In general, Elisabetta Foradori’s wines need little introduction. They are already the stuff of legends. For some 20+ years Elisabetta has been quietly tweaking and tinkering with her local grape varieties indigenous to the high Dolomite Alps of Trentino-Alto Adige, most notably the brooding red grape teroldego and the buoyant and aromatic white, nosiola. Foradori’s wines have always had a strong following both here in the shop and in pockets around the country, but it is with this, her foray into making wines in anfora (clay pots) that has made the most recent splash. For years Elisabetta used classic winemaking techniques and for a while even experimented with using new French barriques. That is all behind here now as she has followed in the footsteps of the handful of winemakers across the peninsula practicing the act of fermentation as the ancients would have done it: buried in the ground in a beeswax lined clay pot.
There is a lot of talk of late, both in the glossy magazines and on the myriad wine blogs, about the merits of “natural wine”. For the non-believers we dare you to try these and not fall in love. These wines achieve a purity and sense of place like few others. They are at once dark and brooding yet remarkably elegant and refreshing to the palate. These are the perfect wines for late winter dining and compliment roasts and game as well as hearty root vegetable dishes. Simply put…drink a lot of these, right now.
We are proud to offer a stunning lineup of Foradori’s latest anfora releases (the first time offered here in the state). Here’s some more information on each cuvee:
Fontanasanta Manzoni Bianco $28
This is a peculiar white wine based on the little known, oft-misunderstood grape variety called Incrocio Manzoni. Signor Manzoni, a well-respected Italian hort iculturalist and botanist turned up with this variety high in the Dolomites many decades ago. It is a hybrid of riesling and pinot blanc that is actually fairly common in the Alto -Adige. Here it is vinified half in anfora and half in stainless steel. The result is a bright, crisp and savory alpine white wine with lots of character. Drink this instead of ANY pinot grigio (please).
Fontanasanta Nosiola $40
This is from an old-vine parcel called Fontanasanta, which is less than 2 hectares in size. Nosiola is a rare indigenous white grape that grows only in the hills around Trento and on the northern banks of Lake Garda, in the next valley over. The wine is vinified in anfora lined with beeswax, which forms a seal on the inside of the clay. Broad, herbal and crisp with lots of texture alongside orange blossom/apricot aromas that linger on the finish. This is serious stuff.
Morei Teroldego $40
Planted in the sandy, alluvial silt deposits left by the glaciers during the last ice age this old vine teroldego is elegant and precise. Smoke, gentle spice and a tannic structure that lets you know it’s there without punching you in the teeth. This wine is very expressive, open and drinking well right now though 3-5 years in the cellar will be rewarded (this is why you should buy three or more bottles!).
Sgarzon Teroldego $40
Arguably the most stout and brooding of Elisabetta’s anfora wines, the Sgarzon is for those looking for a wine with serious intensity and structure. Mineral driven with dark, black fruit tones and that ever-present hint of Alpine smoke. Drink now after decanting and hold a few bottles for the long haul.
Quantities are scant and judging by the number of avid followers Foradori has, these wines will not be in the shop for long. First come first served.
