The Invasion of French Varietals into Italian Soil
(a seminar conducted February 18th, 2010)
The premise of this seminar and tasting is an investigation of wines made in Italy using varietals of French origin. Let’s start by noting that tracking of the movement of grape varietals across international borders is not unlike marking the evolution of any large cultural shift, i.e. language, art, music, et cetera. Timelines to record these changes are intrinsically fuzzy, and the material of concern, namely vitis vinifera in our case, is a constantly evolving population.

To take a snapshot of the current panoply of grapes grown in Italy, it is immediately recognizable that the vast majority of vines are identifiable as ‘indigenous’, or thought to have grown in their present geography for all known history. The same can be said of France, though it is widely accepted that the Greeks and Romans brought vines into Gaul sometime in the first centuries BC. The phenomenon of French varietals being brought into Italy is relatively recent, starting in the 19^th century, but mostly occurring in the second half of the 20^th century.

If Italy already has some 3,000 documented varietals of its own, why would a winemaker go out of his way to work with a foreign grape? Quite simply, the answer comes down to francs and lire.  If a winemaker in Alto Adige earns half as much growing the local gewürtztraminer than he might get by planting chardonnay of Burgundian origin and fame, then why not?

It is precisely this thinking that spawned the genre we know as Super-Tuscans in the late 1960’s. Renegade Tuscan winemakers whose families had bled sangiovese for centuries began planting cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and syrah as a way to make wines more powerful, more international, and more profitable than those that were being made at the time. To their credit, without the Super-Tuscan craze of the past few decades, we would be far less fortunate in the quantity and quality of Italian wines currently available on today’s market.

In this decade, there has grown a backlash against the internationally-modeled wines, led by Johnathan Nossiter, among others, whose film “Mondovino” pointed the finger directly at consulting oenologists (Michel Rolland) and greedy wine producers for allowing market trends to supersede authenticity and terroir. This argument has led to an increased attention paid to winemakers using native varietals and natural, traditional techniques in the vineyard and in the winery.

Before the pendulum swings too far in one direction, today we will taste two Italian wines made of non-native varietals alongside two French wines made from the same varietal, but of original French soil. Hopefully, the elimination of varietal as a variable will serve to isolate the other components in the wines and shed some light on that most elusive of wine concepts, terroir. We will conclude the tasting by comparing two wines exemplary of terroir, one French and one Italian, made from varietals local to their respective regions. A couple of questions to keep in mind as we are tasting:

1. Can you taste authenticity?

2. Does one wine better illustrate terroir than then other?

3. What is terroir?

The wines:

2008 Albert Mann Pinot Blanc

The house white from an estate that has been at the fore of the biodyanamic movement.

2008 Tiefenbrunner Pinot Bianco

An example of a longer tradition of the use of a French varietal from the southern Tyrolean hillsides.

2007 Domaine des Hauts Chassis Crozes Hermitage “Les Galets”

Classic French syrah from the northern Rhone Valley produced by a third-generation winemaker.

2006 Bisceglia Basilicata Syrah “Armille”

A 100% syrah made from young vines in the land-locked, mountainous, southern Italian region of Basilicata.

2007 Doudet Naudin Bourgogne

Village wine made exclusively of pinot noir by a small, organic-minded estate in the village of Savigny-Les-Beaunes.

2007 De Forville Nebbiolo D’Alba “San Rocco”

Declassified Barbaresco from a small family estate benefiting from over a century and a half of winemaking.

First come first served!  Since you asked nicely, read more for a sneak peek at the lineup…

• NV Frozza Prosecco di Valdobbiadene
• 2008 Nera “La Novella” Chiavennasca in Bianco
• 2007 Nino Negri “Ca’ Brione”
• 2007 Brigaldara Valpolicella
• 2004 Caven “Al Carmine” Valtellina Superiore - Inferno
• 2004 Nera Sforzato
• 2006 Nino Negri Sfursat
• 2004 Bussola “Ca’ del Laito” Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso
• 1999 Quintarelli Valpolicella
• 1998 Quintarelli “Rosso Ca’ del Merlo”
• 2001 Villa Erbice Amarone “Vigneto Tremenel” (1.5L)
• 2003 Nicolis Amarone
• 2003 Bussola Amarone
• 2004 Brigaldara Amarone “Case Vecie”
• 1996 Musella Amarone
• 2006 Inama “Vulcaia Apres” Vino Dolce

2007 Casa de Santar, Vihno Branco, Dao

The beautiful family run winery of Casa de Santar can trace its grape growing roots back to 1616.  Today Santar is the single largest landowner in the Dao region of central Portugal and has shifted its focus in recent times from the mass quantity to the great quality production of typical wines of the region.  There are two vineyard sites that are managed with varying local grape varieties; Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro and Tinta Roriz for the reds; Arinto, Cercial and Encruzado for whites.   The winemaking is in the hands of the well respected Pedro de Vasconcellos who has his winemaking practices both rooted in local traditions (field blended grapes, long fermentations and neutral oak aging) as well as progressive ideas such as barrique usage for his riserva wines.  The capacity of the Casa de Santar is over 3 million liters though only 1 million liters are selected for this wine to improve overall quality.  The Dao is a central river valley that has its own particularities in terms of wine making.  The Atlantic breezes mediate the temperatures and allow full bodied and robust reds to be abundant while crisp whites like this one just make you smile.

2008 Borges Quinta de Simaens, Vinho Verde, Minho

Internationally, vinho verde is the most widely distributed Portuguese table wine.  It is produced in the northwestern corner of the country, in the historically Celtic region of Minho.  There is no significant amount of red wine exported, for what is made is largely consumed within Portugal.  The vast majority of the whites exported are extremely light (practically clear), very mildly flavored, low-alcohol wines that are designed to quench the thirst, and nothing more.  Borges purchased the Quinta de Simaens in 1991 and quickly replanted with three important native varietals.  Perdena, or arinto, is widely considered the most important white varietal in all of Portugal, capable of producing distinct, ageworthy wines.  Avesso is gaining popularity as a varietal to produce wines with greater richness and boldness.  Trajadura makes up the rest of the blend, and is an important varietal over the border in Spanish Galicia, often blended with albarino and loureira in both countries.  Borges’ vinho verde is uncommonly rich and fragrant, rivaling the intensity of some of the great whites of northwestern Spain.

NV Caves Alianca, Tinto Bruto, Bairrada

The Bairrada region of Portugal is possibly the least represented amongst the vast array of Portugese wine regions though it may be one of the most interesting.  Located between the southern capital of Lisbon and the northern mecca of Oporto, the Bairrada is a coastal wine region that is considered the coolest and rainiest in the country.  The low rolling hills, heavy clay and limestone rich soils favor above all an indigenous grape called Baga.  Some producers liken Baga’s bold acidity and rigid tannins to the nebbiolo grape of Piedmont, and in some cases the wines can age very well.  The Caves Alianca is the most important producer in terms of overall quantity in the region and specializes on this unique Tinto Bruto, a sparkling dry red wine (our favorite) that is very typically  served with the local specialty of food, roast suckling pig.  It is made from 100% baga and is produced in the charmat method, where fermentation goes on in tank and the wine is bottled under pressure.   We were charmed by this wine and found it to be a jovial and energizing wine that can breathe life into any gathering.

2008 Montaria, Vinho Regional Alentejano, Alentejo

As a wine-producing country, one of Portugal’s great strengths is its diversity. At one extreme lie the fresh, light, zippy Vinho Verde wines from the damp, green, northern Minho and at the other there are the rich, concentrated red wines from the hot Alentejo in the south, with a whole spectrum of flavors in between. The Alentejo is where Portugal’s climate finally escapes the Atlantic influence and the scenery changes to large, gently undulating plains that experience baking hot summers and cold winters more typical of continental weather systems. Referred to as the ‘bread basket’ of Portugal, wheat is the most important crop here, with the poorer soils being reserved for olive trees, cork oaks and vineyards. Think of it as Portugal’s ‘new world’, with the potential to make extrovert, ripe wines with a taste of the sun about them. The Montaria Reserva displays this new world meets old world style given its blend of trincadeira, Alicante bouschet and aragonez.

2006 Borges Quinta da Sao Simao, Dao

The most recent acquisition for the historic Borges wine family, the Quinta da Sao Simao was the site of some of the most important work leading to the demarcation of the Dao region in 1908.  The region was prevented from producing great wines for a long time because of a statute that forced the growers to sell off their grapes to the bottom-line-driven co-operatives.  This statute was only lifted in the 1990’s, and the quality of the wines being produced has risen meteorically in the last decade.  The Dao region is only starting to reach its great potential, provided by the long, dry growing season, sandy soils and granite sub-soil.  The Sao Simao is composed of what some might consider the three most prized red varietals of Portugal.  Touriga nacional, a key component of Port, is judged by most to be the king of Portuguese red varietals.  Tinta roriz is the northern Portuguese name for tempranillo, the pride and glory of Spain’s Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Trincadeira is seen more often in the southern parts of Portugal, since it requires more sun and higher temperatures than what is usually found in the north.

2006 Borges Quinta da Soelheira, Douro

Established in 1756, the Douro region is the third oldest delimited wine region in the world, after the Hungarian Tokaj-Hegyalja region established in 1730 and Chianti in 1716.  The wines were popular with northern European countries, most notably England, who looked to Portugal when their French imports were disrupted by war.  The most famous wines produced in the region are fortified, though it’s important to note that the original exported Douro wines were not fortified.  The addition of spirits to the wine was a remedy to prevent spoilage during the long sea journeys the wine would have to endure.  The renaissance of Portuguese dry table wines is a recent phenomenon, partly in reaction to the decline of international interest and consumption of fortified wine.  The Quinta da Soelheira has been in the hands of the Borges winery for over a hundred years.  From this site, they produce both fortified and unfortified wines from the region’s array of indigenous varietals.  This version is a blend of the aforementioned touriga nacional and tinta roriz (tempranillo), alongside the lighter, aromatic touriga franca.

2008 Guy Allion Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, Loire, France

Guy and Cedric Allion manage this 57-acre wine farm nestled in the idyllic rolling hills of the Touraine appellation. As is customary, their cellar was dug out of the calcareous tufa that lies just beneath the shallow clay top-soil throughout this land. This soil structure not only provides the perfect conditions for cradling fledgling vintages, it is the source of the dominant underlying minerality of Loire Valley wines. The philosophy of the domaine is centered on producing quality wines using natural, traditional methods. They operate under the supervision of the independent Terra Vitis organization, which provides a code of organic practices for linerie all over France. Sauvignon blanc is the prized varietal of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, though some of the best values can come from Touraine, and other less prestigious, outlying appellations of the Western Loire.

2007 Verget du Sud, Marsanne, Vin de Pays de Vaucluse, Provance-Rhone Alps, France

Jean-Marie Guffens is well known, even notorious, as an inspired and ground breaking winemaker most notably in the hills of southern Burgundy in the township of Macon. From here Guffens has created some of the finest and purest examples of Cote d’Or wines, from Chablis to Sant-Veran. In 1997 he and his family bought a property in the Vaucluse in the hills of the Luberon on the interior of the Provance-Rhone Alps department of southern France. The property had several hectates of vines planted mostly to marsanne and roussanne, two of the Rhone river valley’s most prized varietals. Guffens has embraced “new” technology by bottling many of his wines (even some of his Burgundy’s) under screw cap to ensure quality. 2004 was the debut vintage of these Provencal which were greeted with success in many foreign markets including the US. This marsanne is vinified in large open top barrels before aging in stainless steel. Showing the classic house style of Guffen’s wines this has characteristic almond paste notes with a refreshing acidity that makes this a perfect wine for a variety of fish dishes as well as French inspired chicken, pork and rabbit bistro style dinners with friends.

2008 Berger Zweigelt, Kremstal, Austria

Many of you have fallen under the spell of Austria’s flagship white wine, gruner veltliner. Now we want to welcome you to Austria’s flagship red grape, zweigelt.  This is a fantastic, easy-going, friendly wine.  We find ourselves reaching for it again and again.  Many pinot noir lovers have fallen for its value priced charm although I think it also has more of a syrah type purple fruit to it. Erich and Maria Berger are a young couple who are dedicated to making incredibly drinkable wines and they are doing a great job with their small 5,400 case production. Fortunately, not only is it delicious with its smooth dark fruit and spice, but its also a liter vs 750ml!  I never think one standard size bottle is quite enough, so happily this one gives you more! I love this with a BLT or Moroccan spice salmon.

2007 Comm. Armando Piazzo, Barbera, Alba, Piemonte

As many great Italian winemaking stories Piazzo too is a well run, small family winery located on the outskirts of the fabled town of Barbaresco. Armando Piazzo with wife Gemma Veglia began in the 1950’s to cultivate some of the finest grapes in the communes in and around Barbaresco and soon earned a reputation as one of the best grape growers in the region. In those days all of the fruit would be sold to local bottling houses and would end up directly in some of the regions quintessential restaurants. As time went on a new generation of winemakers with more modern aspirations came to lead this small company and soon turned their focus to their own proprietary winemaking. Today the fourth generation is at the helm and though they have steadily acquired more prestigious land holdings they maintain their outlook as a small, family winery focused on quality. Today Franco and Marina Piazzo make the wine, tend the vineyards as well as run a small bed and breakfast called Cascina Barac (likely worth a visit!). As you may know barbera is one of The Wine Bottega’s favorite grapes, offering tremendous versatility at the table and appealing to many different palate preferences. This is a simple and very delicious version that is sourced from several vineyards around Alba and in the nearby Roero hills, vinified in stainless steel/cement and aged for a few months in large format “botti”.

2008 Bodegas San Prudencio “Cueto” Rioja, Spain

Young winemaker Ruben Saenz has been described as the wunderkind of Rioja. After graduating from wine school, he began consulting at wineries throughout the region. He began making his own wine out of a rented facility in his mid-twenties, before finally buying the winery he now occupies two years ago at the age of 29. Some of his vineyards are in Montelaturce, the landmark mountain in Rioja that is the inspiration for his labels and the flag of the state.  These are some of the highest altitude vineyards in Rioja, which makes the task of hand-harvesting that much more taxing. This is a young, juicy style of Rioja that goes great with just about everything.

2008 Bodega Aconquija “Alberto Furque”, Valle de Uco, Argentina

Bobby Kacher has a great eye for seeking out hidden gem wineries. He typically focuses on France, but we were very excited to discover this new malbec at his tasting recently. Here is his information on this estate… “In 1995, Alberto Furque and his family purchased an old winery and vineyards in an area just south of Mendoza called the Uco Valley. The estate, known as Aconquija, is located in the small town of La Consulta and is being enthusiastically run by Carolina Furque, Alberto’s daughter. The Uco Valley is considered the sweet spot in the region of Mendoza. The dry climate has very cool nights, very warm days, and nearly 300 days of sunshine each year. The village of La Consulta and its vineyards average 3,000 feet in elevation. The vines are planted north/south on terraces in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. The name Aconquija, which means “snow near the moon,” is named for the Western Hemisphere’s highest snow-covered peak in the Andes Mountains (22,835 ft). Carolina harvests much later than many other growers in the area, working with an agronomist to be sure that the grapes have achieved physiological ripeness. All hand-harvested, the fruit is de-stemmed and fermentation is temperature-controlled. Each grape type is fermented separately and maceration takes 15 to 20 days. The wines are aged in insulated concrete tanks.” I love the balance of dark fruit and spice in this wine - a hallmark of great malbec!