Wine Thoughts On Italy

In the early Middle Ages, the area between Baliaccia and Monte Luco in the hills between the cities of Florence and Siena was known as the Chianti Mountain. This area was noted for its winemaking with the villages of Castellina, Gaiole and Radda gaining particular renown. These three villages formed a Lega del Chianti (League of Chianti) that the Florentine merchants would market as wines of distinction. In 1716 Cosimo III de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany issued an edict legislating that the three villages of the Lega del Chianti as well as the village of Greve and a 2 mile hillside north of Greve near Spedaluzza as the only officially recognized producers of Chianti. 

Chianti Classico Map

(In addition to changing boundaries, the grape composition for Chianti has changed dramatically over the years. The earliest examples of Chianti were a white wine but gradually evolved into a red. Baron Bettino Ricasoli, the future Prime Minister in the Kingdom of Italy created the first known “Chianti recipe” in 1872, recommending 70% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo and 15% Malvasia bianca).            This delineation existed until July 1932, when the Italian government expanded the Chianti zone to include the outlying areas of Barberino Val d’Elsa, Chiocchio, Robbiano, San Casciano in Val di Pesa and Strada. Some of these areas, such as Robbiano, included large swaths of hillside near Florence (in what is now the Chianti DOCG sub-zone the Colli Fiorentini) that produced lighter bodied wines that were not suitable for aging or improving in quality. In 1984 the Chianti Classico and the greater Chianti region were separated and each given their  own DOCG ranking. The boundaries were to cover an area of approximate 100 square miles (259 square kilometers) between Florence to the north and Siena     to the south. The four communes  of Castellina, Gaiole, Greve and  Radda were included along with parts of Barberino Val d’Elsa, San Casciano in Val di Pesa and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa in the province of Florence as well as Castelnuovo Berardenga and Poggibonsi in the province of Siena.

Major DOCG areas

Le Caratteristiche del territorio (the features)

The Chianti Classico climate is continental, with relatively low temperatures in the winter (39-41 degrees F.) and dry, hot summers in which is not rare to reach temperatures of 95 degrees F. Temperatures may vary substantially in the course of the day, due to the altitudes that range from 250 to 600 meters (820-1,968 feet) and exceed 800 meters (2,624 feet) in the Chianti Mountains.                                                                                                                The soils in the zone are just as diverse as the altitudes. The various types of soils of the Chianti Classico zone bear no relation to the communal boundaries. However, it can be said that marl predominates at San Casciano Val di Pesa, while calcareous clay is found in substantial quantity around Greve in Chianti as well as in all the areas at lower altitudes. Sandstone constitutes the backbone of the Chianti Mountains, while limestone is substantially present in the central and southern parts of the district.  Tufa is the characteristic stone of much of the countryside around Castelnuovo Berardenga. Ridges consisting mainly of sandstone have a severe and steep appearance, while those with mostly calcareous material are softer and more rounded in shape. The hills where clay is the major component are even gentler. However, an abundance of fragmented rock in the form of stones and pebbles primarily of limestone (galestro) is a common aspect of the Chianti Classico zone.                                                                Annual rainfall measures about 700-800mm. About 7,000 hectares (17,290 acres) of vineyards entered the DOCG Register for the production of Chianti Classico, and make this appellation one of the most important in Italy.

Consorzio del Chianti Classico

Il profilo del vino.    (Wine’s profile)

Among the main sensory characteristics indicated by the production rules, there is the ruby red color that can become at times intense and deep, depending upon the wine’s origin. The nose offers floral notes of violets and irises combined with a typical red fruit aroma. The flavor is harmonious, dry and sapid with a good level of tannins that will refine with time, becoming soft and velvety.  Sangiovese is extremely sensitive to external factors, especially soil and climate, and it is truly difficult to identify another variety that is so capable to interpret the characteristics of the environment and modify its aromas in accordance to where it is planted. Flowery bouquets are derived from sandy soils, while scents of wild berries from limestone. The aromas of tobacco are fresh with hints of tufa. Whatever may be its origin, Chianti Classico always has a scent of violets that characterizes it.

Buon Chianti Classico!

I just returned from the mayhem of one the most important wine appointment of the planet, Vinitaly! The world-wide known wine fair takes place in the wonderful frame of Verona. No place more romantic than Verona (from its Roman history, to the ‘Shakespearean’ times of Romeo e Giulietta), could be more fitting for such a romantic element like wine. When you are there you can breathe it in the air, maybe because of the vicinity to the Valpolicella area with its fascinating wines… but for sure because this is an amazing event that brings into the city, the most important names of the Italian enology.

Arena di Verona

Going back to Verona is always a charming experience, it is a beautiful city with lots of Roman history. A city that invites you to walk around for hours, stop at one of the many wine bars and enjoy a glass of vino and some cicchetti (the little bites of food, so well prepared). Piazza Bra with its Arena is always a must do stop, from there Viale Mazzini will lead you towards Piazza Erbe, but let me say that before you get there, you must stop at the most historical establishment of Verona, Bottega Vini (also known as Bottega del Vino).                                             This wonderful restaurant has existed since the 16th century. Nowadays is owned by the 12 most historical producers of Amarone (Famiglie dell’Amarone) and I was lucky enough to have dinner there with my dear friends at MASI Agricola (Tony Apostolakos and Raffaele Boscaini).

1997 Masi 'Campolongo di Torbe' Amarone Classico

I savored some of the great dishes of Verona, like affettati misti, tagliata di manzo and risotto all’Amarone, and I am sure you’ll guess what we drank to accompany such masterpieces of the table… 2008 Masi Brolo di Campofiorin, 2007 Masi Amarone Classico ‘Costasera’ Riserva, 2004 Magnums of Masi Riserva Bottega del Vino (cru selections  produced specifically for the restaurant), but the final touch was sipping a 1997  Masi  ’Campolongo di Torbe’ Amarone Classico della Valpolicella with chunks of aged Parmigiano Reggiano, in the  underground  cellar of Bottega Vini. (endless pleasure….!)Going back to the walk… once you get into Piazza Erbe (famous for its market), you can find plenty of bars or caffes for the classic pre-dinner spritz. Just around the corner is Piazza Dante, also worth visiting, and the Torre dei Lamberti (84mt high) first built in 1174. But no matter which way you go, you’ll get lost in the fairy-tale set of Verona.

Sartori winery in the Valpolicella

Anyhow, spending three full days at Vinitaly and running from one Pavillion to the other and one booth the other is tiring but also energizing.                                                             Listening to the stories of Donnafugata from Sicilia, Coppo, Chiarlo and Gagliardo from Piemonte, Marco Caprai from Umbria, Cecchi, Carpineto, Nardi, Castello Banfi and Marchese de’ Frescobaldi from Toscana, Villa Sandi, Sartori and MASI from Veneto (as well as my personal friend Mario of LUNAROSSA in Salerno) was just mesmerizing. Talking to some of the owners/winemakers that wrote the history of Italian wine, and work hard every day to represent Italy in the world,  is simply priceless for a wine dreamer…

The DOCG zone. The area where Prosecco is ‘Superiore’

The area lies in the Veneto, 50 km from Venice, in the hilly strip of the Province of Treviso lying between the small towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. It is equidistant from the Dolomites and the Adriatic, a particular situation that has a positive effect on the climate. The terrain is difficult to cultivate but with a special charm, with its vineyards perched high on the steep hillsides where it is hard even to remain standing. Here the vine-growers have made the hillsides their own a centimeter at a time, thus creating a unique landscape whose beauty is such that the producers have applied for the area to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The production zone comprises fifteen communes and stretches over an area of around 20,000 hectares. Vines are grown only on the sunniest parts of the hills, at altitudes varying between 50 and 500 meters above sea level, while the north-facing slopes are covered mainly in woodland.

Prosecco DOC area

5,000 hectares of vineyards are part of the official D.O.C.G., and of these just over 100 are in the Cartizze subzone in the commune of Valdobbiadene, which lies between the hamlets of Saccol, San Pietro di Barbozza and Santo Stefano. The climate throughout the area is mild, with not excessively cold winters and hot but not muggy summers, with the result that, in the past, the nobles of Venice liked to spend their summers in these areas in order to escape from the humidity of the lagoon. The Prosecco produced in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene area represents a synthesis of history and “naturally” superior quality. Conegliano, the heart of local wine culture, is the site of Italy’s first Oenological School and also of its first Research Institute for Viticulture; Valdobbiadene, the heart of the actual production zone, has the greater concentration of high hillside vineyards. There is also a third element: the men and women who, through their passion for their land and for their product, have always expressed – and continue to do so – the unique, inimitable character of Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG. Continue reading →

When i tasted for the first time the Cerulli-Spinozzi Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ‘Torre Migliori’ Colline Teramane DOCG, i was as far as it gets from the town of Canzano (Abruzzo) where the winery is located.

Vineyards in the Colline Teramane

Distance though did not really matter, because as soon as the wine was poured into the glass immediately i was taken back to Italy. The Colline Teramane DOCG is a fairly new appellation (est. 2003) and it is the only DOCG area of Abruzzo. Very close to the Gran Sasso which is the southern most glacier in Europe, but also influenced by the warm breezes coming from the Adriatic, this area gives birth to some of the most distinctive and intense Montepulciano grapes.
Enrico Cerulli-Spinozzi produces wines that come from the past, a bright and refreshing Pecorino, a structured Cerasuolo (rose’) that i tasted with a local semi-hard goat cheese and was just perfect, but the star of the show is definitely the Torre Migliori Montepulciano. Continue reading →

Leaving Montalcino behind on a beautiful fall (actually it was more summer) day was quite sad. But knowing that we were driving to Umbria, the undiscovered Green heart of Italy (il polmone verde d’Italia) made it also a special day. After a stop or two on the autostrada to sip on an espresso we finally arrived in the land of his majesty… ‘Sagrantino’.

A. Caprai vineyards

Montefalco (mountain of the hawks) is a very pretty town right in the heart of Umbria, and here the indigenous super-variety called Sagrantino has been around at least for 500 years. We were lucky to visit (and have lunch) at the world renowned Arnaldo Caprai winery, with Marco Caprai (current owner). Marco wrote the story of Sagrantino, a variety destined to disappear as no other producer in the early 70′s believed anymore in it. Thanks to the research and collaboration with the University of Milano, Marco brought Sagrantino to the international attention and eventually Sagrantino di Montefalco was awarded the DOCG status as one of the top Italian wines. Continue reading →

Driving for 900 miles in 4 days made me gain a new appreciation for Italy’s countryside and the great people behind some the great wineries I visited. By the way it was a lot more fun thanks to the people I was with!

The perfect car

The car made it a lot easier… to navigate through the beautiful landscapes of central Italy…

First stop the enchanted town of Montalcino home to history, beauty and the worldwide famous Brunello di Montalcino. Visiting one of the top estates such as Castello Banfi was a true eye-opener. A state-of-the-art operation that respects its environment first and foremost and works (and has worked for the last 30+ years) to improve the quality of the Brunello through research and clonal selection. Castello Banfi’s goal is to give Brunello di Montalcino a worldwide recognition. Continue reading →

Recently I travelled with my wife to Italy. We went back to my beautiful Salerno, a city located in southern Italy and surrounded by the gorgeous Amalfi coast to the North, and the Cilento coast to the south.

View of Salerno from the Arechi castle

“Salerno is the main town close to the Costiera Amalfitana (the “Amalfi Coast” on the Tyrrhenian, which includes the famous towns of Amalfi, Positano, and others) and is mostly known for its Schola Medica Salernitana (the first University of Medicine in the world). In the 16th century, under the Sanseverino family, amongst the most powerful feudal lords in Southern Italy, the city became a great centre of learning, culture and the arts, and the family hired several of the greatest intellectuals of the time. Later, in 1694, the city was struck by several catastrophic earthquakes and plagues, and afterwards a period of Spanish rule which would last until the 18th century. After that, Salerno became part of the Parthenopean Republic and saw a period of Napoleonic rule. Continue reading →

Pasta and olive oil are novelties in a robust cuisine based on cheese and meat, rye bread, potatoes, polenta, gnocchi, risotto and soups. Cows grazed on Alpine meadows provide fine butter and cheese called toma, Robiola and above all Fontina DOP, which figures in many a dish, including fondua, made with milk as in Piedmont’s fonduta. Also DOP is Valle d’Aosta Fromadzo, a firm cow’s milk cheese (sometimes with a bit of ewe’s milk) that has been made in the valley since the 15th century. Cheese is also used with polenta, risotto and in thick soups, whose ingredients range beyond the usual vegetables, meat, rice and potatoes to include mushrooms, chestnuts and almonds.

Meat specialties of Valle d’Aosta are the beef stew called carbonade and breaded veal cutlets or costolette. Aostans savor the trout that abounds in mountain streams and game: partridge, grouse, hare, venison, as well as chamois and ibex (for which hunting is limited). Noted pork products are prosciutto called Jambon de Bosses, which rates a DOP, as does the Lard (salt pork) from the town of Arnad. Spicy blood sausages called boudins and salame are preserved in pork fat. Mocetta is the rare prosciutto of chamois or ibex. A curiosity is tetouns, cow’s udder salt cured with herbs, cooked, pressed and sliced fine like ham. Continue reading →