Travel

Wine by Cavalli
November 2007

Wine industry professionals — producers, merchants, journalists — are cautious about wine projects launched by show-biz people and celebrities.

They are often viewed as stars’ next caprice and a desire to add a prestigious product to a glamourous name. Celebrities don’t need to put an extra effort into building a recognizable brand, and usually there is no problem with distributing a product. In the end of the day, a star may not care much about what to sell under his or her name — make-up, golf accessories or wine.

In this mood I set off to Florence to a presentation of a new wine. It is called Cavalli — and made by a famous Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli. “To study the texture of terroirs, to appreciate the fibre of vines, to design rows, to weave the grapes and to cut a great style”, seduced the invitation. But how meaningful were the words which were printed in gold on a stylish black square and wrapped in an envelope with leopard prints?

The programme for a select group of Italian and European wine journalists and experts started from a trip to the winery and the vineyards. And that’s when first discoveries were made.

The first stop on the way was a Roman church San Leolino, an architectural gem near Panzano in Chianti. But we weren’t brought there to look at the famous church and enjoy magnificent views of the Chianti hills. There, among scattered farm houses, there are two inconspicuous buildings which are used for production of Cavalli wines. Carlo Ferrini, a top Italian enologue who doesn’t need to be introduced specially, served as a welcoming, but not very talkative guide. No speeches, no public statements.

A big door swung open, and we entered a small, even miniature in comparison with other wineries, vinification room. Everything was pretty laconic — red walls and several shiny steel tanks of various forms and volume. Some of them are identical to those used by Giacomo Neri in Montalcino where Carlo Ferrini also consults. There are a few photos on the wall depicturing harvest time. Cavalli-garagist was the first cliché that sprang to mind, but it seems rather awkward in the context of this tiny village, next to a church. Chamber winemaking — this is perhaps a more adequate description. By the way, before the same room was used by Giampaolo Motta, an icon Fattoria La Massa producer (here we also find a common link through Carlo Ferrini), he keeps a friendly relationship with the Cavallis.

Down the side street, and round the corner there is a big stone building with a coat of arms on the roof. This is a medieval, quite spacious cellar for aging wine in barrels. It is dug, almost completely, below the ground level. The wine from the vinification rooms is moved through a special hole in the floor. The cellar is full of barrels — used French barriques. That’s all. No trendy architects or designers, no sensational installations.

“In respect of the countryside, we decided to use these historic spaces rather than build something new. We are thus able to work in a place of great beauty, perfectly integrated in the history and setting surrounding it… and be almost invisible”, confirms Tommaso Cavalli, Roberto’s son.

And what has Tommaso got to do with it, you ask. In fact, he is related to the project in a direct and much more important way than Roberto. It was him, and not his father, who wanted to make wine. It is he who has lived for 20 years in the countryside estate Tenuta degli Dei in vicinity of San Leolino. He considers wine production a great project of his life.

The idea to make wine in Tenuta degli Dei came to Tommaso in 2000. By then he was already recognized as a successful breeder of trotter horses. Cavalli didn’t leave that enterprise, but approached the wine project with the attitude to succeed as much as with raising horses.

After a cellar visit we were taken to see the vineyard which is located slightly down the hill on the grounds of Tenuta degli Dei. The estate has 70 hectares in total — with woods, olive groves, meadows and enclosures for horses. Beautiful, graceful animals were looking with bewilderment at our cavalcade of cars.

The most suitable location was used for a deliberately fenced vineyard plot. It is located at 400-450 metres above sea level, on a southern slope, with typical galestro soils. In reality, there are two vineyard plots for Cavalli wine. Along with 3,5 hectares in Tenuta degli Dei, an equally sized vineyard Il Poggio is found in the Florentine estate of Roberto Cavalli. It has a different terroir — clay dominated, lower in altitude and without a marked difference between day and night temperatures. Both vineyards were planted in March 2001, with the density of 6,700 vines per hectare. When all vines reach productivity, total volume will be around 40,000 bottles of wine.

And here’s another surprise. Having received results of soil analysis in 2000, Cavalli and Ferrini didn’t make their choice in favour of Sangiovese, a king of Chianti Classico zone where Tenuta degli Dei is located. Instead, they decided on five well known varieties. “This kind of soil is perfect for the Bordeaux varietals, and when we were deciding what to plant we simply agreed with the land”, defends his choice Tommaso. Thus Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, along with a well known on the Tuscan coast Alicante Bouschet (Grenache) set their roots in Tenuta degli Dei and Il Poggio.

Cavalli has another explanation of his choice, which is more in line with the family spirit. “Doing ‘different’ things is written into the family DNA, and this is one of the factors that led us to an important decision: not to produce Chianti Classico, and not to plant Sangiovese. And if, on the one hand, this decision was taken as a sign of respect towards the many Chianti Classico producers of Panzano who make wonderful interpretations of the wine, on the other, I have to confess that we wanted to make our vineyards speak in a truly cosmopolitan way, in which each of the varietals present can give its contribution to a mixture of perfumes, aromas, and flavours that is truly unique. This has nothing to do with fashion, or the so called “international style”; we simply seek to make a wine of great personality”, says Tommaso.

We were then brought to taste wine. Just one large table was set, and only here the decorations were a reminder that Cavalli wine is a product associated with fashion business. Covers for chairs were decorated with leopard prints, the table cloth had zebra motifs. A silk, leopard print Roberto Cavalli scarf was placed next to the set of tasting glasses, along with a gilded snake, a symbol of Maison Cavalli.

While Roberto doesn’t interfere in the production process, he couldn’t refuse a temptation to ‘dress’ wine in his creations. In a proper fashion, two collections were made for wine — prêt a porter and haute couture. The first is called Cavalli Selection. The main, traditionally done label is decorated by two side strips which will depict the most successful animal prints of the Maison (thus the décor of the room) and will change every year. Leopard print was chosen for the first Cavalli Selection 2004, to be followed by zebra and butterfly.

Cavalli Collection is an example of high design. An elegant black bottle appears as if girdled by a snake. RC logo adorns the upper part, and the cork is hidden under an ornamented capsule. Bottles are finished by the same artisans who make expensive accessories for Maison Cavalli.

Cavalli 2004 is a blend of Merlot (30%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) and Petit Verdot (20%), with a small inclusion of Cabernet Franc and Alicante Bouschet. Approximately the same proportion for grapes will be used in future. Alcoholic fermentation lasts on average 8-10 days, and maceration — about two weeks. Then the wine is moved to 225-liter French barriques used for the second or third time. There it undergoes malolactic fermentation and 14 months of aging. After blending the wine is returned to barrels for another 4-6 months. Then it rests in bottles for a year. Cavalli 2004 was bottled in March 2006 and was aged for 6 months longer than average.

The wine exceeded expectations — despite initial skepticism and young age of vines. Supple, attractive aromas of sweet fruit with a fine savoury nuance open up to a luscious, intense bouquet. The palate discloses a particular freshness and minerality which are unmistakably defined by top Chianti Classico terroirs. Ripe fruit and berries dominate on the palate, too, and the finish is built on spicy note. Refined structure with velvety tannins and good oak integration. Excellent volume and length. A seductive wine that asks for another glass. An impressive debut, also supported by favourable vintage conditions.

For comparison, we were also offered already bottled 2005 wine that will be released next spring, and varietal samples of 2006. Cavalli 2005 was made following more difficult weather conditions. The nose is less defined than in 2004, the palate is lively, with less concentration and more toasty flavours. Finish impresses with more volume than in 2004. My personal preferences lie with 2004, but both wines confirm a great winemaking skill and a title of master of elegance given to Carlo Ferrini.

Tasting of young varietal wines of 2006 vintage provided good insider information about how the character of the final blend is formed. Cabernet Sauvignon from the Florentine vineyard is powerful in style, comparable to Bolgheri wines, and simultaneously an aristocratic presentation especially valued in Bordeaux wines. Great potential is detected for Cabernet Franc at Tenuta degli Dei. Even now when the vines are young, the wine has fine, deep, elegant aromas, its palate is structured, supple, mineral and voluminous, and the length is unstoppable. Who knows, maybe one day Cavalli wine will be a Tuscan answer to Cheval Blanc! Petit Verdot also deserves a compliment. It enriches the nose with floral and unexpected peaty notes, gives spice to the palate and silky touch to the texture.

Though wine positioning as a product of Maison Cavalli ensures guaranteed sales on any market with demand for luxury brands, Tommaso Cavalli identifies five priority markets outside Italy — Great Britain, Switzerland, Germany, USA and Russia. At the meeting with journalists Cavalli announced that due to limited production of 2004 vintage (around 5,000 bottles were made in total, equally divided between Selection and Collection), the wine will be sold only in Tuscany — in 10 best restaurants and 10 best enotecas. Later, though, Tommaso admitted that 1,000 gift sets of Cavalli Collection 2004, with a bottle of wine, two glasses and a bottle opener (i.e. over 40% of their total number) and 240 bottles of Cavalli Selection 2004 had already been shipped to Moscow. They are imported and distributed by Alexander Presnyakov, owner of Capri restaurant in Moscow. Cavalli Selection will be presented in several best restaurants of Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kiev. Gift sets will be purchased by a lucky few who will be selected for a VIP sales list.

Judging by the party held on the same night in Roberto Cavalli’s Florentine villa Il Poggio, people of business and fashion warmly welcomed Cavalli wine project. Bottles were under spot light, and the atmosphere differed little from other celebrity parties. It would be good if behind all this glamour businessmen and fashionistas would be able to see to the heart of Tommaso Cavalli’s undertakings, as well as listen to the words spoken by designer Roberto — “Tommaso never asked me for anything and even wanted to name the wine after the name of the place. He is a true idealist…”