Events

Summa-2007: estates, people, wine
«Magnum» №5(18) May 2007

A new edition of high profile Summa tasting took place in picturesque Magre that is located in Alto Adige in the north-east of Italy.

Alois Lageder opened his historic 17th century mansion for winemakers, restaurateurs, wine trade and journalists. Eleonora Scholes reports from the event.

Summa tasting has become a good tradition and offers an opportunity to taste fine wines of Italy and Europe, talk to colleagues and make new contacts in the friendly atmosphere of the Tyrolean Cason Hirschprunn mansion. The list of Italian producers was impressive. Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, Montevertine, Conti Costanti, Collazzi, Boscarelli from Tuscany; Giacosa Bruno and Paolo Saracco from Piedmont; Alois Lageder from Alto Adige; Anselmi and Nino Franco from Veneto; Jermann and Conte Brandolini from Friuli; Feudi di San Gregorio from Campania participated among others.

Paolo Saracco from Piedmont produces arguably the best frizzante Moscato wines. His Moscato d’Asti 2006 (++(+)) contains about 150 g/l of sugar, but low level of alcohol (5.5%), excellent freshness, mineral structure and dry finish make this wine extremely appealing and easy to drink. Saracco is also known for his pioneering experiments with untraditional varieties — Pinot Nero, Riesling Renano and Chardonnay.

A nice company of estates was represented from Chianti Classico. Montevertine got famous thanks to supertuscan Le Pergole Torte — one of the first quality wines made purely of Sangiovese. The wine is still marketed as Toscana IGT. Le Pergole Torte 2003 (++) is closed on the nose; the palate is intense with dominating dry cherry tones. Estate’s second wine Montevertine 2003 (++) turned out to be fresher and more elegant in this hot vintage.

In the meantime, Tenuta Vecchie Terre de Montefili in Greve in Chianti produces both Chianti Classico and IGT wines — Anfiteatro from Sangiovese and Bruno di Rocca from Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. Anfiteatro 2003 (++(+)) was especially noted as it managed to preserve femininity, clean fruit and bright minerality in the challenging 2003 vintage.

Collazzi is situated not far from Florence — Lamberto Frescobaldi is involved in its work. Supertuscan wine made with Bordeaux varieties remains the strongest offer of the estate. Collazzi 2004 (++(+)) is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. It requires at least another five years to open the full complexity of its character.

Tenuta dell’Ornellaia from Bolgheri organized the preview of Ornellaia 2004 (+++) that will be released in May. The wine of the classic vintage consists of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. “The ideal conditions during the growing season lead to a perfect combination of ripeness, flavour complexity and finesse. The velvety opulence of the Merlot is balanced out by the racy and elegant tannic structure of the Cabernets, which are further amplified by the small addition of Petit Verdot”, said Ornellaia chief winemaker Axel Heinz.

Podere 414 in the southern part of the Tuscan coast produces red Morellino di Scansano that is based on Sangiovese with an addition of other local varieties. This young winery was founded by brothers Simone and Gaddo Castelli ten years ago. They set course for artisanal production where the starring role is given to traditional grapes of Maremma (Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo, Alicante, Colorino and others). Morellino di Scansano 2005 (++) has intense fruit, fresh flavours and volume in the aftertaste.

This year top ranking German and Austrian wineries were also present, including Egon Muller-Scharzhof, Dr. Loosen, Georg Breuer, Hermann Donnhoff, Gunderloch, Kunstler, Robert Weil from Germany and Kracher, Brundlmayer, Manfred Tement, Velich from Austria.

Alex Nember, an premium olive oil producer from Lombardy, joined the wine producers this year. It makes single variety oils — Casaliva, Negrel, Frantoio, as well as blends — Diva, Grand Cuvee. Grand Cuvee (+++) was a benchmark of harmony and hedonism thus easily competing with the best wines of the tasting.