Wines of Central Italy by Riccardo margheri

Riccardo has kindly written an article for us on some of the wines in central Italy. He has a strong background in wine, being qualified as a sommelier and wine taster with the Italian Association of Sommeliers (A.I.S.) and Italian Federation of Sommeliers, Hoteliers & Restaurateurs (F.I.S. A.R.). The 2 associations recognised by the Italian Government. 
He contributes to “Guida Vini d’Italia” (Italian Wines Guide) and to “Guida Vini Buoni d’Italia” (Italian Good Wines Guide) of “Touring Club Italiano”. 
He also has wide experience as a qualified teacher for F.I.S.A.R., O.N.A.V. Taster courses, and for Slow Food Master of Food, Wine I Level courses and is a selector of wines for the export market. 
                                              
He is a well-known wine tourism guide (in English) for tours in the following wine production areas: Piedmont: Langhe (Barolo and Barbaresco); Costa                          Etrusca (Bolgheri and Val di Cornia), Montalcino, Montepulciano, Chianti Classico, Colli Fiorentini, Colline Pisane, Montecarlo and Colline Lucchesi;   Riccardo is also the author of many journalistic articles on the world of wine published in agricultural magazines and websites.                                                                      

Italy is definitely the country with the widest variety of local, autochthone grapes in the world. More than France, Spain, even more than a country such as Greece with such complicated geology. Every region has its own specialities -  reds and whites despite being able to enjoy some very good wines made with the so called “international” grapes (mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Merlot, Syrah), named in such a way because, more or less, everywhere you plant them you can obtain something reasonable.  Italian grapes are much more demanding, but can be incredibly rewarding.                                                                                                   

There are geographical and historical reasons for this variety. Geographical because Italy is  very extended -  in latitude wholly within the ideal climate zone for wine production, but conditions i.e. in Piedmont (North West) are very different from Sicily (extreme South) with all the possible variations in the range, underlined by the mountainous countryside: so different types  have developed and flourished in different areas. Historical reasons are important too because one needs  to remember that Italy became a united country in 1861: what are now regions, were once different countries, with customs, borders, duties and difficulties in communication (the Apennines are the backbone of the whole peninsula). Of course commercial and general economic and cultural links have always existed, due to the common language, but every area or province has developed its own gastronomic traditions: it is the same for the cheeses, for olive oil, and for the wine and the vine varieties as well.                                                                                                              

Tuscany is the realm of the Sangiovese. This red grape is difficult to cultivate, incredibly sensitive to the place where it is planted and to the course of the vintage, it is acidic, harsh when young, but it can give some of the most impressive, deep, complex and elegant nectars you will have the opportunity to enjoy in your life, with an incredible potential for aging. Wild cherries, plums, violet, pepper, roses, iris, dried mushroom, a fragrant vegetable character and an earthy hint that cannot be confused, caressing tannins, mineral depth. Sangiovese is all this and much more. Yes, I do love it.                       

Historically, it has been the nucleus of the wines produced in the Chianti region (the geographical name of the hilly zone between Florence and Siena, where the main wine produced is named Chianti Classico) after its surroundings. The huge amount of stuff produced in the area enhanced the wealth of the big landowners, renting the land to small direct farmers, who paid simply by giving back the half of the crop (the “mezzadria” system, where in Italian “mezzo” means “half”). So the more you produced the better, and the vineyard overloaded with bunches of the sturdy character of a Sangiovese not perfectly ripe was smoothed through the blend with “softer” grapes like Canaiolo, Malvasia Nera or even the white Trebbiano Toscano (that actually was added to produce a lighter wine, and not to get drunk quaffing a whole flask with sunny summer lunches…).                                                 

Starting in the late ‘70s, the careful work of producers addicted to quality established the international value of this grape. Some of the first and brightest examples of straight (100%) Sangiovese wines are listed amongst the most famous “Super-tuscan” (top notch labels produced outside the rules of the Denominations of Origin - DOC and DOCG). In Montalcino, the worldwide famous Brunello must be 100% Sangiovese, and the local clone named S. Grosso (big one), selected by the Biondi Santi winery at the end of the 19^th century, expresses through its body of firm but velvety tannins the wonderful character of the clay slopes of the hill where the city lies: the fresher climate of the northern side defines austere but more fragrant wines, while the warmth of the southern side gives riper products, full body and more straightforward on the fruit. Chianti is no longer the paradise of the jug wines, and there are plenty of labels that are enjoyable 6-7 years after the vintage (nothing better with a bistecca –steak -  alla fiorentina and with Tuscan cuisine in general). The Prugnolo Gentile of Montepulciano is an intermediate clone between the Montalcino and the Chianti examples, and has made the city of “Twilight” famous (the movie was filmed there!!) since the 18^th century (read the funny poem of Francesco Redi “Bacco in Toscana” – need to translate? – if you can find it). In the south of the region, the emerging Morellino di Scansano shows a declination of the Sangiovese more immediately fruity and enjoyable early.                               

Don’t forget that Tuscany also produces white wines (the smooth Vermentino on the coast and in San Gimignano the historical Vernaccia, the  quality of which has improved impressively in recent years.                                                            
Moving to Umbria -  “the green heart of Italy”- the region is actually more famous for olive oil (milder than the tasty Tuscan one), but shines between the reds with the Sagrantino di Montefalco: this fascinating grape has got plenty of everything, tannins, colour, acidity, flavours. It’s like a bronco that the winemakers try to tame. Not actually surprising for a grape that had always been used only to make sweet wines from dried bunches, before the Arnaldo Caprai estate discovered it could make a great red. The latest releases interestingly tend to go over the usual big, bold, mouth-filling style, showing an astonishing and unexpected elegance.           

For the whites, the crisp refreshing acidity of the Grechetto can match the spicy and flowery flavours in colder vintages or the much riper yellow fruits (peaches, apricots) in warmer ones. In Orvieto, the world famous white has renewed its fame that is almost 2.000 years old: the traditional blend of Trebbiano, Malvasia, Bellone, Verdello and other grapes shows its best in some labels that are mineral and tasty, and in the sweet versions affected by the Botrytis Cinerea, the “noble rot” that has made the Sauternes great. Local curiosities are the “Amabile” wines, half sweet: they are reminiscent of Roman Times, when the juice freshly pressed was stored in big tanks dug into the pumice rock surmounted by the city. The decrease in temperature during autumn stopped alcoholic fermentation before all the sugar had been transformed by the yeast, and the wine was consumed early with this residual sweetness.                                                                                                                                      

On the Adriatic side of the Italian peninsula, we find early drinking Sangiovese on the hills close to Pesaro, the city of Rossini (the opera composer was a passionate consumer of these wines), becoming more ambitious in the South of the region, in blend with the powerful Montepulciano grape. Please note: the Montepulciano has got nothing to do with the Tuscan city. Legend says that the name was given by some Tuscan merchants that visiting Marche and Abruzzo because of their trades and tasting the local wines exclaimed: “Very nice! Looks like the wines of Montepulciano!”, and so the name remained... Such a grape has always been harvested in huge quantities and sold in bulk to Northern producers to add body and colour to some that are too thin  - Valpolicella, or even Chianti... Only lately (another conquest of the “Renaissance” of the Italian wine in the last 20 years) it has gained consideration and produced remarkable reds of strength and breeding, but mainly further south, in Abruzzo.                                                                            

In Marche another red rarity is the Lacrima, only cultivated in the surroundings of the tiny village of Morro d'Alba (again: nothing in common with the Piedmont city of truffles!), immediately enjoyable even by new wine lovers because of its drinkability (almost no tannins here) and its incredible flavours of blueberries and violets (choose the warmer vintages!). The real glory of the region is white, and is Verdicchio, both in the Castelli di Jesi and the Matelica versions: delicate flavours of white flowers and aromatic herbs without excluding a riper fruitiness, sustained by an acidity that is never overwhelming, it is consistent, ages well, and mostly gives unbeatable value (even the 4-5€/btl supermarket stuff is usually enjoyable).                                                                

One last observation: these astonishing varieties fascinate the wine lover because all these wines are the expression of unrepeatable features (geology, climate, the so called terroir) of the places where they are produced, the evidence of thousands of identities, hidden treasures to discover and to learn to evaluate. Of course not necessarily everyone will love all of these wines, but just a little attention to detail will reveal, different hints, tones, tasting personalities.  

As I love to say to my unlucky pupils when teaching the sommeliers courses, the qualities of the real wine lover are:                                                                                      

First: humility, every time we are in front of a glass of wine there's something to learn;                                                                                                                                     

Second: curiosity, there's a world of fine wines outside, waiting to be discovered, “learnt”, appreciated, enjoyed;                                                                           

Third: the ability to sneak into wine tastings without having been invited, and one day I will teach you how.........                                                                            
                                
                                Cheers, Riccardo