Posted on: Walter Speller group wall
SKIN FERMENTED WHITE WINES
Can one go on and on about a single grape variety? Well, yes, when the variety is as versatile as Falanghina, and refreshingly different from the sea of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio flooding the shores of the UK.
Don't get me wrong: I know some outstanding Sauvignon and equally outstanding Pinot Grigio, be it from Friuli (Italy's Northeast corner, famous for its whites), France's Alsace (where, of course it is called Pinot Gris), or New Zealand, but they tend to osbcure that there are many more varieties which deserve a place in the spotlights.
i already wrote a few lines in the recommendation of Gerardo's "Strione", that this Falanghina is the pinnacle, the absolute top of what can be achieved with the grape. The fruit for this wine comes from the slopes of the estate's "crater", Astroni, and the grapes are harvested well into October. The vineyard is extremely low yielding, producing small volumes of highly concentrated bunches. You are forgiven for thinking that Italy's South may be too hot to produce whites with balance and nerve, but day and night temperatures differ signifcantly here and the cooling ocean breeze helps retain the acidity in the grapes.
What makes Strione so special, except for the low yields that are demanded from the vineyard, is the fermentation on the skins. Most grape juice, whether from red or white grapes, is colourless (exception on this rule are the so called "teinturiers" grape varieties which have red skins and red juice). Almost all the colour of red grapes is in the skins of the berries, and by fermenting the juice in the presence of the skins, the colour is extracted out. It is this, which gives the wine its red hue.
Consequently, the reverse is also possible: to make a white wine from red skinned grapes, by pressing the grapes, which separates the clear colourless juice from the red skins and ferment the juice on its own. It is the way Champagne is produced, using the white Chardonnay and the red Pinot Noir.
Fermentation on the skin for white wines is considered an ancient method, and goes back to the very beginning of wine making history, when juice and skins were not mechanically separated, and whole bunches, regardless if they were white or red, ended in the fermentation vessel.
Nowadays, especially in Italy, a trend has emerged to ferment white wines on the skin again. These wines are truly niche, not least due to the fact that the method is never used in modern winemaking and therefore wine lovers have hardly heard of it. This "trend" is not just a fashion, but stems from a desire to haul something back from the past, that has been forgotten. but it is more than just a sentimental movement. It is fed by the conviction that all the good things are in the skins, and why throw that away?
Strione is the result of this "skin fermentation" . The berries (skin, pulp, juice and all), landed in stainless steel and wooden vats. Fermentation took about two weeks to finish, after which the wine was processed as a conventional red: the young wine was drawn off from the vats( this procedure is called "racking) leaving skins and pulp behind.
Although we call white grapes "white", in reality the skins are green-yellow, and there is also some colour pigments in the skins. Therefore, skin fermented white wines tend to have a deeper, more concentrated yellow hue, and the first, opulent scent that rises from the glass is that of apricots and honey. Strione shows these "classic" skin fermentation aromas. It has an multilayered, complex but very fine nose of peach, lemon skin, hints of pink grape fruit and spice. Decanting won't hurt it either (yes, decanting white wines can do wonders!) if you want the wine to open up. By all means, don't serve it too cold, and pour it in generously sized glasses, like you would serve a fine white Burgundy. It will go very well with gnocchi and shrimps in afresh tomato and cream sauce (perhaps a drip of truffle oil?), or fish risotto, especially black risotto with squid. But i wouldn't hesitate it to serve it next to honey glazed ham either.
by Walter 04/02/2010 22:17
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Posted on: Walter Speller group wall
A FORGOTTEN WINE
LACRYMA CHRISTI - CANTINA ASTRONI
Lacryma Christi, meaning "God's tears", is an ancient wine from the region from Naples. Although it has been produced on the slopes of the Vesuvius for many centuries, it is not known exactly what grape varieties were used to produce this wine.
Lacryma Christi can come in many different guises: as a white whine, a red, a sweet wine, and even sparkling versions exist. The name of Lacryma Christi is always followed on the label by "del Vesuvio" - from Vesuvius, where on its poor, sandy slopes the best grapes are harvested. Its name stems from a myth in which it is said that God one day recognized in the gulf of Naples an edge of sky removed by Lucifer. He cried and where the divine tears fell so rose the vines of the Lacryma Christi.
Such was its fame in the recent past that Lacryma Christi seemed to promise an easy return and hence its name attracted many producers more interested in capitalising on its reputation instead of producing good quality wines. An enormous production of rather modest wines, with little character and even less taste was the result of this, compromising its reputation. Many mediocre versions since then have flooded the market, but producers like Gerardo Vernazzaro, who believe in the ancient style, try to create a "true" version of the wine and restore it to its former glory.
This particular wine wine is a blend of Falanghina (there it is again!) and Coda di Volpe, or "fox's tail", an ancient variety and apparently the same as the "Alopecis" as described by Pliny the elder. It's name comes from the shape of the bunch resembling a fox's tail. It adds a ripe,white fruit perfume aroma to the freshess and structure of Falanghina. Drink it on its own, or serve it alongside minestrone or any vegetable based soup, pasta with beans, and white meats like chicken and veal. Or try it with fresh cheeses, like ricotta with a drizzle of acacia honey.
by Walter 08/02/2010 23:47
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