Reviews

Tuscan wines in anteprima
«Vinnaya Karta» №5(86) June-July 2007

Every year Tuscan producers traditionally show their new wines to the professionals and the press.

This year the consortia of Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino focused attention on wines which will shortly be released on the market and organized additional programmes with seminars and presentations.

Marco Pallanti, new president of Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico set tone to the two-day tastings in Florence. His address to the journalists coincided with the positive trends in the region when the market started to give signals of new development after a period of stagnation. Today total production is around 270,000 hectolitres. The number of Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico members continues to show stable growth. The association includes over 600 winegrowing estates (of which 270 are independent bottlers) which account for 95 percent of the wine of the region. Chianti Classico brand continues to strengthen positions on the domestic and international markets. Over 70% of wine is exported.

The positive trends to a certain extent were possible thanks to the consortium that was created after the merger of two independent organizations — Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico and Consorzio del Gallo Nero. The strategy of the new association aims at promoting the symbol of Black Rooster which from being a simple trademark has turned into the Chianti Classico emblem. Besides guaranteeing wine’s origin, the symbol also raises recognition of Chianti Classico wine among consumers. Anteprima in Florence was marked by great enthusiasm connected with the quality of 2006 vintage in the area. Many producers call it the best in the past decades. According to the report done by consortium’s technical director Daniele Rosellini, winter was characterized by colds. It was raining in early spring, the budding occurred in April, but the temperature was low. Hot mid-May turned into cool days in the end of the month. Although summer started from unusually high temperatures reaching 35 degrees and accelerating flowering and setting, substantial precipitation and cool weather of the first decade of August delayed veraison and ripening. Rains restored the reserves of water without harming sanitary condition of the harvest. From the middle of August there was dry sunny weather with a good variation of day and night temperatures. This helped achieve the required sugar concentration and keep the aromatics of grapes. In the end, yields were 10% higher than in the previous vintage, yet from the enological point of view grapes showed a great quality potential thanks to outstanding concentration of polyphenolic components. Alcoholic fermentation was relatively difficult because of the higher sugar content in the must which in some cases slowed the process. Malolactic fermentation occurred without particular problems. “The young wines confirm that 2006 will be a great Chianti Classico vintage: exceptional alcohol level, excellent acidic structre, elevated content of polyphenols and excellent colour intensity”, noted Rosellini.

The tasting itself was focused on Chianti Classico 2005 which is being released to the consumers. The vintage officially received four stars out of five, yet uneasy weather conditions during harvesting made some wineries, such as Castello di Ama, suspend production of top wines. In general, wines have medium structure with excellent balance between alcohol and acidity, with dominating flavours of red fruit. Fontodi, Querciabella, Isole e Olena, Castello di Fonterutoli, Barone Ricasoli — Brolio, Fattoria San Giusto a Rentennano, San Felice, Poggiopiano, Tenimenti Angelini lead among Chianti Classico-2005 wines.

For the Montepulciano consortium and the administration, preview of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wines is always a good reason to organize several exciting events and report on the current situation.

Sales continue to show positive trends in Europe. The greatest result is achieved in the USA, one of the key markets for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The share of exports grew from 7.2% in 2004 году to over 10% in 2006 there. Other important markets for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano producers are Switzerland, Benelux, Great Britain, Canada, Austria and Germany.

Today the producer association includes 233 members, of which 68 bottle independently. Vineyards of producer members take over 90% of the total acreage. In 2006 the Ministry of agriculture appointed the consortium a controlling body over all wine production in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano zone.

Consotium’s president Massimo Romeo and the mayor of Montepulciano Massimo Della Giovampaola announced the rating of 2006 vintage at 5 stars. Lorenzo Landi, a prominent Italian enologist, presented a detailed analysis of the weather conditions and vineyard development in 2006. “It is a year of superb concentration and freshness and of high polyphenolic content”, noted Landi.

Thirty five wineries took part in the preview tasting, mainly for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2004 and the Riserva wines of 2003. Vintage-2004 shows return to more classic wines after hot and dry 2003: wines are better balanced, fresh and easy to drink, without heavy concentration. Among the best representatives of the vintage are wines from Avignonesi, Boscarelli, Le Casalte, Romeo, Casa Vinicola Triacca, Salcheto, Fassati, Icario, Canneo, Palazzo Vecchio, Bindella, Tenuta Valdipiatta.

Some estates prepared individual programmes. Thus, Fattoria del Cerro ran two comparative tastings under the guidance of Denis Dubordieu, professor of Bordeaux University. One featured Sangiovese wines made in various Tuscan areas. The second compared Vin Santo with classic sweet wines of Europe — Sauternes, Tokaji, etc. Tenuta Il Fagetto chose a popular topic of health and showed benefits of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wine for cardiovascular system. De Ferrari family from Boscarelli had a dinner with a vertical tasting of wines from 1985-1997.

The consortium of Brunello di Montalcino wines also submitted report about the situation in one of the most prestigious winemaking areas. International demand for the leading Tuscan and Italian wine makes 62% of total sales. Every fourth bottle goes to the USA; positive trends are seen on the markets of the Northern and Eastern Europe (Sweden, Denmark, Russia, Poland and Rumania).

Two hundred fifty producers work in the area, with 200 independently bottling their wine. All producers belong to the consortium which is a unique case for Italy. Of the 3,000 hectares of vineyards two thirds are classified for Brunello di Montalcino. It’s annual production is 6,5 mln. bottles. Rosso di Montalcino with 4,6 mln bottles per annum is the second wine of the denomination.

Preview tasting of Brunello di Montalcino 2002 was rather challenging. The vintage was one of the most difficult in the past decade and received only two stars of five as rated by the consortium. Producers who declassified Brunello harvest to make Rosso di Montalcino wines showed more wisdom. Those who decided to bottle Brunello-2002 cut the volumes by half. Wines are devoid of their usual power and structure. They are reserved in character, have medium body and do not demand further aging. Efforts of the following estates deserve special praise — Scopone, Castelgiocondo, Castiglion del Bosco, Il Paradiso di Frassina, L’Aietta, La Velona — Monade 90, Poggio il Castellare, Salicutti, Talenti.

The consortium’s board held a press conference to reveal the quality of the latest vintage and awarded “Leccio d’Oro” prizes for restaurants and wine boutiques. Vintage 2006 was declared great and received the top rating of 5 stars. “The harvest was characterized by extremely favourable climate conditions which allowed a gradual ripening of grapes, both balanced and complete. The result? A superior quality Brunello with extraordinary aging potential”, stated Filippo Fanti, president of the consortium. A traditional ceramic plaque was placed on the walls of the 13th century town hall palace where the consortium’s offices are located.