Reviews

Tuscany: traditions and innovations
«Vinnaya Karta» №6(97) August 2008

Today, 20-30 years after the Supertuscan revolution that opened the modern winemaking era in the best known Italian region, no one argues that quality became one of the prerequisite conditions for acceptance and success of Tuscan wines.

Now winemakers are increasingly concerned with other issues. Which way to go further? Is it worth preserving Tuscan traditions or is it time to re-orientate production in line with new market demands?

Chianti Classico is a starting point for many wine tours, largely thanks to a convenient geographical position of the region between Florence and Siena. In the past, proximity of the vineyards to the Tuscan Duchy, as well as rich Florentine land owners greatly helped to ensure the wine’s fame in aristocratic circles. Later on, an easily remembered name and mass commerce made it a big hit on the international markets. These are, however, not the main reasons why Chianti Classico territory could live through the hard times during most of the 20th century and to survive. A great Italian variety Sangiovese and a unique potential of the territory are two pillars which today permit to talk about Chianti Classico as a major area of the Italian and world winemaking.

Chianti Classico production underwent through at least three phases in the 20th century — prestige and boom early in the century, large scale cheap production that peaked in the 60s, and return to quality values in the 80-90s. The last phase has been carried over to our times. Chianti Classico winemakers argue what should be taken for tradition in Chianti Classico production. Prestige of more than a century old Chianti Classico wine formula that was introduced by Baron Bettino Ricasoli was discredited during the years of industrial production. The latest norms excluded use of white varieties which Ricasoli suggested using for wine’s finer bouquet and softer palate. (By the way, the idea is not original. Winemakers of the Rhone Valley routinely add some white Viognier to red Syrah for producing red wines in some appellations.)

Although white varieties are done with in Chianti Classico for good, new stylistic differences occur due to the use of international grapes and wine aging in small French oak barrels. Both practices were a direct consequence of the Supertuscan revolution when progressive winemakers wanted change and actively planted French varieties, especially Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Those are still regularly found in Chianti Classico estates, and production rules allow blending them with Sangiovese if the total share of additional varieties doesn’t exceed 20 percent. However, the problem is that Sangiovese is a refined grape, so powerful Cabernet Sauvignon can easily dominate in aromas and flavours even its content is small in percentage terms. Winemakers find supple and rounded Merlot a better ally for Sangiovese, but the opponents who defend regional traditions doubt its use. Why take foreign Merlot when there are autochthonous grapes such as Canaiolo, Colorino, Malvasia Nera and others which have long been used to ‘spice up’ Sangiovese? Giovanni Ricasoli-Firidolfi from historic Castello di Cacchiano estate, for instance, is convinced that Chianti Classico must be made only from Tuscan grapes. He uses 95 percent Sangiovese and 5 percent Canaiolo in his wines.

Even avant-garde producers such as Isole e Olena and Castello di Ama whose names are associated with the region’s quality progress, note that Chianti Classico wine should above all reflect the essence of the territory. Even if there is a share of international grapes in their blends, it is miniscule. It doesn’t mask, but brings to optimal balance the wine’s character in which the main role is given to Sangiovese.

Talking about aging, traditionally winemakers used big barrels — botti — with contain up to several thousand litres and are made of Slavonian (Eastern European) oak. The wood imparts its characteristics to the wine gently and slowly, and the ratio between the barrel surface and the wine volume is lower than in case of small French barrels. Botti were used for aging, as well as for storing wines for lengthy periods.

In the era of active experiments in the 80-90s and for the purposes of hygiene, progressive winemakers introduced 225-litre barriques which they discovered in Bordeaux. French oak added depth, structure and flavours which were easily recognized by international consumers. On the one hand, it led to a boom for Supertuscan wines, on the other — Chianti Classico wines were under the threat of stylistic change that wiped out their authenticity and destroyed the link with the place of origin. Lately, winemakers reviewed their attitudes and are returning to traditional values which praise a unique character of Sangiovese in the historic zone of Chianti Classico. Estates make own choices whether to use botti or barriques, but view them as a complementary instrument in revealing wine’s character rather than treating them as the major element of quality. New oak barriques are used very carefully in top estates, as their flavours can easily dominate over fragile Sangiovese. Today the share of new French barriques for aging seldom exceeds a third of all barrels.

Similar situation is found in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a neighbour of Chianti Classico and another prestigious wine zone. The area of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is much smaller in size (around 1,500 hectares versus 7,000 in Chianti Classico) and in number of estates, but its main wine is also produced with Sangiovese which is locally known as Prugnolo Gentile. The tradition of noble wine goes back to Middle Ages, and winemakers are keen to preserve it. Like in Chianti Classico, production norms allow blending some other red varieties with Sangiovese, and the wine must be aged in oak for a certain period. Yet, vineyard location, soils, climate and other natural aspects on which the notion of terroir is built are different in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, so the best winemakers are looking to preserve them in wine.

Various estates offer own interpretations of traditions and territory. A noble family Contucci, one of the oldest in Montepulciano, still owns a familial palace and a historic wine cellar dating back to the 13th century in the town centre. Head of the estate Alamanno Contucci believes it is important not to lose historic links. For this reason only local grapes are used in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano production — Prugnolo Gentile, Canaiolo, Mammolo and Colorino, as well as large barrels. Lodola Nuova which belongs to a Tuscan family group Ruffino combines modern production concepts and late technologies with traditional character of wines. They are aged only in big barrels to preserve the character of Sangiovese. In Poliziano, one of the modernist wineries, owner Federico Carletti works heavily in the vineyards. He propagates best Sangiovese clones from old vineyards which are adapted to the local conditions. The winery with ultramodern equipment and French barriques is but a workshop with instruments to bring his work to a logical end.

Whereas Chianti Classico and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano must resolve a permanent dilemma — how to find an optimal balance between a great historic tradition and modern life, Brunello di Montalcino winemakers are more concerned with an issue of finding the right way for the future. Internationally renowned Italian zone created its history just in a few decades — in fact, starting from the 60-70s. A century earlier the Biondi-Santi family made a wine from pure Sangiovese which became a production model for modern wines in Brunello di Montalcino.

Despite a short period, regional wines underwent through several stages of stylistic evolution. In the past big barrels were used — they were suited for the wine especially well as it was aged for a long time. In the 80-90s, like in other parts of Tuscany, many winemakers decidedly switched to barriques which couldn’t but affect the wine’s character. As Brunello di Montalcino is aged much longer than many other Italian wines, new wood influenced the structure and the bouquet and had an upper hand over the characteristics of the grapes. Today winemakers moved away from this extreme and use barrels with better wisdom.

Yet, the polemic regarding which wine should be considered a true reflection of Brunello di Montalcino area, is still going on. Cinelli Colombini family, landowners in Montalcino since the 14th century and one of the pioneers of the area’s renaissance in the 60s, firmly believe in historic values of production. The cellars of Fattoria dei Barbi are filled with big Slavonian oak barrels in which wines are aged longer than stipulated in the rules. Il Poggione, another major estate where the first vinification took place in 1865 is best described as neoclassical. Respect towards tradition of Sangiovese growing is combined with technical innovation and large French oak barrels. In the meantime, Casanova di Neri estate provides a modernist interpretation of its vineyards, using technology that was specially adapted for the winery and only new French oak.

The Tuscan coast is the youngest area of quality production in Tuscany. Free from significant historic traditions, winemakers can experiment with various approaches and are searching for their way. Some do it by copying practices of other regions, others — by researching their terroirs and experimenting with different grapes. Time must pass before these initiatives will turn into a firm foundation of accepted winemaking rules, but a few territories on the coast can already boast success. Bolgheri is one of them. Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot found there a new habitat, and the world fame of Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Camarcanda other wines once again confirms a right synergy of these grapes with Bolgheri terroirs.

The issue of traditions and innovations remains ever lasting. Paolo de Marchi from Isole e Olena once wisely noted that “a tradition is a successfully accepted change which is later absorbed by local circumstances”. One hopes that understanding of old traditions and their reinterpretation in modern context, as well as innovations which lead to possible creation of new traditions will continue to be a driving force of Tuscan winemaking.