On the Ripasso Method

In drinking wines like these you have to remember that the Ripasso method is unlike much of anything else when it comes to making dry wines. The juice of the grapes sits on their raisinated skins for a period of time in order to provide additional extract and intensity. This technique means that these wines are generally much bigger and more alcoholic than other dry reds.

In my opinion most Valpol Ripassos and Amarones are usually uninteresting wines for the price. They are generally over-extracted and aggressive. The best can age forever and it is true that very old wines from producers like Bertani and Quintarelli are completely different from the norm, offering far more elegance. These wines nonetheless often bear resemblance to port in their pruney fruit and leather stewed compote flavours. But here we have something different.

Dal Forno Loves Oak

The Dal Forno does not shy away from extreme extraction and high alcohol. In fact, the alcohol is so high that it is reasonably astringent at this point in its development. The oak is also quite overt making this an extremely aggressive wine.

However, the fruit here is very much unlike most Ripasso method wines I’ve tasted, being much fresher and peppier than I would have expected. I suppose this is needed given the extremities of oak in this wine, but in any case if you enjoy extract and oak but do not generally like the stewed fruit flavours, this is a wine to check out. I would be curious to see if this calmed down with 5 more years in the cellar, though I’m not sure the Oak will ever be shy or subtle here. I also worry about the high alcohol drying out the fruit with too much age – but I do not have enough experience with this wine to say for sure.

In summary, this is a good wine, but not necessarily my style. I also can’t fathom the usual price.

Very Good
$45 at Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant (~$250 CDN at Kits Wine)

La Spinona

This is a small winery that is a hybrid of traditional and modern. While they use the traditional Slovenian oak they also ferment under temperature control in cement vats. The Bricco Faset vineyard is located in the Barbaresco DOCG and is one of the two top sources of Nebbiolo from La Spinona

The Wine

This is a heavier, more compressed Nebbiolo based wine. While offering the depth of a good wine, it lacks finesse and the tannins remain fierce. I expected a bit more easy drinking wine at this stage in its development, but there are some rough edges to work through that make this relatively difficult to consume without food. It lacks in the fundamental aromatic complexity that makes great Nebbiolo so great.

However, this Barbaresco is still tasty wine, and its lack of subtle complexity makes it an ideal partner for richer, aromatic foods (such as osso buco braised in a lemon garlic sauce) because you do not lose the beauty of the wine’s aromas with the intense food pairings. Other wines, such as the Elio Grasso Barolo in the previous post, call more for a steak with less intense aromatics so as not to overwhelm the wine.

In conclusion, this is a good wine with food, but I would not recommend it compared to similar examples at a similar price point.

Very Good
$50 at Liberty Wine Merchants

Perhaps it was the fact that this grape is almost nonexistent, or perhaps it was the confirmation that naturalist wine can be completely varietal, clean and of place, but this Foradori white was an utterly convincing drink. It is the kind of wine that has enticing, complex and unique floral aromatics and much tastiness. Despite its ‘amphora fermentation’ it is not an orange wine, and is entirely clean (speaking both of meticulous wine making and proper shipping conditions – unlike the majority of wine sold in BC). It is not an extremely complex wine, and yet it is also not a basic quaffer. In the end, it is the kind of wine that you could drink forever, which I think is the ultimate criterion for convincing wine.

Foradori is a fascinating producer who is most famous for Teroldego. You can find a great series of videos on the Dressner website (the US importer).

Very Good+ to Excellent
~$40 USD at Arlequin Wine Merchants in SF

Gattinara is found in northern Piedmont, in the hills of Novara and Vercelli. Being a northern region, the wines made here tend to be lighter than Barolo and Barbaresco. Gattinara in particular tends to be fairly earthy in character, and I certainly felt that way about this 10 year old riserva.

The Acidic Soils of Gattinara

The soils of Gattinara are heavy with minerals and are known to be “porphyry” soils. This soil type tends to be higher in acid than others, which can give vibrant aromas but can also cause balance issues. Travaglini sets out to avoid these issues by using guyot training which reduces yields compared to traditional trellising in the region. Careful vineyard management ensures more even ripening and grape selection.

Travaglini combines some traditional techniques with its mostly modern approach – for example, using large slavonian oak botti for the first period of aging before moving the wine to barriques. I think they’ve managed the hybrid approach well and the barriques have not overburdened the magical scents of the Nebbiolo grape, which can’t be said for all ‘modernist’ producers.

An Earthy Wine At Peak

This wine is throwing decent sediment right now, as expected for its age. The nose suggested cherries, flowers and some secondary earthiness along with overall elegance.

The palate begins with promise: felt tip marker, bitter leaf, and nut skins. Quite a savory wine, but also nice length. The fruit is still alive right now, but it is on the verge of fading. The tannins are still somewhat aggressive and drying and I do not think this will improve. Food helps soften the impact of the tannin, and my experience so far with Nebbiolo suggests that these wines really should always be consumed with food.

In conclusion, this is a high quality lighter-bodied Nebbiolo that is not quite at the level of other Nebbiolo wines at this price point. It does speak of its terroir, however, and it demonstrates just how special Barolo and Barbaresco really are.

Very Good to Very Good+
$75 at Kits Wine

This Nebbiolo from Gianfranco skirts some of the major price uppers by sticking to the general “Langhe” moniker. This means that the fruit either comes from regions outside the big boys in Barolo and Barbaresco or it is declassified fruit. What is really impressive, is that the quality of the fruit hits far above its entry-level (for Nebbiolo) price point.

On Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo is an extremely tannic grape. It is difficult to turn into something accessible in its youth, but modern technology has started to move certain examples in this direction. Most wines would, however, be a shame to drink young. What is most impressive about Alessandria’s entry level wine is that it drinks so well even at this young age.

Unlike Sangiovese, the fruit quality of Nebbiolo is generally very good these days. Real challenges come in the cellar, however, and this is where the battle between traditionalists and modernists truly takes place. I will explore this topic in more detail in future posts; however, it is useful to note that most producers these days have eliminated the issues that led to bacterial infections and volatile acidity in the past. Thus the general quality of wine is quite consistent – the real trick is finding the values and the truly great.

Accessible, Delicious Nebbiolo

This Langhe Nebbiolo is made from 10 year old vines planted on south-east slopes in Monforte d’Alba. Only 3500 bottles are produced (under 300 cases).

The nose on this wine is clearly nebbiolo – classic bright cherry with nut skins. There is less expressivity and concentration compared to the big boys in Barolo and Barbaresco, but this is an extremely tasty wine.

The dense palate, with its firm and grippy tannins, loosens and opens with food. There is lots of dark cherry in this wine, which has a surprising density of fruit for its level. A wine with excellent concentration, structure and length. This is a super bargain for Nebbiolo and I’d call it slightly modernist but also restrained with the oak. In other words, quite a lovely amalgam of accessibility and traditional weight and tannin.

Very Good+ and Highly Recommended Value
$40 at Kits Wine

Chianti From Brand to Terroir

Selvapiana has a long connection with Florentine history, first owned by a bishop, then passing to merchants and finally being purchased by the Selvapiana family and becoming an fully fledged vineyard in the early 19th century. Selvapiana is a huge 240 acre estate with 45 acres dedicated to wine and 31 dedicated to the other Tuscan staple, olives.

In many ways Chianti is the origin of modern Italian wine. As the first officially demarcated wine making zone, it both represents the beginning of Italians’ attempt to discover and express place and an important part of Italian political history. The famous Medici family of Florence were the original sponsors of Italian wine regulation, right in the heart of Chianti. After Italian unification, it was the baron Ricasoli (of the previously discussed Castello di Brolio) that created the Chianti DOC.

As time moved on, Chianti became more of a brand than a place. The wines were drunk based on associations with a certain Italian lifestyle. The majority of wines were very poorly made and served at not-so-great Italian trattoria.

The modern age has seen a rediscovery of Chianti as place, which has also meant that, as time and lobby pressure expanded first the Chianti Classico and then the Chianti zone, in the 1970’s and 1980’s a group of producers began rediscovering Chianti as a place rather than a brand. Now Chianti Classico is home to many very high quality producers, of which Salvapiana is a great example. In the late 1980’s and 90’s, regulations caught up with the avant garde quality-oriented producers, ensuring a standard of higher quality wines across the region. As improvements continue more Chiantis will be made with 100% Sangiovese, as this wine is. Eventually Chianti will likely earn its place amongst the great terroir regions of the world – but there is still work to be done.

Pure Chianti

This is a 100% Sangiovese Chianti – an increasing rarity. It sees long 20+ days maceration in steel and then 15 months aging in barriques and medium-sized sessile oak casks. This is a slightly more modernist approach than the huge botti traditionally used. However, I did not find it hid the fruit or unique character of the site but rather managed to provide the wine with a suitable structure for aging and long term expression of these fantastic grapes.

Pouring a medium-dark red, this wine is decidedly in the modernist camp: cherry liqueur, earth and sweet oak on the nose transform into tart cherry on the palate. There is nice intensity in this wine, with its mid-range body, long finish and slightly above average acid. I did find the wine a bit hot on the finish, but it may be that the serving temperature was a bit above ideal or that this wine has seen less than ideal storage. Ultimately, this is delicious wine made well, though in this market it is perhaps too expensive compared to great wines like the 2007 Fontodi Chianti Classico at $25 less. Regardless, it is a great example of modernist pure Sangiovese that could only be made in Italy’s original wine region.

Very Good+
$60 at Liberty Wines

The Middle Road: Of Oak and Sangiovese

I think one of the most appealing aspects of Italian wine is its ability to be bitter and sweet simultaneously. This mouthwatering quality is present in the best Sangioveses as well. Even as a grape that takes well to oak (it doesn’t seem to take in the flavours as much as other varieties), it is important to ensure that the oak aging doesn’t overpower the wonderful bittersweet fruit flavours that naturally occur in the grape.

On the one hand are more traditional wines that focus on herbs, bitter cherry, leather and tobacco while on the other, more modernist hand, are wines that get into darker, sweeter fruits and greater opulence. I find that these modern wines, aged in new oak, can often change the wonderful bitter and textural firmness of Sangiovese into creamy, sweet wines that may appeal to certain palates but that also lose the authenticity of the grape.

It is all the more impressive, then, to taste a wine that deftly manages to integrate new oak with Sangiovese without losing its indigenous traits. It also helps that Perazzeta’s selection standards are high, keeping only about ⅓ of the fruit on the vine for vinification, and that the terroir is an interesting mix of river stones, quartz and ancient marine shells. The wine sees 12 months in new French barriques.

Deliciously Rich

An impressive nose of leather, minerals, dark cherry, tobacco and leaves. The palate brings out some darker red fruits because of the new oak aging. The wine is balanced well, though it needs to pair with heavier foods compared to a classic chianti or old-oak aged Sangiovese.

While I liked this wine, I found it interesting how the oak toned every flavour characteristic differently, transforming the juice from its unadulterated peppy self into a richer darker, creamier wine. 14.5% abv

Very Good to Very Good+
~$35 at Everything Wine

Youthfulness does not mean worse quality, but rather different quality. You won’t get long aging wines with deep brooding flavours like you do with Brunello. But you will get very high quality fruit forward, acid driven wines with a lot of character. When purchased from a traditional producer, these are some of the best Sangiovese based wines at their price point.

Top Vineyards

Founded in the 1970’s, the Sassetti Livio estate in Montalcino grew from a long traditional wine making family that moved from elsewhere in Tuscany in order to seek better vineyard land. The vineyards are located in the Montosoli hill north of Montalcino. These are some of the prime vineyard lands in Brunello, especially for traditionalist producers.

Classic Young Sangiovese

This is classic Sangiovese, with cherry, saddle leather and herbs on the nose. A structured high acid wine with bright cherry and a beautiful tart mouthwatering mouthfeel. There is also plenty of leather in this thoroughly traditional wine. It may not be as drinkable without food for those not used to the traditional style – but these sorts of wines are meant to compliment food and can only be fully experienced with a good pairing. All the classics will work: pasta, veal, tomato based sauces and pizzas.

Generally this is a far brighter, peppier wine than Brunello – a product of the youthful vines. The northern vineyards bring the acids fully to the fore of this highly structured and yet extremely youthful wine. An impressive and delicious effort.

Very Good+
~$45 at Kitsilano Wine Cellar

Where is my traditional Sangiovese? These oak-inflected wines with international grapes lack structure and varietal clarity. They are undoubtedly softer, easier to appreciate on their own and suit the modern palate. But where is the acid? The bite, the fire, the peppy joy of great Sangiovese? It’s not in wines like this. These wines are made for opulent steak dinners rather than simple veal bolognese pastas or sweetly subtle lamb chops.

That said, this is a very good IGT and you can taste the Sangiovese influence – bright cherry and leather – even if it lacks some transparency with its micro-oxygenated textural creaminess and oak spices. The oak kills the mouthwatering qualities of high acid Sangiovese, but, again, this is well made wine. It’s similar in weight and style to a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and will certainly gain amazing textural seamlessness with a couple years of bottle age. I just can’t abide. 14% abv.

Very Good+ (but my personal preference would rate this Good+)
$100 at Kits Wine Cellar

Many Chiantis are simple, ‘rustic’ wines with few charms and high levels of brett. Others are overwrought wines with a considerable dollop of the international Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. I find most of the latter Chiantis to be boring wines with little ability to pair with food. Given the sheer scope of the region, however, it is possible to find small producers making traditional Sangiovese well. Enter Fattoria Bibbiani.

An Importing Venture Worth Noting

This wine is brought into North America by the superb but rarely written about “Small Vineyards” importer, working out of Seattle. Luckily for British Columbians, some of these wines are being brought into the province. Small Vineyards focuses on very small production wines made traditionally with biodiversity in the vineyards and minimal levels of interference in the cellar. I’ve attended a tasting put on by Small Vineyards in the past and can say that all of the wines I tasted then were charming, fairly priced and very food friendly.

The Estate

Fattoria Bibbiani is an old school wine estate, with a history of at least 1300 years. It has been with the Donato family for over 150 and is located 20 kilometres west of Florence on the bank of the Arno river. This is an interesting winery that has championed such projects as varietally bottling a unique clone of Sangiovese (Pulignano) that only exists on their estate. Bibbiani makes their Chianti with neutral methods, seeking simple purity of fruit. Techniques include: spurred cordon trained vines, stainless steel maceration and fermentation, and Slavonian oak aging in 10 year old barrels. The soils are limestone, clay and sandstone. Production is about 5,000 cases.

The Wine

Abundant, easily expressible cherry and strawberry fruit elide attempts at complexification. This is charming, free wheeling wine: clean, pure, simple and delicious. It also happens to be rockin’ tasty with pretty sweet fruit, leather and medium body. Perfectly suited for high acid pastas, pizza and anything with tomatos. In many wine lover’s search for greatness, they can miss the inimitable basic purity of a wine like this Chianti.

13% ABV. 85% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 5% Malvasia.

Very Good+ and Highly Recommended Value
$27 at Everything Wine