della Valpolicella, Zinfandel from California or Shiraz from Australia among others: wines with many followers worldwide). At least it shows that there are different trends too. Generally, alcohol levels in wines have risen and climate change is an important factor here. Another factor is the trend of quality wine-making. Wines that used to have 12% now often show 14% and those of 13 are going beyond 15,5 or even 16%. Today many Barberas from Piemonte show at least 14% but some are above 15% or even 15,5%.** Shiraz from Australia or Zinfandel from California often contain 16% or more. Many famous whites contain more alcohol, like Burgundy, Rhône and Italian whites like Timorasso in Piemonte.
Today many winemakers produce more mature wines, with more phenolic ripeness and alcohol. When the phenolic components are riper, the tannins and flavors of a wine will be more intense and rich and the alcohol level will contribute to a more intense taste profile. A grape berry has several components (skin, flesh, seeds, stem) and when each of them has developed to full maturity, the resulting wine will taste richer. To achieve this, modern winemakers work with lower yields (which stimulates the plant to dedicate all energy on fewer grapes) and a later harvest moment (which results not only in higher alcohol but also in more phenolic ripeness). The result can be a fantastic wine with incredible depth, structure, and amazing richness of flavors but also more alcohol.
It is very important to notice that these wines have reached their alcohol level in a natural way, by fermenting the sugars, without adding anything (adding sugar is not needed). It means that these wines, if well-made, show a natural balance between the various aspects that compose the taste (alcohol, acidity, tannins, perfumes, flavors). Especially the acidity level is important: if the acidity is too low, the alcohol may dominate and the wine will lose balance. In that case, the wines are less interesting (Pinot Noir is an exception, it gives some of the greatest wines, but has low acidity). It is this balance that makes that the aromas and flavors dominate the wine in combination with the alcohol. The alcohol level is not disturbing at all and reading the back-label can be a surprise. A wine can also have balance but still be dull and never arrive at this point of excellence, so it is also the depth and the substance in a wine that makes its greatness: and this comes almost necessarily with higher alcohol. For the production of such wines, great skill from the winemaker is needed. Most of the best wines I tasted during the last ten years are in this category. And it is very clear that alcohol contributes to the success of these great wines with balance.
Another factor that helped increase the alcohol levels in wines was a very influential critic from the USA who had a clear preference for strong, alcoholic wines.
So: if these wines are so great, what is then the problem? First of all, there is a category of drinkers looking for lower alcohol wines. It can be elderly, or those who are sensitive to alcohol, or those who prefer to avoid the consequences of drinking too much alcohol. This is logical and acceptable. So there is a market for lower alcohol wines.
But on the producers’ side, there are complaints and they have some reason. Because during the last decades, producers, associations, universities, enologues, etcetera, have invested much time and effort to create the new trend of quality wine that I quoted above. All this resulted in wines with more concentration and more alcohol. And the producers cannot easily change philosophy. Harvesting earlier means not only less alcohol and fresher wines but it also has as a consequence that a producer has to leave his quality concept. There are many terroirs where the best wine will automatically be an important (higher alcohol) wine, like Barossa valley for Shiraz or Napa for Cabernet. There seems no other way. The same with Nebbiolo in Piemonte and Aglianico in Campania. The solution to this problem is not easy.
One solution, which remains very important, is to convince the consumers that quality wine can be very enjoyable even if the wine has a higher alcohol percentage. Most of the great wines in the world are in this category, and, besides, you don’t drink wine for thirst! In restaurants and at home you can always drink water in order to reduce the alcohol effect. In all Italian restaurants, the first question to the guests is which water they want to drink, only later the menu will be presented. Because water drinking is essential and they should be applauded for it. And it means the guests can order high-quality wine and enjoy it!
I do not want to talk about over-concentrated wines that are on the edge of drinkability. I want to promote those wines that are excellent, well-made, either white or red, that have become great wines with balance (and in some cases combining this with a higher alcohol level). These wines merit to be praised and promoted. Many of these producers work with lesser interventions in nature (it is impossible to generalize here) because they pay much attention to the quality of their wine, which means paying attention to the quality of the vineyard as well.
All this is also a matter of taste. Some wine lovers prefer fresher wines with more acidity, racy, and pure and they have ample choice. Wine is a very complex matter and it is difficult to talk about wine as one style. There are hundreds of styles and nobody has the right to say that one style is the best one. The only thing that I would like to bring forward is that some wines have arrived at what I call a level of greatness, thanks to all efforts by producers, consortia, etcetera. It has been the most important trend in winemaking of the last 30 years and I consider it important to recognize this. This trend, in combination with climate change, has caused higher alcohol levels, but the quality of the wines has increased. So I consider it not correct to criticize this trend and the high-quality wines that we can find everywhere. Do these wines have a problem? I don’t think so, because the market demand is high. It also means that those drinkers searching for lower alcohol wines but who also appreciate these wines, may have a problem. As I said before, drinking water before and during the enjoying of the wine is one solution and the amount of wine is the responsibility of each individual person. But it seems that those people who would enjoy these wines in theory, now are reluctant to enjoy them because of the small indication on the (back-)label. It is a pity. Is it a real problem or maybe in some cases only a mindset problem?
Producers are looking for solutions. One solution is earlier harvesting and producing higher yields. Some producers have changed their quality concept, left the idea of the highest possible quality from their vineyards, and harvest earlier and with higher yields, creating wines with more acidity and lower alcohol levels. Many of these wines are drinkable but in my view have lost their greatness. Other producers are looking for other vineyard positions at higher and cooler places. In regions such as Oregon (USA) or New Zealand this is possible but in densely populated regions such as Burgundy, Piemonte, or Tuscany this option does not exist or at extremely high costs. Also using wild yeasts can help in having lower alcohols because such a ‘wild’ fermentation makes for less efficient conversions which leads to lower alcohol levels. In California, it is known that some producers even add water to their Zinfandel, in order to create a lower alcohol level. To me this option is very strange: why pay so much effort for producing great wine and then dilute it with water? Producing higher yields would be more practical, or, another solution might be picking the grapes earlier to have lower alcohol and more acidity and add some sugar in order to give the wine more alcohol and body: I am not in favor of this solution as the best and most delicious wines are made without adding anything; when additives are added, such a wine might become one of those lacking balance. Finally, there are also technical options such as reverse osmosis, which seems to be quite costly but can be a solution to lower the alcohol levels of wine.
I think there is another solution: blending (with intelligence). In his fabulous article in Decanter ***, English wine writer Andrew Jefford argues how greatness in wines relates to ripeness, depth of flavors and higher alcohol. I agree with him, but I have some questions about his suggestions of canopy management, soil restoration, quick harvesting, etcetera, as possible solutions because I consider them as part of modern winemaking techniques which easily can lead to higher alcohol levels. I think blending can be a better solution. (Jefford’s article is a great read which I recommend to every wine-lover).
When I talk about blending I do not refer to the big mass of cheap wines, vin de table or vino da tavola, available for small money from many shelves. Often they are made with the leftovers and this is not a concept for quality. Blending is a very serious art and needs to be done with intelligence. If done with intelligence it can lead to some of the most wonderful wines on the planet. Many of France’s and Spain’s most prestigious wines are blends: Bordeaux, Rhône, Languedoc, Ribera del Duero, Rioja. And there is a reason for that: producers in these regions have understood that different grape varieties have different qualities and some varieties need to be ‘corrected’ with other varieties in order to obtain the highest quality level. Taste is a concept with various aspects: perfumes, acidity, mouthfeel, elegance, fine tannins, mature fruit, glycerine, etcetera. In many French wine regions blending wines is considered normal. One of the best examples of a successfully blended wine is Vinho Verde, Portugal’s famous white wine: it is a wonderful wine and can be produced from a great number of indigenous varieties. It boasts only 9% alcohol and is a great refresher in the hot summer. I don’t know any white wine of 9% which is so joyful as Vinho Verde and still shows such complexity. Of course, there are several factors here: the choice of the varietals, which normally don’t give a high sugar level, and the Atlantic climate of the region which favors more acidic, fresh wines.
Before 100 years, blending wines or producing wines from many different grapes, was normal in almost all European vineyards and for another reason: due to the lack of technology in the cellar (no temperature control) the producers hoped that when harvesting 10 grapes, at least 5 or 7 would be mature and in the blend, the mature grapes would ‘correct’ those that were not ripe yet with a better wine as result.
Today the arguments of 100 years ago are not valid anymore, but blending is still an option. I think that for those Zinfandel producers blending would be a better option instead of adding water: they could blend with a low-alcohol wine and it even may be white (think of low-alcohol producing Ribolla Gialla). It would give the wine more complexity, more tension, less alcohol, and the wine would also work as more natural. I also think it should not be a taboo to have a small percentage of white wine in a red wine blend. Take Chianti or some Rhône wines that in the past were blended – legally – with a small percentage of white wine.
Blending gives a wine with more complexity and when composed with much care and intelligence it can be wonderful. Maybe a blended wine needs to age a bit longer before arriving at its best drinkable moment, but this can be considered as positive. Blending wines is the best way of correcting wines, and helps to avoid other ‘corrections‘ such as adding sugar, acidity, or other (legally allowed) additives. Because, and this is important: to obtain that balance of greatness, of which I talked above, a wine needs to be pure and purity can be best achieved by blending because then the wine remains pure, without additives.
Many producers in countries like Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland, Germany, but also wine regions such as Oregon (USA) or Central Otago (New Zealand) tend to produce monovarietal wines, but try to correct the wines by adding some acidity, or other stuff that is legally allowed (think of arabic gum, saccharides, etc). All that can be avoided by just blending the wine with some low-alcohol variety and the wine is more natural.
The most important point is that when blended with intelligence, a wine can eventually have a lower alcohol level, but still preserve these complex qualities. A well-made blend can be very smooth and complex at the same time, qualities that we use to see in wines with higher alcohol. I’m not sure if this aspect of blending is taken into consideration by producers, but I would strongly recommend this.
In the past, especially after the Phylloxera, many grape varieties have been abandoned because they were considered of low interest. Today some of these varieties should be of renewed interest because they can help the producers to achieve an interesting wine with lower alcohol. There are several of such varieties that are known, some are still much produced, others are almost abandoned. Think of Ribolla Gialla in Friuli, which gives low-alcohol wines but adds a huge amount of glycerine and acidity to a wine and can help to create tension in the taste which makes the wines wonderful.
My white wine is a good example: it is produced by Šibav winery in Goriška Brda, Slovenia. Today, also in Slovenia, most wines are monovarietal but the tradition was to make blends. The wine is produced with Sauvignonasse 50%, Rebula/Ribolla Gialla 30%, Pinot Blanc 15% and Pinot Gris 5%. The success of the wine is especially due to the combination of Sauvignonasse, an aromatic wine, with higher alcohol, and Rebula, a variety that never gives high alcohol, but much character, taste and high acidity. This contrast makes the wine very attractive. The wine is made more complex and smooth by adding Pinot Blanc, which gives great wines in the area of Collio, Brda, Colli Orientali and Isonzo: it has character but remains very elegant. I am convinced that the wine wins much complexity and character with it. Finally, 5% of Pinot Gris is added which contributes to even more complexity of the wine. The good news: the wine has 12,5% alc.vol., but tasters often guess the alcohol higher because the mouthfeel of the wine gives a stronger impression. It has very subtle hints of butter, salt, minerals, and white flowers but is not too big and filling, its subtle character and freshness remain. I am not telling that this wine has greatness, but it has fine, subtle flavors that make it an attractive drink. What I have learned by the production of this wine is that blending can also lead to interesting wines with lower alcohol. This wine has convinced me to write this text. Because blending can be an important solution for making high-quality wines and avoid too high alcohol levels.
*In this article I’m not talking about taxes: higher alcohol wines are taxed higher and this can increase the price of a bottle. The tax systems are different from country to country but generally the higher the alcohol, the higher the tax on the wine.
**Another problem is incorrect labeling. In most countries a discrepancy of 0,5% is allowed, it means that a wine of 12,5% might be somewhere between 12 and 13% (there are also countries with a wider allowance, allowing producers to put 1% or 1,5% different from the real percentage). But there have been cases where a producer was found to have labeled 12,5 where a wine was 14 or more, etcetera. Such behavior is not correct and sanctions are a logical step. The first objective of wine labels is to inform consumers. Australia allows a difference of 1,5% which in my opinion is a too big discrepancy, it can create confusion among consumers.
***Andrew Jefford, ‘BIG and beautiful’ (in Decanter, December 2018)
Paul Balke
Sometimes life can take unexpected turns and shake you completely and you can’t have any influence on it. I have many such experiences. Like most of you, I am sitting at home now due to the corona-virus. I can’t visit any place unless it’s a supermarket or pharmacy. The only thing is that I am locked up far away from any social contact, so it is lonely here. It is living like a hermit but not voluntarily. I have much experience with situations where life takes an unexpected turn. Let me share one experience with you:
Many years ago, when I was researching in Piemonte, I decided to drive to Liguria and visit Dolceacqua. It was August and very hot. Even the Italian family of my agriturismo was suffering the heat. I took the highway to the south. At that moment I did not know yet that the day would take a different turn.
Vermentino is one of my preferred white wines. They can be wonderful, with some herbal or fine fruit perfumes and a taste that is not too dominant but so elegant and slightly mineral with a long finish! I guided my old Citroen through the turns of the Turin-Savona highway in the Ligurian Alps. At some places, it looks like Italian spaghetti, especially at one place where the highway makes a pirouette, partly inside and partly around a mountain. Italian engineers are very skilled and I cannot deny my admiration for that. And even in the steepest corners, some Alfa was passing with great speed. But I laughed at them because I was soon going to enjoy the delights of Liguria. Dolceacqua is a beautiful small village in the Val Nervia, not far from Ventimiglia. It has a medieval bridge with a view on the steep vineyards around. And there I will have a delicious Vermentino! I am getting thirsty.
Along the coast runs the via Aurelia. This highway with endless kilometers of turns, tunnels, and bridges is the only transit route through Liguria from France to Tuscany. I was not the only one. The highway was filled with a long and slow-moving traffic jam. Thousands of cars, all on the same road. It was hot, so I opened the windows but that didn’t help much. The asphalt was returning the heat and the driving cars didn’t make it better. Although driving was not the right term, it looked more like a procession of snails. Sometimes we even reached fifty kilometers/hour, but later we slowed down or stopped completely and then it drove on.
The slopes around were barren and dead with occasional olive trees. So many of them are never harvested because nobody wants to do it. And if someone might get the idea to do it: also that is impossible because it is forbidden. Italy is sometimes a crazy country.
Soon I would be in Dolceacqua and taste the wines with a fascinating panorama across the sea. And maybe we will eat also cappon magro, that famous, rare dish from Liguria. I thought of that delicious Ligurian olive oil from Taggiasca olives. A delight, one of the best in Italy. This part of Liguria is called ‘Liguria di ponente‘ as opposed to the east which is ‘Levante‘ because the ‘Ponente’ side sees the sun coming up, the other part sees the sunset. I made a count: it took me an hour and a half to get from Savona to Albenga. It means I will not be in time for lunch. My plan is getting ruined! But things would go worse.
Photo: steep vineyard terraces in Liguria
I had made an appointment with a company in Dolceacqua, situated high on the steep slopes with panoramas of incredible beauty. They also produce this rare variety, Pigato, a local clone of Vermentino. Pigato is a little stronger than Vermentino, with more body. Later I visited the family and fell in love with the area. Liguria has a unique charm. I still have a high estimation for all those Ligurian families who work heroically on their steep hills, dotted with terraces. They don’t earn much money. Often they continue because they own the land of their family. And sometimes they have a hard time surviving. Modern consumers should appreciate these people who work so hard for a small income. Logically, their wines are not cheap: they have to work for a tiny quantity of wine and that has its cost. But these wines are authentic and far from the industrial stuff which is on many shelves. Or should the wine production of Liguria disappear? It might be the ultimate consequence of the attitude of the modern consumers. Modern consumerism is breaking down centuries-old patterns which have been build up with much effort and skill and with care for the land.
Now the highway runs into the mountains with some tunnels. The long traffic jam continues, many kilometers long. I am sweating like a beast, just like the Italian family in a FIAT left of me and a Dutch family in a Peugeot in front. The pace is extremely slow. How annoying that I can’t call my relations to tell them about my delay. With this speed, I will not arrive before the evening! At least if my car stays working because it is old and not prepared for staying in the heat. I need to drive faster to cool the motor. I should control the water level regularly but I don’t do it because I don’t want to lose my place in the traffic. But this should not last too long.
We drive into the next tunnel. This one is a bit longer, two kilometers it says. And again, the traffic comes to a standstill. The highway consists of two separate carriageways, in opposite directions, each with its bridges and tunnels. What is this? Thousands of people are suffering the heat. Children get bored and start crying. And one should not get a heart attack here, because there would not be a sufficient rescue service. I start longing for that glass of Vermentino!
But one thing I noted: before entering the tunnel I saw that there was hardly any traffic on the other side of the highway. Which is strange. But I did not think about it.
I had advanced some hundred meters into the tunnel and we are standing still. Before and after me long rows of cars, for many kilometers. I think of Dolceacqua, that place with an ancient history. Its Rossese was loved by Napoleon and Rossese di Dolceacqua is a DOC.
It takes now five minutes and we are still standing. Then, to my great surprise, I see a few cars driving in the distance, but backward! A large van is moving backward. He is now standing diagonal on the road. What is this? In Italy, you can experience everything, but I had never seen anything like this before! It makes no sense. The tunnel is two kilometers long and is completely full of cars.
Far ahead of me I see someone getting out. Are they crazy? The van is standing in a strange position. And someone else gets out, and more persons. They are right. It is cool in the tunnel, cooler than outside and I get out of the car too. I look forward and backward: long rows of cars.
‘Fuoco!’ calls someone. I look forward, but I don’t see anything. A few people have walked out of the tunnel. Fire? Nothing to see, but more people are coming. A woman with her baby in her arms leaves the tunnel, crying. A father with two children, more people. A stream of people is coming. Is there a fire in the tunnel? A few cars are still trying to maneuver backward. Do they want to escape the fire? I don’t understand. Because I don’t see any fire either, but very slowly a slightly burning smell comes through. An older Italian says ‘Fuoco! un camione!’
So there is fire! A truck has caught fire. This was the last thing I wanted to experience on this day! A tunnel of two kilometers long, full of cars, and a truck is on fire! This is a potential mega-disaster, it makes me think of the big fires in the Gotthard and Mont Blanc tunnels. Two mega-disasters with many casualties. And now this could be a new disaster of the same dimension? NO! I do not want to believe it!
People are walking past my car, men, women, a few young people are running with fear on their faces. Someone supports his older father. An elderly woman walks out of the tunnel as quickly as possible.
As I walk out of the tunnel, I notice that behind us still, many cars are trying to drive forward. It makes no sense. The tunnel is blocked and we need another solution. It is chaos. I decide to indicate to the cars that it makes no sense. Standing in the middle of the highway, just outside the tunnel, I make some gesture to all cars behind us to make them stop moving. And, indeed, cars are now standing still and waiting. In the meantime, there are still people walking out of the tunnel. Outside the tunnel, some grown-up men are standing and crying. Something must be going on over there.
A woman with a baby in her arms comes out of the tunnel, exhausted, crying. It is only now that I notice that black smoke is coming from the other tunnel. It is increasing. There is no traffic anymore coming from the opposite side, only smoke.
A massive crowd is now standing on our side near the entrance of the tunnel. A few men are still crying. Other people are sitting on the guard rail. Others are talking or try to make a call on their cellphone. It is clear that many of them are shocked, or stressed, or both. And it is very hot, the sun shines on the stones and the asphalt. At least my car can cool down a little now.
The smoke from the opposite tunnel becomes heavier but I don’t understand how this is possible: if there is a problem in our tunnel, how can the smoke then come out of the other tunnel? How is this possible? I know that Italy knows many surprises but this one is really strange. Until today nobody has ever explained this to me.
A siren sounds in the distance. An ambulance is coming from Albenga on our road, trying to pass the long rows of cars. It seems not quite efficient because the other side of the highway is empty: it could move quickly on that side. Cars are slowly moving aside. I gesture to the people next to me that we have to put our car aside. They understand and we walk back into the tunnel and put our car aside. But not everyone has understood this and I wonder how the ambulance should get on further. Extremely slowly the ambulance comes forward and drives past us with the sirens at the highest volume.
The crowd is watching the smoke, many people are emotional. Some Dutch people are on the way from Tuscany to France. They swear a little and hope that they can continue quickly to their holiday address. Their planning is completely confused, and a Dutchman is not happy when such a thing happens. The Italians stand together, give each other some water or wine and wait for what is happening. Some children are walking up the hill. Every culture has its way to react to setbacks. Italians are different than the Dutch.
And still, people are coming out of the tunnel. They had to walk almost two kilometers. A few are coughing. Do they have breathing problems? Is there anyway smoke in our tunnel? I still don’t see any smoke coming from our tunnel.
I look around. I start to walk a little away from the tunnel entrance along the long line of cars and make some pictures of the smoke coming out of the other tunnel. What should you do? Slowly I realize that me too I was impressed. Emotional is not the right word. But somewhat tense, that yes. Why do I always have to experience this kind of thing?
Many people are sitting down next to their car. Most drivers have switched off their cars, others keep the engine running for the airco. Our energy has to be wasted, whether it’s summer or winter, it doesn’t matter, it has to be. And, some car comes out of the other, smoking tunnel. I still don’t get it. I walk back to the beginning of the tunnel and talk with some Italians. They are from Genoa and are quite impressed with the event. There is a huge crowd standing. There is a connection to the other part of the highway, but it is closed and nobody seems to open it. There is no coordination, no rescue team, no police are arriving for at least two hours. Thousands of cars, stranded in the glowing heat. Tourists, international travelers, Italian families, older people. And nobody can leave.
After some time the ambulance returns and drives the opposite way, again moving slowly through the many thousands of cars. Imagine there was somebody seriously hurt! In that case, they might open the barrier to the other side and they can hurry to the hospital! There are two or three people in it, so apparently, there were injuries. It is a sign that something is going on at the front of the tunnel. But I still have to guess what it might be. From this side, we can see nothing. It is quite bizarre to see the ambulance slowly moving between the rows of cars where the other road would be easy to open. Probably there is no life-threatening situation.
We have been standing there for three hours, many thousand people along the long rows of cars and finally the staff of the Italian highway opened the plateau to the other side. Strangely many thousands of people were left there in the heat, with no rescue services, no service at all, no police to coordinate the situation. Nothing. This is a major highway, the only possible route for all international traffic to pass Liguria. It is in the mountains, a wild area, no way to walk away to some town or the coast. But now, as if they feel the hurry, the staff is opening the crash barriers very fast and the police starts to regulate the traffic. One by one all cars from the tunnel can leave the place through the plateau to the highway in the opposite direction. Happy to leave this inferno. I drive backward for some hundred meters and turn the car onto the highway towards Albenga. Happy that I can leave. Away from the heat, the chaos, the smoke.
I did not understand everything that happened, especially the fire from one tunnel, coming out of the other tunnel. But it also looks as if there was not much coordination of the emergency services and they are not well organized. At least they started very late and we did not see any police for three hours. There was no good communication either: in a situation like this, it can make the difference between life and death and the ambulance had to struggle through kilometers of traffic jams from Albenga instead of taking the free road.
Once in Albenga, I take the local road to Savona. Suddenly there is no plan at all. It is not possible to reach Dolceacqua now, because the normal roads will be terribly full today. I tell my relations that we have to postpone our meeting. But their answer is very relaxed. ‘There will be another time!’ I like this. Also, this is typically Italian: they have this kind of relaxed way to accept life and the many uncomfortable situations of life. And they can handle it. I admire the Italians for this.
But what about Vermentino? Well, yes, close to Albenga I found a small company and I tasted their Vermentino. Finally, fresh Vermentino!! Never it tasted better! I love this wine. Cristal clear, elegant, not too heavy, and so fine smooth finish with a light mineral accent. A lovely wine.
But one thing I know for sure: I will never again take the highway in Italy on a Saturday in August. That lesson I have learned. In the evening the fire is on the TV: there are a few persons with breathing problems but not too serious. That’s all. Only that smoke! There was no explanation about it. How is it possible that a car in our tunnel catches fire and the smoke comes out from the other tunnel? In Italy, you can experience a lot, but it is not always possible to understand everything. And he Italians know this. And life sometimes takes another turn than you expect.
Are you interested in some good Vermentino or Pigato? Try one of these (this is just a small selection and not complete):
In Pornassio area:
Paul Balke,
Years ago I read the novel by Nobel-awarded José Saramago, ‘Blindness‘. It is a very impressive novel in the typical Saramago-style, with sometimes page-long sentences, and no paragraphs or quotation marks. It tells the story of an epidemy hitting a country and it spares no one. It makes one think of the old story of the plague but also of the Corona-virus. Saramago tells a disturbing story: authorities are confused and do not know how to act and the country ends up in chaos and criminals get almost free-play. Saramago’s novel gives also a powerful vision of the human spirit that’s bound both by weakness and strength. You can argue with Saramago because he is quite negative. He represents a negative vision of human nature. In fact, I would rather be more positive but his message is a warning about how humans can change behavior in difficult times.
Who knows what the future brings? At this moment I am in Piemonte, in Italy, living in quarantaine. It’s not officially locked in the house, because I am ok but there is no possibility to go out, so practically it is. And I cannot leave for the Netherlands as was planned. I am staying now in a small house in the Alta Langa, a wonderful region in South Piemonte with hills going up to almost 900 meters. I feel very safe here because in the province of Cuneo there is a relatively small amount of contracted people and to my knowledge no such cases nearby. The situation in the Netherlands is worse.
In other parts of Italy, the epidemy is a tragedy. Especially in Bergamo and other places in Lombardy, where a big part of the older people are hit by the virus and it caused many casualties. Italy is in shock and all commercial activities are closed. Today the government came with more rigid measures.
Quarantaine means a quiet, undisturbed life in the countryside. But it is very isolated because there are not many people around and those who are, are trying to avoid any contact. Social life is impossible. The only connection with the world is the internet.
Once in two days, I can go to a small village at 6 km distance for some shopping of the essential necessities, but it is not allowed to leave the house for any other goal. Life is becoming tough now. I am happy that spring is arriving and warmer temperatures because this place is unbearable with cold.
And how is Italy reacting to the situation? Do we see Saramago-like chaos? No. On the contrary, I feel that the Italian government has reacted well, after the first doubts when the situation was not yet all clear. And the Italians too. Generally, Italian people have much fear for everything, also for being ill. It is the reason why the pharmacies have a good business because for every little cough or cold people go for some medication. The use of medications is the highest in the world. But, on the other hand, Italian people know well how to handle setbacks. They remain quiet and are not directly disturbed. They have learned to continue to manage their life, with their normal humor and spirit. It opens the eye on another side of the Italian mentality. A very positive side.
And now for me? What to do? That is a good question. The only thing I can do is work. I am finishing my next book and hope it can be printed in 2 or 3 months. That will be an important moment because it is the result of many years’ work. But other jobs and projects are canceled and there is no money coming in. I have invested much in my upcoming book which needs to be printed in May and therefore I do not have much money left. What if this quarantaine takes many months? That would be very problematic. And what to do then? To this question, I have no answer.
Paul Balke, Alta Langa, Piemonte
Much of Liguria’s wine landscapes have not yet been discovered, unlike those of Piemonte and Tuscany, even if they are more or less situated in between.
Like Piemonte also Liguria boasts unique grape varieties, historical vineyards, and a lot of original wines. A fantastic wine region that is full of remarkable surprises. But unlike Piemonte, most of Liguria’s wines are still waiting for discovery by a bigger audience. It has not to do with the quality but with the fact that all wine producers are small, they have to work on small parcels often on steep slopes which makes working extremely difficult. Visiting the wine producers in Liguria can give a great satisfaction, because they will show their wines with much pleasure to everybody. Wines that are only possible with much handcraft on steep, terraced vineyards. This is what makes them unique. And still many wines are very reasonably priced. It gives you a feeling of admiration for the producers who continue this hard life out of love for their small parcels, which they inherited from their parents and grandparents. In these times with so much easy food, often industrially processed and easy accessible through big supermarkets, it is worth realizing that some of the best food and wine is only possible when people persist in having a hard life, which is not well paid and with no other satisfaction than that they can continue to produce the work that has begun by their ancestors.
Liguria represents a very important part of our wine culture. But a part that tends to be forgotten: the part of handcraft, hardworking families on small scale working for a small profit. Never will you find any of these wines in your supermarket because production is so small that professional distribution is almost impossible (most supermarkets are filled with wines produced with mechanical means on big flat spaces, where handcraft has been reduced to the minimum). Only small importers, who are as crazy as the producers themselves, will continue to sell Ligurian wines. Such fatigue, such hard existence used to be a normal situation for every farmer family in France, Germany, Italy, etc, but by now this has been forgotten in most agricultural regions. And it is also forgotten by most consumers who are looking for something easy drinking for accessible prices.
Liguria’s (wine) culture is historically related with Piemonte, especially West Liguria (Liguria Ponente). Very probably the origin of the much loved Dolcetto from Piemonte is the area of Pornassio. Along the old pathways through the high Langhe hills from Liguria to Piemonte, there are old existing vineyards of Dolcetto, near Cortemilia for example: a proof that this hypothesis might be true. In earlier centuries these were the salt roads, where salt and other commercial ware were taken by foot across the mountains and probably also grape varieties.
The steepness of the soils is not the only problem for the producers, it is also the rocks structure and the physical difficulties to preserve the terraces. It is logical that many vineyards have been abandoned, but near Dolceacqua, Imperia, Pieve di Teco and Pornassio there are much vineyards still in production.
This wine region in Liguria is such a contrast with the mostly flat vineyards in nearby Provence and even with the hill vineyards in Piemonte. And still many wines from Provence and Piemonte fetch higher prices than those from Liguria. It almost gives a sense of injustice. Yes, also in Piemonte producers have a hard work on the hills, but in Piemonte there is more mechanization possible for treatments of vineyards and other proceedings. In Liguria often even small tractors cannot enter.
But the rocky soils give the local grape varieties excellent conditions: first of all Vermentino. Vermentino is one of my preferred white wines from Italy. It gives its best results at vineyards with view on the Mediterranean.They offer delicious, easy drinking wines, with depth and a wealth of different flavors, with some tropical accents, mint or white almond, often very refined and finishing with a fine mineral touch. Often they have a lengthy finish, without being too dominant and maintain their elegance. There is much production of Vermentino along Italy’s west coast, in Sardinia, in France and in Spain. But for me many of the best Vermentino are from Liguria, especially from the area’s of Imperia and Dolceacqua because of the combination of depth, elegance and refined minerality.
Still there is more. Pigato is a local version of Vermentino, but with slightly different leaf shapes and a more intense wine style. It matures best at higher positioned vineyards. Genetically Pigato is identical to Vermentino, but the wines can be more strong have some nuttiness and need more aging. There are even producers who produce very strong versions with the idea of longer aging.
Red wines are also present. Most unusual is Rossese di Dolceacqua DOC, only produced in two small valleys near Ventimiglia, rather light colored with expressive aroma’s, herbal notes and a mineral finish. Its taste is very specific but there exists a group of passionate Rossese-lovers. Very special too is Ormeasco di Pornassio DOC. The wine can only be produced in a mountain region in the Valle Arroscia around the small hamlet of Pornassio at heights between 400 and 800 meters above sea level. We are at ca 30 kilometers distance from the sea and climate is very different, more alpine with sometimes some fresh, warm air coming in from the sea but also much rainfall and some frost in spring. The wine can be fine, fruity, dark, with hints of strawberries, cherries, marmelade of prunes, violet, nettles and works more elegant than Dolcetto from Piemonte, which often has a more tannic style. The ‘Superiore‘ version is more intense colored with also more strong aroma’s and mature fruit, dark forest fruit, some oak and a balsamic note.
Ormeasco is less structured than Piemonte’s Dolcetto but more easy drinking. There are also the versions Passito and Passito liquoroso. And when made as rosé it is called Ormeasco Sciac-trà DOC (a dry rosé wine, other than the sweet Cinque Terre Sciacchetrà, a rare sweet wine).
Many of these vineyards were created by the Benedictines in early Middle Age, although it is also possible that the origins go back to Roman times. It is sure that the Romans started viticulture at many places along the Ligurian coast. Maybe also the Benedictines were responsible for introducing Dolcetto in Piemonte, first in the Alta Langa and later also in the rest of south Piemonte.
Granaccia is Liguria’s version of Grenache, often it has a more light character than Grenache from Provence.
In short: Liguria is a most special and characteristic part of Italy’s wine world. Here no big companies with cellars like cathedrals but small tiny plots, and many passionate family producers working hard for a small income.
These producers merit our appreciation because they persist to continue the wine production in these heroic conditions and some wines that took my attention :
Ormeasco di Pornassio 2017
More information about Ormeasco di Pornassio DOC:
http://www.assovini.it/italia/liguria/item/263-pornassio-o-ormeasco-di-pornassio-doc
Many thanks to Massimo Lupi for organizing a fantastic tour in the area of Pornassio, Pieve di Teco, Imperia and Dolceacqua. Many thanks to all wineries: Maria Donata Bianchi, Lupi, Berry and Berry, Cascina Nirasca, Eredi Ing. Guglierame, Fontanacota, Innocenzo Turco, Ramoino.
It is the time of the year we dedicate time to fine wine. The right moment to know more about Aglianico, one of the world’s iconic grapes because from this variety some of the most precious long-lived red wines are created. For those who live in South Italy this seems so obvious but for a big part of the wine world Aglianico still is just ‘one-of-the-many-varieties’, maybe known to experts, but it’s full potential is still not completely discovered. Time to know more about TAURASI DOCG: one of Italy’s finest wines. Taurasi DOCG is maybe the most distinguished expression of Aglianico so it is important to understand the reasons why.
Aglianico flowers very early in the season and the Aglianico of Taurasi is the last of all Italian grapes to be harvested, sometimes even until half November. It’s berries are quite small and contain a lot of acidity and a high polyphenol content so there is always the risk of making a wine with too excessive tannins, containing also much alcohol and acidity, a wine that can be undrinkable for decades. Nowadays producers look for more balance between tannins, acidity and alcohol. Therefore producers dedicate more attention to obtain healthy fruit from the vineyards and use softer pressing and shorter maceration times during fermentation to avoid too much tannin extract but the wine still needs its aging period. They also diminished the use of new barriques and more often age the wine in more neutral Slavonian oak.
In fact Aglianico for Taurasi needs a slightly longer aging period than Nebbiolo for Barolo but then the wine can be preserved for long periods of 25 or sometimes even 50 years or longer. That is: if the wine is made from the best grapes of the best vineyards in good, healthy vintages.
Taurasi is a wine region situated in Avellino province, alias Irpinia. Irpinia is for experts South Italy’s most distinguished wine district and Taurasi it’s most important wine. Taurasi DOCG can be produced in 17 municipalities at a height between ca 350 and 800 meters above sea level. Taurasi DOCG is produced from Aglianico grapes with the possibility to add up to 15% of other grapes but many producers continue with 100% Aglianico. Taurasi must be aged at least three years before it can be sold and must be aged at least one year in wood. Taurasi Riserva must be aged at least four years of which 18 months in wood.
Until 1990 there was only one producer for Taurasi: Mastroberardino winery and they have done a great deal to develop the wine and create much knowledge about the wine worldwide. The 1968 Taurasi of Mastroberardino became legendary and did a lot to establish the fame of Taurasi as a great wine and wine region. Nowadays there are some 200 producers of Taurasi, most of them boutique wineries, and some of them are offering excellent quality too, others are developing and new names are on the market soon so there will be much news to discover in the area soon (see my list below).
Taurasi can be such a great wine! When young it can offer black cherry, some violet or spice, often in combination with quite strong tannins. When aged the wine will offer it’s real potential and then it presents such refined fruit in a wonderful elegant style and length. This is really one of the most characterful and at the same time very subtle wines, offering flavors of cherry, combined with a rich pattern of flavors from chocolate and spice up to pepper, truffle, leather, tobacco, and all in such a wonderful, fine balance. The wine always has a good acidity and firm tannins, which create the right potential for aging and create wonderful harmonic and incredbile long-lived wines.
Soils in this area consist of a mix of clay and limestone with sometimes a sand component, but most important is the top-layer of vulcanic soil which can be found in many places in Taurasi district. This gives the wine this extra accent and it allows the plant to survive diseases which can thrive in other areas.
Maybe the most special aspect of this part of Irpinia is the climate: we are deep south in Italy, at the height of Naples but still Irpinia has a cool climate that is more to compare with Piemonte than with Naples. The mountains in the west moderate the sea influence and create this quite rare climatic situation. The high difference between day and night temperatures contributes to maintaining good acidity levels in the grapes. As a consequence the harvest of Taurasi DOCG is usually Italy’s last harvest.
Another special aspect of Taurasi is the presence of ancient vines which survived the phylloxera disease in the beginning of the 20th century. Some of those plants are more than 250 years old, still healthy and used for Taurasi DOCG. Something really unique in the wine world.
And Irpinia is mountainous so many vineyards are high up on the hills of the Calore valley, in a very complex mosaic of hills and mountains. Much discussions are going about the height of the vineyards. Officially it is allowed to produce Taurasi DOCG from 350 m above sea level, but some sustain that it has become too low for Taurasi DOCG as climate change also here brings some change. This discussion is not settled yet. But those Taurasi wines from higher parcels up to 800 meter above sea level very clearly have more acidity and need a longer aging period.
One of the most subtle, wonderful and characterful wines of the wine world is Taurasi. And the positive news is: it is still relatively undiscovered the prices are still pleasantly low. The other positive news is that this wine can age for so many years in your cellar! You really can forget it for two decades and then take the bottle from the dust and enjoy an incredible fresh and lively wine.
NB: This story is not finished yet: I am continuing my search for great Aglianico wines, so in the next period I will publish a more in-depth view of this very interesting wine.
TASTING NOTES (NB THIS PART IS NOT COMPLETE, I NEED TO RESEARCH MORE CELLARS !!)
Other cellars worth looking out for: Calafé, Guastaferro, Lonardo, Caggiano, Antica Hirpinia. Also Molettieri, Di Meo and Joaquin are some great cellars for Taurasi. (more news to publish later, follow this blog!)
More about my personal adventures in Taurasi you can watch here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joW2p_4cltU
Many thanks to Piero Mastroberardino, Milena Pepe, Giuseppe, Felice Petrillo, Chiara and Francesco Romano, Irpinia consorzio and many wineries in Taurasi who offered me time and hospitality to tell their stories.