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Piemonte
- Few Varietals, Myriad Variety.
Tucked away in the northwest corner of
Italy is, quite arguably, the most exciting
wine-producing region in the whole country. The
Piemonte
(pee-uh-mahn-tay)
is awash in vines and, as one would hope, as
many different styles of wine. Like much of
Italy, things can get a bit confusing so before we get
too far along, let's lay down a few ground rules.
As for red wines there are, for the most
part, three main grape varietals. From least to
greatest they are Dolcetto, Barbera, and Nebbiolo.
The first two are labeled as such, generally followed by
the location in which they were grown (i.e. Dolcetto
d'Acqui, Dolcetto di Dogliani, Barbera d'Alba, Barbera
d'Asti, etc). The other major grape, Nebbiolo, is
used to make Barbaresco and Barolo - the latter being
the most important wine in the region, some might say
all of Italy.
Stylistically, the wines of the Piemonte
can vary dramatically. This region is not
insulated from the temptation on the part of some
producers to make more 'modern' wines. In fact, the same
battle is being waged throughout Europe: Modern
vs. Traditional. Those of you who know me are
fully aware to which school I subscribe. For those
of you who don't, I am a traditionalist.
The following is a small selection of
wines that I offer from this little corner of
Italy. These wines are made by vignerons who
know their land, respect their terroir, and make their
wines with as little intervention as possible.
They matter, their wines matter,
and both should matter to you.
P.S.
For
those already familiar with this region, my aim is to
introduce these wines gently. I haven't forgotten
about Barbaresco and Barolo: all good things in due
time.
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Dolcetto - The little sweet one?
When translated from Italian, Dolcetto
means "the little sweet one." Admittedly, it is
the low man on the totem pole in the hierarchy of
Piemontese grapes but, I think it is about time that
people recognize the strengths of Dolcetto
rather than its perceived weeknesses.
For
years people have spoken about Dolcetto like they speak
about Gamay. Gamay is the grape grown in
Beaujolais which when treated poorly in the
vineyard or the cellar produces wines that are terribly
fruit forward and possess very little stuffing. In
other words, wine for people who don't
like wine. Historically, a great deal of
the Dolcetto coming out of the Piemonte was much like
this - light, fruity, and innocuous. However, when
treated with respect both grapes can rise to levels most
people would not believe. Gamay grown in proper
locations can produce a wine that many people might
mistake for a Burgundy, Beaujolais' prestigious
neighbor to the north. Likewise, Dolcetto treated
properly can rival more than a few Barbera. I
have selected a couple that exemplify the beauty that
Dolcetto can attain.
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Bovio 'Dabbene' Dolcetto d'Alba
2004
Gianfranco Bovio came to the wine business
in 1976 by way of his restaurant Belvedere which
overlooks La Morra. Initially the vineyards
consisted of 3 hectares planted to Nebbiolo and
Dolcetto. They have since been expanded to a total
of 20 hectares. The holdings consist of Nebbiolo in
Barolo as well and some single vineyards with Barbera
and this Dolcetto from the vineyard Dabbene.
Fermented in temperature controlled vats, the wine is
then aged in stainless steel. This is a
serious wine which definitely challenges the idea
that Dolcetto is something of a
lightweight.
Azienda Agricola Gianfranco Bovio
'Dabbene'
Dolcetto d'Alba
2004 $21.50
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I Quaranta 'Viola'
Dolcetto
d'Acqui 2005
As the sidebar suggests, I Quaranta is the
'featured' winery for this issue. I was first
introduced to her wine from the 2004 vintage and I can
say that as every vintage comes along, Annalisa is going
from strength to strength.
The proprietory Name 'Viola'
pays homage to the violet color and aromatics of
the wine reminescent of the flower. This
wine is aged in stainless steel for six months, and
is another excellent example of a true
Dolcetto.
Tenuta I Quaranta
'Viola' Dolcetto d'Acqui
2005 $20.50 |
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Barbera - Alba vs. Asti
As I stated in the opening summary, the
'lesser' varietals grown in the Piemonte are generally
labeled according to the area in which they are
grown. The two most important are the areas around
the towns of Alba and Asti.
Without a doubt Barbera d'Alba has far
more name recognition than does Barbera d'Asti.
This is due to the fact that Alba is situated between the prestigious appellations of
Barbaresco (to the north) and Barolo (to the
south). Given that the wines from these two
regions are world renowned and command very high prices,
it's easy to see how these producers' Barbera would
generally get higher billing. Asti is about 18
miles north of Alba and is not surrounded by such
celebrated appellations. Nebbiolo may be the king
of grapes around Alba but Barbera enjoys the top
spot in Asti. While many people look down their
nose at the wines from Asti, I think it a grave error to
do so. While 18 miles doesn't sound like a whole
lot, the differences in Barbera from one town, or one
vineyard, to the next are amazing.
Fantino 'Vigna dei Dardi'
Barbera d'Alba 2004
Before starting his one winery with his
brother Gian Natale, Alessandro Fantino worked for ten
years with Barolo legend Bartolo Mascarello.
The vines are limited to 10 hectares in a vineyard that
had fallen into dis-repair for some time. Their
cellar has areas that date back to the 1600's. All
of the estate's holdings are within the Vigna dei Dardi
in the town of Monforte
d'Alba and are planted to Nebbiolo, Barbera, and
Dolcetto.
This Barbera exhibits all of typicity
that one looks for in a proper Barbera - not overly
fruity but rather more earth-tone driven flavors
coupled with good acidity.
Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino
'Vigna dei Dardi' Barbera d'Alba
2004 $23.50
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Martinetti 'Bric dei Banditi'
Barbera
d'Asti 2004
There is very little information about
this producer and that seems to be the way he likes
it. Franco Martinetti refers to himself as a
'gypsy winemaker' as he owns no vineyards nor a
winery. From the wine in the bottle, that doesn't
seem to matter.
Martinetti's first release, an oak aged
Barbera, was in 1985. Since then, Franco has
secured contracts with growers in Barolo as well as this
single vineyard in Vinchio outside of Asti. This
Barbera is hand-harvested from vines that average 20
years of age, fermented in temperature controlled vats,
and aged in stainless steel. ______________________________________________________________
As I wrote in the intorduction, Barbera from Alba
is very different from that of Asti. While I buy
and sell Barbera from both villages, I find that the
wines from Asti have a minerality not found in the wines
from the southern neighbor. And for those who
think Barbera must be consumed young, I beg to
differ. I only recently sold the last of the 1999
Bric dei Banditi and it was stunning.
Franco M. Martinetti 'Bric dei Banditi'
Barbera d'Asti
2004 $25.00 |
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Monferrato - The lines
blur
Thus far, I have been focusing on the more
popular wines and areas in the Piemonte. Generally
speaking, these wines are of higher quality and pedigree
but they have to be made following rather strict
regulations. Wines made from outside the specific
appellations, or made from 'non-native' grapes, carry
the general appellation of Monferrato. This
moniker also applies to wines that are blends of
multiple grapes, even blends of native varietals.
Blending is not permitted in Alba or Asti but the
ability to do so affords the winemaker an opportunity to
create something greater than the sum of its
parts.
Forteto della Luja 'Le
Grive'
Monferrato 2004
Forteto
della Luja is a bit of an anomoly in this part of
Italy. While the vast majority of producers
have earned their reputaion on their red wines,
this house is effectively dedicated to the production of
sweet wines - two styles of Moscato and a
Brachetto. 'Le Grive' is one of two offerings of
dry red wine.
This
bottling is a blend of Barbera and Pinot Noir (80% - 20%
respectively). While this is not a traditional
blend, it is one that works. As the Barbera brings
the heft and weight one would expect, the Pinot Noir
complements with structure and finesse.
Admittedly, a unique wine but one worth seeking
out.
Forteto della Luja 'Le
Grive'
Monferrato
2004 $37.00
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 I Quaranta 'Mondanotto' Monferrato
2006
Another wine that I was introduced to from
the 2004 vintage, this is a proprietary blend of Barbera
and Dolcetto, the portions of which change vintage to
vintage. With the 2006 the blend is 50-50.
Admittedly, this is a young wine. However, having
followed Annalisa's wines for a few years, I am certain
that this wine will show better with some time in
bottle. My advice: Buy some for near term
drinking but put some back. Your patience will be
rewarded.
By the way, Le Chai
is the world-wide exclusive outlet for this
wine. Annalisa made 60 six packs (30
cases) of this blend in 2006 and
Le Chai got it all. Le Chai just
confirmed she made 75 six-packs of the
2007 vintage, it should be here soon,
and again Le Chai is the only
source. These two vintages provide a great
opportunity to start a vertical collection of this
winery's amazing work.
Tenuta I Quaranta
'Mondanotto' Monferrato
2006 $18.00 |
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An introduction to
Piemonte (1 bottle each)
Bovio 'Dabbene'
Dolcetto d'Alba 2004
I Quaranta 'Viola'
Dolcetto d'Acqui 2005
Fatino 'Vigna dei
Dardi' Barbera d'Alba 2004
Martinetti 'Bric dei
Banditi' Barbera d'Asti 2004
Forteto della Luja 'Le
Grive' Monferrato 2004
I Quaranta 'Mondanotto'
Monferrato 2006
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$145.50 - Availability:
Limited | |
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Tenuta I
Quaranta
Annalisa Battuello spent much of
her adult life as an automotive designer. After
years of running the corporate rat-race, she decided to
improve her quality of life and began making wine. If you
are not familiar with her work, you should be. It will
improve the quality of your life as well.
I Quaranta is a small property based in the town
of Ricaldone. The estate is quite small and while
a couple of white wines and a couple of dessert wines are
produced, Annalisa focuses her efforts primarily
on red wines.
When running at full bore, I Quaranta's entire
production will be less than 4,000 cases, an amount that
is miniscule by any measure. This dedication to
quality is readily apparent in each of her wines.
The wines of Tenuta I Quaranta
White
2004 Gentile
2005 Momento Chardonnay
Red
2005 Viola Dolcetto d'Acqui
2006 Mondanotto
2005 India
2005 Asia
2004 Velours
Dessert
2006 Brachetto d'Acqui
2004 Dorato Passito
2004 Ratin
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