Napoleonic Wines

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.

Wines from Valle D’Aosta (Italy)

As you turn North from Torino you leave behind the rolling foothills of the Langhe and start to climb towards Europe’s highest peak and border with France: Monte Bianco. Once a colony of Piedmont, the Valle D’Aosta was ruled by the House of Savoy for over a century. The heights of Gran Paradiso Nature Reserve collide with the often swollen banks of the Dora Baltea River where vines, grasping to the steep mountain pistes, thrive. The soils are predominantly glacial moraine so grape choices and wine styles are primarily determined by altitude (300 - 800m). This is Italy’s smallest wine region and many of the wines never make it outside the Valle D’Aosta, never mind overseas. These wines are fresh and bright and would be perfect for a summer picnic, but they are also beautiful with rich game and charcuterie, fitting for the cold New England winter. 

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