Galloping through uncharted territory with Michael – and his Italian stallions
Once again OWC members gathered at Lady Margaret Hall for the second consecutive tasting of the season to be led by Club President Michael Palij. Michael guided us through a unique exploration of some of Italy’s little known grape varieties, neglected regions and small producers – or, as our President described it, a journey to discover ‘the Ferraris amongst the Fiats’.
With 15 wines to enjoy, the tasting galloped along – all thanks to the gallant pourers whose role was not an easy one, and to the club’s front-of-house Brendan Cull whose pouring layout closely and necessarily resembled a battle plan!
First out of the gates was a 2010 Azienda Agricola Zucchetto, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene ‘bottle-fermented’ DOCG, 1%, £14. Grown and produced on limestone soil north of Venice on south-facing slopes, made traditionally, aged on the lees and not disgorged, hence a slightly cloudy appearance. On the nose, a classic prosecco-style sweet pears aroma. On the palate, slightly bitter, reflecting its brut (zero grammes per litre) status.
Served as a pair, two whites, which Michael described as ‘being about grape variety’ - a 2009 Azienda Agricola Massa, Colli Tortonesi Timorasso DOC, 14%, £17 and a 2007 Azienda Vitivinicola La Monacesca, Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva ‘Mirum’ DOC, 14%, £18.50. Described by Michael as being produced by a crazy, forgetful and hands-on wine maker, located next door to Gavi and impossible to find, Walter Massa, his father and grandfather have preserved the Timorasso grape as an article of faith when everyone else was grubbing it up. Unoaked and with full lees contact, on both the nose and the palate the wine produced honeyed peach-type stone fruits and was reminiscent of an Alsace. Michael feels this wine is capable of ageing for up to 20 years. The Matelica is produced on 50-year-old vines, inland, on high limestone-content slopes which face east and the sea, in an area whose climate has a strong maritime influence; the combination producing wines almost uniquely high in both alcohol and acidity. Somewhat smoky on the nose and palate, this effect is due not to oak but to prolonged lees contact.
Another pair, this time of reds, which were about terroir – or to put it in Michael’s words ‘where France has attitude, Italy has altitude’! A 2010 Azienda Agricola Terre Bianche, Rossese di Dolceacqua DOC, 13%, £17 and a 2006 Aziende Agricole Sella, Lessona DOC, 13%, £25. The Rossese variety is grown in Liguria, near the French border. Stainless-steel fermented, this wine is light, fresh, delicate, low in tannins and versatile with food, a summer red positioned in the same marketing area as Beaujolais. Grown in Piedmonte on very acidic gravelly soil, this 80% Nebbiolo wine (20% Vespolina) is matured in large old oak barrels and was described as ‘a beautiful elegant rendering of nebbiolo. With rich ripe fruits on the nose and palate, the wine had a long and somewhat bitter (sour cherries) aftertaste.
Another pair of reds to follow, a 2006 Azienda Agricola Macarico, Aglianico del Vulture ‘Macari’ DOC, 14%, £18 and a 2008 Azienda Agricola Cianfagna, Tintilia del Molise DOC, 14.5%, £24. Made in the south (Basilicata) on surprisingly cold volcanic soil by a former Michelin-starred restaurateur, the grapes are harvested as late as the first week in November and the wine has some barrel ageing. Restrained and elegant, with a mourvedre-type nose containing hints of violets. Made from the Tintilia grape, described as ‘the red equivalent of Timaroso’, this wine is from a single west-facing vineyard. Havested row by row and fermented in cement, which retains heat and produces an even temperature, the wine is rich, almost jam-like on the palate, with a pleasantly burnt aftertaste.
Served alone, the red 2006 Azienda Agricola Dettori, Monica ‘Chimbanta’ IGT Romangia, 16%, £24 is produced near the tip of Sardinia. Grown on low yielding and substantially ungrafted Monica vines, the wine is made using natural yeasts. With the alcohol possibly degrading, the wine showed some volatile acidity and had a pear drops or cough linctus nose and a mushroomy, earthy palate.
Next, a pair of whites, presented by Michael’s ‘Italian stallions’, wine maker Giuliani Ivan and grower and investor Marco Nicolini. A 2010 Azienda Agricola Terenzuola, Colli di Luni Vermentino DOC, 12%, £13 and a 2009 Azienda Agricola Terenzuola, Colli di Luni Vermentino ‘Fosso di Corsano’ DOC, 14%, £15. With a huge variation in altitude, none of this estate’s vineyards, situated on the Ligurian border with Tuscany, is more than one kilometre from the sea. Produced under the inter-regional Colli di Luni DOC, the wine makers aim for a freshness of flavour from their Vermentino vines. No destemming takes place and for the ‘straight’ Vermentino there is little skin contact, with up to 4 months on the lees and early bottling (mid February) to preserve its citrus-fruit freshness. The Fosso di Corsano is given more skin contact and produced on older low yielding vines, which are grown at a higher altitude. The Fosso di Corsano showed greater smoky minerality and density of fruit on both nose and palate and was almost riesling-like in character.
Served on its own, the 2009 Azienda Agricola Giuliani & Pasini, Cinque Terre Bianco DOC, 13.5%, £18, is grown in a steep conservation area near La Spezia, amongst walls and terraces built in the 12th century. With only 48 hectares under current (organic) cultivation, a low trimming system (although guyot is being tested) and 10k plants per hectare, yields are low. Low ph in the soil provides the potential for good acidity. The wine is produced with 3 to 4 days skin contact, lees contact of between 8 and 9 months and indigenous yeasts are used. The wine is designed for longevity so it was tasted it in its extreme youth. Nevertheless it was smooth, with a good depth of fruit on the nose as well as unctuous on the palate.
Our final pair of reds, a 2010 Azienda Agricola Terenzuola, Vermentino Nero IGT Toscana, 13%, £12 and a 2008 Azienda Agricola Terenzuola, Canaiolo ‘Merla della Miniera’ IGT Toscana, 14.5%, £15. The Vermentino Nero is fermented in open barrels and punched down, with malo lactic fermentation in oak. The wine is then transferred to stainless steel for maturation. The wine tasted was a tank sample and may have still been fermenting, with a distinctive ‘stewed tea’ type nose. The merlot based Canaiolo is both vinified and undergoes malolactic fermentation in concrete. It is aged in large old oak barrels with aromatics increased by leaving the barrels open.
Tasted alone, the 2007 Azienda Agricola Giuliani & Pasini, Cinque Terre Sciacchetra DOC, 15%, £44 is an unbotrytised sweet wine produced from the Bosco and Vermentino grapes, with a projected life of between 10 and 50 years and was therefore tasted very early in its maturity. Salmon orange in colour and with a good acidity and tannins, on the nose and palate custard, apples and peaches could be detected. Only 4k litres are produced.
Our final wine – and a surprise to all participating - was a 1998 Chateau d’Yquem, which had been purchased by Michael on the basis that many of the wines for the tasting had been donated by the producers, hence there was a budgeted surplus to be used! Richer and with more weight than the Sciacchetra, the wine was a classic Yquem with a rich honeyed palate and a tropical fruit finish.
Our thanks to Michael, as ever, for an exciting and stimulating tasting, backed by his usual thorough research and inimitable delivery!
HRE