Nino Pieropan fondly remembered in son Andrea’s Masterclass

Nino Pieropan fondly remembered in son Andrea’s Masterclass

 

Pieropan family, in Soave since 1880

In the 1960s, Soave wine came from the Classico region. But the economic boom of the 70s, saw Soave (like Chianti) expand beyond the original area. And it proved a disaster. 

During Tuesday’s Liberty Wines organised online masterclass, Andrea Pieropan explained: “The DO expanded into the flat area where the yields were higher, the season shorter and there was less personality in the wines.” He explained that no area in Italy has such a difference between the classico and the surrounds.

So, quantity reined. Soave was everywhere, being sold abroad (primarily in North America) in 2-litre bottles. Soave became something of a dirty word. Many avoided the wine but, according to Vino Italiano, that meant “missing out on the elegant floral whites of Leonildo Pieropan whose Soaves show off the plump mouth-filling character of ripe Garganega.”  “..taste Pieropan’s single-vineyard wines (..Calvarino … and La Rocca) and suddenly Soave is no longer a dirty word”.

Grown on dark volcanic soil

Such was the impact of Leonildo (popularly known as Nino) who took over from his father in 1970 and was the first producer to make a single-vineyard Soave, 'Calvarino', in 1971.  This vineyard, owned by the Pieropan family since 1901, is on the classic volcanic basalt of Soave Classico. The other single vineyard 'La Rocca' was released for the first time in 1978, this vineyard is situated on the castle (“Rocca” in Italian) of Soave, on the only limestone outcrop in the zone.

Garganega (2019 vintage)

“My father was thinking single vineyard when no one else was,” said Andrea. And he was up against popular opinion as many thought you had to use the international grapes (Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc) to make a top class white. Liberty MD David Gleave confirmed that Nino had great courage and foresight in doing so and admires “the bravery of doing something like that in the 1970s, he trusted his own powers of deduction. He was a modest man but when you visit (as I have many times), you know you’re in a great vineyard.”

“He did not care about trendy,” said Andrea. ‘We have to show what we have and what we have you cannot find in many wines. We have a test: put bottle on table, bottle finished, good sign!”

April bud - Covid19 notwithstanding

“Urged by the great Luigi Veronelli to take the high road of quality, Nino started to prove, with that wine, that the best wines of Soave could age beautifully and could, in the right hands, be considered among Italy’s finest white wines,’ said Gleave. 

The Pieropan family has been producing wines in Soave since the 1890s. Indeed, they were the first producer to bottle a wine with the name Soave on the label in the early 1930s. Calvarino (little calvary) has been owned by the Pieropan family since 1901, is on the classic volcanic basalt of Soave Classico. The other single vineyard 'La Rocca' was released for the first time in 1978, this vineyard is situated on the castle (“Rocca” in Italian) of Soave, on the only limestone outcrop in the zone.

Andrea recalled his father saying that Calvarino was the greatest expression of what Soave should be and important too is the use of cement tanks for aging. “The wine does much better in concrete… we use it always for Calvarino, even in the new winery.”

La Rocca, grown on limestone

They started with cement also at La Rocca but here the soil is “completely different” and they switched to large barrels/tonneau and the wine spends 12 months on oak before bottling and blending. Also, it is not released for another 12 months. All in all, it shows that Garganega “could make a great white wine to compare with International whites wines.”

In the interesting Q&A at the end, Andrea was asked about the use of amphorae. He acknowledged that amphorae were “beautifully shaped and trendy” but didn’t see “much difference”. “You can have cement in same shape. In terms of material, I don’t see a big difference, both are inert.”

Attention to detail, year after year, seems to be a family trait. The Modern History of Italian Wine lists Nino as one of the most important winemakers of the 70s. “With him, viticulture and the Soave grape changed their look. He was the first to adopt green pruning methods… the first to plant espaliered vineyards (1969)…. and, subsequently, to reduce the buds from 50 to 10 in the pergolas of Garganega.  .. the first to use the horizontal Vaslin press..the first to restore the value of Recioto as a wine.. In 1970, with the blind tastings, his wines came to be considered extraordinary.” And the decade just got better with Calvarino and La Rocca

Brothers in wine: Dario (left) and Andrea

When Nino died two years ago, Andrea and brother Dario stepped up to the plate. Each is a winemaker. At present, Andrea oversees the vineyard while Dario takes care of the vivification.

The two sons could have rested on the their father’s laurels for decades. But, like Nino, neither is for standing still and there’s a string of projects on the go, a new one involving Valpolicella, and they recently completed a wonderful winery (underground in a mountain) in Soave itself; organic now, they are becoming more environmentally friendly; they are planting a vineyard on the winery roof to investigate the effects of copper and sulphur in the soil; and, for another label, have planted a vineyard at 500 metres. “We continue in the same line as father,” Andrea said. I reckon Nino would have been quietly pleased!

The new winery during construction

Previous masterclasses in this current series:

In the Swartland with Charles and Charl. The Spice Route and Fairview.

Chilean Wine Maestro Aurelio Montes

The Day The Vines Died in Alto Piemonte with Luca de Marchi
Matt Thompson's Blank Canvas in Marlborough

Portuguese Grape Varieties with Antonio Braga

A masterclass from Tuscany by wine-maker Paolo De Marchi

Rebooting Armenia's Ancient Winemaking with Zoric Gharabian

Barolo 2016 with Franco Massolino and Giuseppe Vajra

Biodynamic Californian Winemaker Ted Lemon of Littorai

Charles Heidsieck is "freshened up" by Cyril Brun

Cellar Master Émilien Boutillat Details Climate Change Challenges.

Muscato the link in these distinctive whites from Spain and Italy.

Muscato the link in these distinctive whites

 from Spain and Italy.

There is no one "true" Muscat, but rather a great many incarnations, each with its own regional nuance and character, according to Wine-Searcher.com. Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains is known as Moscato (bianco) in Italy. Moscato d'Asti is a well-known Italian example, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise in Provence is a French one, both sweet. Muscat also features in Las Cuadras (you'll note its exotic aromas) but Viognier is the main grape here and the wine is dry.

Las Cuadras “Viognier and Muscat A Petits Grains” Costers Del Segre (DO) 2018, 12%, €14.95 Wines Direct 

Valva Martínez de Toda is a young and innovative winemaker responsible for this distinctive and impressive Catalan white wine Las Cuadras, a blend of Viognier and Muscat.

Light straw is the colour, with a tint of green. Fresh and pleasant aromas of exotic fruit, touch of citrus. A little tingle on the introduction and then that juicy fruit sweeps across, distinctive, delicate and delicious, some sweet notes too, but there’s a notable acidity there also, right the way through to the moderately lengthy finish. Highly Recommended. Nice to have a few of these handy for summer days in the back-garden.

The vineyards that produce Las Cuadras are located in the Costers del Segre area of Catalonia in north eastern Spain. The name means 'Banks of the Segre' – a river which originates in the Pyrenees and is a tributary of the Ebro. The large Raimat estate is the best known in the DO which shares some of its vineyard with the Cava region.

Importers Wines Direct recommend pairing it with: Spicy Food, Pork and Poultry, Light Fish and Shellfish and Hard Cheese

Bera Moscato d'Asti DOCG 2018, 5% abv, €17.95 Wines Direct.

Rich aromas, mainly floral, (and a bubble or two as well hits the nostrils) in this light gold low alcohol wine from Italy. The aromas persist as you sip. Bubbles galore but nothing too sparkly (Frizzante rather than Spumante) and not overly sweet either because there is a balancing acidity. A really lovely light tasting wine made with the Moscato grape. Recommended.

Versatile too. Jancis Robinson says it reminds her that wine can bring you joy without having to be serious. And recommends it for Breakfast (even the Full English) and Brunch. 

Importers Wine Direct propose pairing it with Soft cheese, game and dessert while the producers suggest matching it with desserts and in particular with creams, fruit tarts, and pastries. Serving temperature - 6 to 10 degrees.

Just to give you a rough guide to the degree of sweetness, the Asti residual sugar is 130 g/l while in Sauternes is can be anywhere from 120 to 220 g/l;  Beaumes de Venise is 110 g/l; Coke, by the way, is 113.

Screw Cap and Cork. A masterclass from Tuscany by wine-maker Paolo De Marchi

Screw Cap and Cork. A masterclass from Tuscany by wine-maker Paolo De Marchi

Paolo De Marchi

Tuscan wine-maker Paolo De Marchi saw “the other side of the moon” in the early years of this century. He told us how that came about during yesterday's online masterclass.

Paolo, the owner of the superbly tended Isole e Olena vineyards in Tuscany, has a tendency to see what’s hidden - once he dug holes “everywhere” with a back-hoe to see what the roots of his vines were doing down there. So it was no surprise that when Liberty’s David Gleave MW asked him to start using screw cap on some of his wines that Paolo went into the subject in deep detail.

His initial answer though was negative. “I said not ever!”  But, he decided to try. “The DOCG though does not allow screw cap, it was not easy decision. I have to go deeper, to the moon, to imagine the other side. There may be other answers, so I try.”

It worked out well though. From 2005, the Liberty allocation of Cepparello, with screw cap but without the DOCG of course, went off to the UK and then, not over surprisingly, Australia wanted 100% screw cap. And New Zealand followed.

Clare Valley’s Tim Adams attended a 2010 event in Cork’s Blackrock Castle and his bottles that night were all screw cap. Tim and his neighbouring winemakers went for this method of closure in the late 1990s and are very happy with it. “But we are still learning...the process of evaluation is long term... could go on for 20 years”. They are well into that now!

As indeed is Paolo. And Paolo is better placed to speak on the merits of screw cap versus cork as he also bottles the Cepparello under cork for Italy, for Italian restaurants abroad, for long established importers in the UK and also for the USA. “Screw cap is more popular on white wines… every year increasing.”

“Twelve vintages now we have screw cap. Very hard to choose.” But he did indicate that the best wine you’ll ever drink will be from cork, indicated also that screw cap wines are excellent and more consistently so.

“Cork is always a mystery. Screw cap is less of a mystery - just check for physical damage to the closure, maybe a little shock on the cap. But I still prefer the wine from the cork,” and then he smiles, “from a good cork”.

As they age, he maintains both will be beautiful if different. “But that’s a minor problem. When you have a beautiful wine, enjoy it.”

David Gleave agreed. “You’re right, either way there’s diversity (diversity even within cork). Besides, corks are getting better but my personal preference is for screw cap. The tannins evolve a little more slowly. It is more consistent and Cepparello is well suited” Paolo, by the way, also does a superb Chardonnay under screw cap.

The Portuguese cork makers did up their act after the turn of the century shock from down under.  Back in 2013 in L’Atitude 51, Philip Grant of Chateau Bellevue la Foret, Fronton AOC, said he had noted a major improvement in the traditional closure since 2001 “when the Portuguese cork industry reacted to the enormous pressure they was coming under from the emergence of the screw cap as the favourite closure of Australia and other wine producing countries”.

Philip insisted that consistency is guaranteed under screw cap. He had very little to say in favour of the synthetic cork, beyond indicating that it may be useful for wines that are intended for a very limited shelf life and he meant months!

Paolo of course had an opinion. ”I don’t like DIAM - a wannabe cork!” The synthetic Noma though is “more interesting” and he might take a look at that.

Just to finish with a note or two on the Cepparello (first released in 1980). This is a Chianti Classico - it will be on the label if you buy the cork version, won’t be there if you buy screw cap. The grapes are grown on the estate which is right in the heart of Chianti Classico between Florence and Siena. It is a blend of Sangiovese 80%, Canaiolo 15% and Syrah 5%.

Why Syrah? That was a popular question during the Question and Answer session that followed Paolo’s talk. No hesitation from Paolo. “Syrah, because it ripens well, adds colour and spice, and blends very well with Sangiovese.”

Lots of other questions too for Paolo before he could take a break but I didn’t get the tail-end as my connection began to act up. Looking forward to the next masterclass from Liberty Wines and their team!

All pictures above are screenshots from the masterclass.

Barolo and Barbaresco. Two of the best from Italy’s Piemonte

Barolo and Barbaresco. Two of the best from Italy’s Piemonte. 

Ascheri Barolo (DOCG) 2015, 14%, €35.95 O’Briens Wine

“In a world where wines are generally produced using the same grapes, the same technology, the same additives, the same oak for ageing and above all the same wine makers, our aim is to obtain a wine which is the expression of the vineyard it comes from, of the grapes it is made of, and above all of our own ideas.” So say Ascheri on their website. The result, in this case at least, is excellent.

The DO is in the Piemonte, not too far from Turin and a next door neighbour to the Barbaresco. Since its earliest days Barolo is referred to as “the king of wines and the wine of kings”, the red wines of the area having been developed by various noble families. Counts (including di Cavour, a leader of the Italian unification movement) and Vittoria Emanuele II (the first king of a unified Italy) were among those associated with the area.

Speaking of unity, I am reminded that there are differences in Barolo bottles. Those from the northern side where the soil is softer tend to to be smoother, less tannic, and more approachable.  From the south and its slightly older soil, you'll find the wines are a little bit more "muscle'y", more spicy, a bit more structured. Besides, there is a traditional approach (buy to lay down) and a modern approach (buy to drink soon) and each has its passionate devotees here.

But back to the matter in hand. Mid to light ruby, close to the normal Pinot Noir colour. Beautiful aromas, light fruit, sweet and floral notes. Soft and round on the palate, elegant rounded fruit flavours. There an overall harmony here, an amicable unity of flavour tannin and a refined power, with a gentle lingering finish.  Complex, soft and round, this 100% Nebbiolo is Very Highly Recommended. "Good Barolo," according to the World Atlas of Wine, "is arguably the world's most uncompromising wine.. ."

Try this “classic of the wine world” with Fillet Steak, Pork, Rib-Eye Steak, Roast lamb/beef. Perhaps with one of those wild mushroom risottos recommended for the Barbaresco. Best served at 14°/16°C.

As you may know by now, I usually keep an eye on the sales and offers for wine and was glad to get this for 24.95 in the O’Briens pre Christmas Fine Wine Sale. The Nebbiolo vines are grown on steep hillsides and all grapes are picked by hand. The wine is aged for 12 months in steel tanks, 24 months in large oak barrels (70% old, 30% new).

You may come across, most likely in Italy, a Barolo Chinato; this is an aromatised wine made from a base of Barolo wine and usually drank as a digestif.

Barbaresco Pora Riserva 2011 (DOCG), 14.5%

Only in the very good vintages, the best grapes from historical crus (single vineyards) of the Barbaresco appellation are vinified separately. They are released after four years of ageing, as Riserva. It is bottled by “one of the best cooperatives in Europe” (according to The Modern History of Italian Wine), a cooperative founded in 1958 by Fiorini Marengo “to give dignity to a depressed area”. Now the famous wine brings dignity to the table. And indeed, it is referred to as "the wine of queens".

The proud past of Barbaresco and the dedication of its creators have made the Produttori one of the greatest producers in a great wine-producing area; it... ”continues to set some of the highest standards of wine making for any cooperative in the world”. (Robert M. Parker, Jr.; The Wine Advocate, 2-28-90). “Textbook Barbaresco made in traditional style” according to Vino Italiano.

Colour is mid-ruby. Sweet ripe fruit aromas. Sweet cherry and plum and a wash of spice flows across the palate. Smooth, with a medium body, with pliant tannins, this harmonious wine, somewhat lighter and brighter on the palate than its neighbour, is quite exquisite with a long and pleasurable finish. Good acidity also and that helps it go well with the rich food (best described as forestale, according to Vino Italiano) that local restaurants serve: wild mushroom risottos, golden Toma cheeses, all sorts of chestnut and hazelnut torte. Very Highly Recommended.

A quick check on the internet showed that you can buy the Pora for €68.33 (for the 2014) at Millesima; my 2011 was bought at the 2019 Karwig Wine closing down sale for much less. Production in 2011 was 16,666 bottles, and this bottle is numbered 4877. The DOCG, in the Piemonte, is not too far from Turin.

In great vintages, nine single-vineyard Barbarescos are produced from nine classic premium sites within the Barbaresco village boundaries: Rabaja, Asili, Montestefano, Pora, Ovello, Rio Sordo, Montefico, Moccagatta and Pajè.

These are the geographical names of sites where Nebbiolo grapes have always been cultivated. The names of the single-vineyards, the total number of bottles produced, and the name of the owners of the vineyards are marked on the labels.

The current edition of the prestigious World Atlas of Wine also has high regard for the Produttori, naming it in a handful of "outstanding producers in Barbaresco today". It also tells us that Nebbiolo finds its "most dazzling expression... in the Barbaresco zone .. and around the village of Barolo".

Two Superb Reds in my Mystery Case from Wines Direct

The Mystery Case

I've often seen Wines Direct advertise their Mystery Case, six reds and six wines, quality guaranteed with twenty five per cent off and free delivery. Sounds good and this time I ordered one. No regrets so far! Au contraire. The first two opened turned out to be two gems, one from Italy, the other from Spain.

Nicodemi “Le Murate” Colline Teramane Montepulciano D’Abruzzo (DOCG) 2017, 13.5%, €15.60 Wines Direct

Abruzzo is a DOC zone in the east of Italy. It borders the Adriatic and has the Apennines to the west, Puglia to the south. In and near the mountains, wild horses and bears may be seen here, and certainly saffron. Our producers, Nicodemi, are an hour away from the mountains, twenty minutes from the coast. And this wine is made from the Montepulciano grape. By the way, just to confuse things, there is a town called Montepulciano in Tuscany, also well known for its wines!

The Colline Teramane is a sub zone of the general Montepulciano zone and has that extra letter (G) at the end indicating its superiority. This particular wine is smooth and medium-bodied with a dark ruby colour. Black berry fruit and ripe plum feature in the attractive aromas, cracked black pepper notes there too. No shortage of rounded flavours on the warm and enticing palate, and it’s round and smooth right to the very satisfactory finish, soft tannins and a soft mouthfeel also. Soft and generous as I’ve come to expect from these wines in general and this is one of the better examples. VHR

Foods pairings recommended by Wines Direct include: Spicy Food, Pasta and Pizza, Hard Cheese, Game. Speciality foods of the region include lamb (they have one called Abbachio al Diavolo, hot suff!), Scamorza (check out the Toons Bridge Dairy version of this cheese), mortadella (spicy, garlicky), pork liver sausage, dried pasta and saffron. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees.

The Nicodemi estate abides by all the rules that organic farming demands, leaving wild grasses to grow around the rows, oxygenating and enriching the soil. “We believe in biodiversity and even our new vines are selected from our heirloom cultivars, because something that was good in the past can play a role in the future…. With careful actions, respectful of the grapes, our experience helps us turn them into wine without pushing too hard”. Nicodemi are also well-known for their Trebbiano.

Bodegas Maximo Abete ‘Guerinda El Maximo’ Tinto Crianza Navarra DO 2016, 14.5%, €18.55 Wines Direct.

This red blend, of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Garnacha, is named in honour of the family’s father and was indeed the first wine Maximo made here in Vallervitos, “an incredible place” in the middle of the Sierra de Guerinda. His moustache was also of the large variety and an illustration dominates the label of the tallish bottle with a plastic disc over the top of its cork rather than foil or similar. 

The wine is dark, close to purple, with a  crimson rim. Nose of dark fruit, some herbal notes also. Complex and smooth, blackberry fruit and peppery on the palate, it has a lively acidity and ripe tannins, all echoed in a persistent finish. Very Highly Recommended.

The fruit is grown at altitude (700m) and the importers say that El Maximo showcases Navarra’s strengths as a DO. It certainly does. Recommended pairings are soft cheese, game, beef and lamb. Open 30 minutes before serving at the recommended temperature is 16 to 18 degrees.

Two Outstanding Reds from Yecla and Valpolicella

Two Outstanding Reds despite contrasting growing seasons in Yecla and Valpolicella

Drought was a regular feature in Spain’s Yecla in 2016, resulting in very low yields, but that in turn led to increased concentration in the Monastrell grapes. No complaints about the season in Valpolicella in north east Italy and the results were excellent. Here, the wine-maker availed of a version of the Ripasso method to enhance concentration. And so we have two excellent reds for you to enjoy.

Bodegas Castano “Hécula” Monastrell Yecla (DO) 2016, 14%, €17.99

Baggot Street Wines; McHugh’s Off Licence; Red Island Wine Co Ltd; World Wide Wines; Martins Off Licence; JJ O’Driscoll; The Wine Centre; Drink Store; Clontarf Wines; Fresh The Good Food Market; wineonline.ie

Just a few info bits and pieces for you…

“Hécula” is the name of the wine and it is produced by the Castano family from the Monastrell grape in Yecla ( a small wine DO in the north of Murcia, about an hour inland from Alicante). The grape is known as Mourvedre in France and the fruit used here is from 40-year old vines.

Dark intense ruby, legs slow to clear. Inviting aromas of blueberry and raspberry. Not at all shy on the palate, soft and elegant with fresh juicy raspberry flavours, a hint of the oak too, quite concentrated. A long and substantial finish. This wonderfully harmonious wine is Very Highly Recommended.

Drought was a regular feature in Yecla in 2016, resulting in very low yields and that probably accounts for the extra concentration of flavour. After fermentation, the wine was aged for six months in oak barrels of which 50% were new. The oak used was 80% French and 20% American. It is untreated and unfiltered so you expect to see some sediment. It may be best to decant. I didn’t take my own advice but, as it happened, there was no sediment.

Pic via Allegrini Facebook

Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre Rosso Veronese (IGT) 2016,  13.5%, €27.99

Clontarf Wines; 64 Wine; Blackrock Cellar; McHugh’s Off Licence - Malahide Road; Mitchell & Son Wine Merchants; Thomas`s of Foxrock; Jus de Vine; Whelehans Wines; Drink Store; Seamus Foley T/A Cashel Wine Cellar; Red Nose Wine Ltd; La Touche Wines 4U; Martins Off Licence; Wineonline.ie

Mid to dark ruby is the colour of this blend of 70% Corvina/Corvinone, 25% Rondinella, 5% Sangiovese. Quite aromatic with cherry prominent and some scents too of chocolate/coffee. Juicy and darkly flavoursome, velvety smooth with refreshing acidity. Harmonious all the way with silky tannins in a long and richly satisfying finish. 

Back in 2002 when Vino Italiano was first published, its authors described  Allegrini as one of the biggest names in Valpolicella. They added: “the value-priced Palazzo della Torre (which includes 30% dried grapes) is a fruity and fun Valpolicella with more meat than most.” Still holds true today and this 2016 is Very Highly Recommended.

The Modern History of Italian Wine praises the “fruit philosophy” of the Allegrinis, first espoused by Giovanni, “a true innovator of the 1960s”, a philosophy based on preserving the fruit from the vine to the bottle.  They are based in Fumane, with Lake Garda about 20 minutes to the west and Verona less than 30 to the southeast.

Nowadays Franco Allegrini (of the new generation) uses the modern version of the traditional 'ripasso' technique for Palazzo della Torre, drying a proportion of the grapes in the 'Terre di Fumane' drying centre, to intensify “the character of this vineyard”. And, the 2016 season and the result here “was one of the best ever, outstanding for its great balance and elegance”.

Palazzo della Torre pairs effortlessly with various Italian dishes, above all risottos, especially those flavoured with saffron, porcini mushrooms and pork; classic dishes such as pasta with Amatriciana and Carbonara sauces, baked lasagna, gnocchi with gorgonzola cheese and walnuts; grilled meats and roasts. It also excels when matched with Parma ham and fine-cured Zibello pork loin, as well as medium-matured cheeses, especially Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan), Pecorino and Monte Veronese. Anything Italian by the looks of it!