Blog Archives - Wine Spotter

August 31, 2020August 28, 2024

Strength and Elegance from Picech wines

Back in Friuli Venezia Giulia, a region in Italy that is close to my heart, I took a long weekend to catch up with a few long due visits.

One of the (no longer) hidden pearls from the region, are the macerated white wines (aka orange wines). Those have been steadily growing in quality, technique and relevance in the region in this last decade.

Legends like Gravner, opened the way to many other producers to explore the complexities of a white wine produced as red one.

In a nutshell, to produce white macerate wines, the grapes are gently pressed with their skins. Those are left in contact with the must from a few hours to several weeks. This process lends body, length and depth to the wine. The color is built over darker hues of yellow, which can get more intense depending on the maceration time. The process also builds a characteristic range of aromas that includes bees wax, almonds, terracotta and orange peel.

Macerated white wines are one of a kind. I won’t tell you if good or bad, since taste is as individual as fingerprints. However, I would suggest that on the first time you try it, keep an open mind, be slow on judging and preferably, be comfortably sitting.

Meeting Roberto Picech

I started the journey from Trieste up to Collio early in the morning, with Sara, an oenologist friend of mine. It was one of those incredibly hot days from this summer and moving up the hills mildly brought some freshness to the air.

Among the meetings we had scheduled for the day, Picech was one I have been waiting for a while to connect with.

We were received by Roberto Picech, owner and wine maker of Picech wines, and his dog. Both welcoming us warmly, each one in their own ways.

As we began our chat, we head out for a walk around the plots of the pretty vineyard.

Picech started a while back to implement organic practices, which have now reached the whole vineyard. Flowers and grass grow freely along side the vines.

Nature has historically been generous with the region, but the weather has been playing challenging cards lately. Super hot summers are making it trickier to align the maturation curves of the grapes. As a contrast, hail has been hitting hard the Friulano vines for two years. With an attentive eye, we could see sporadic bruises on the branches from the ice, giving clues on the story behind the losses from the last vintages.

Coming back to the house, our canine friend was there waiting for us. She welcomed us back with such happiness that it felt we were away for days, instead of minutes.

A vespa by the door of the location entrance reminded us that were in Italian territory.

We were at home.

Meeting the Picech wines

A particular aspect of wine tasting that I enjoy is the build up of expectations, as you move up in the complexity of the bottles.

Roberto first presented us with his classic wines from the most recent vintage on Friulano, Malvasia and Pinot Bianco.

Still wild and hyper active in the glass, waiting for a bit of aging to calm them down a bit and lend the stability that only time can give. Potent, with a lot of warmth in alcohol, recalling the hot summers in the region. All well incorporated in the body, creating precision in the experience.

As the sun begins to slowly set and we were closing our chat around the classic line, Roberto got things ready for the next act. He slowly stood up, cleaned a bit the table with a piece of cloth, reorganized the glasses and asked whether we could call the main actresses to the stage.

Athena

Athena, was named as of his daughter. An interpretation of Friulano through the point of view of a white maceration. Before going to lengthy descriptions or running technical evaluations in my head, the first sip just brought a smile to my face. The descriptors of Friulano are there but in a different, playful, bulkier and unapologetic way.

Friulano destemmed grapes, macerated for 16 days in large barrels (25 hl), without controlling for temperature and without using selected yeast. After pressing, the wine rests in large barrels for 18 months.

Intense on the nose, with opening on white peaches, acacia flowers, grapefruit, bees wax, green almonds and a minor but pleasant resinated note.

Intense and warm on the palate, the tannins play their role in resonance with the other elements of the structure of the wine. They bring tension and body to sustain a great level of complexity in the structure.

Jelka

Named after his mom, Jelka brings up the roots of the region. A blend of three indigenous grapes from Friuli: Ribolla Gialla, Friulano and Malvasia. The age of the producing vines range from 15 to over 50 years old. You can feel that the age of the vines has landed focus and concentration to the results.

Friulano grapes are destemmed and macerated for 15 days in large barrels, aging for 12 months. Ribolla Gialla and Malvasia are fermented normally and rest for 12 months in tonneau. The blend of the three wines is then brought to concrete vats, and rest there for about 3 years. Jelka, doesn’t reach the shelves before 5 years after the harvest.

Intense and complex on the palate. Balance sustained from the attack of the wine to the fading of persistence. The roundness in the palate is rich, but the acidity makes a statement in the structure bringing brightness, freshness and cleaning to the finish – which was really interesting to notice considering the work in concrete which brings the pH a bit up and the age of 5 years after the harvest. Great depth, which kept on opening by the minute. White flowers, lemon zest, candied orange peel, wet slate, claypot, cedar and cloves.

My definition of elegance in wine.

My thoughts on Picech wines

Talking with Roberto, reassures you of the pleasure of sharing great wine in great company.

Great wines are transparent to the personality of the wine maker. That is a true statement for Picech. Strength, warmth, unapolegetic. Yet, patient, elegant and with complexity and depth to create gravity in the glass.

Picech wines tell about the story of Collio, of Friuli. Looking into the past and creating space for the vibrancy of indigenous grapes, while aiming into the future and constantly iterating on new ways to improve their expression.

Potent wines built to age, and that know how to communicate strength and complexity with elegance.

For me, one of the ambassadors for the style in Friuli.

January 7, 2020August 28, 2024

Making a wine dream real in Friuli

Back in Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the small town of Ronchis di Torreano, I recently visited the work from Massimo Causero and Maria Chiara at Tralci di Vita vineyards.

Didn’t I know that their great wine was coming paired with a great story.

In his own words, Massimo was born to be a country side man and wine has been in the cards for him since childhood. Recollecting a recent event, one of his primary school teachers came to him remembering a story that had already faded from his mind: a task was given in the class to draw your future profession. Instead of doctor, engineer or architect, Massimo sketched bottles of wine. Each one bearing the name of a teacher on the label.

A few decades later, Massimo would find himself owning and managing a vineyard of his own. That bottle went out of the paper and into the hands of curious wine tasters.

Getting started in the vineyard

Since that drawing in the childhood, there was a long road until Massimo’s first bottle became real.

After obtaining the enotechnical and later the enology diploma, he went through about 10 years’ of practice working with different producers. As the experience gathered in his head and in his hands, the will to use that knowledge to express his own style increased.

At a point in time the stars finally aligned and his preparation met with an opportunity.

In the small town of Torreano, an elder couple invited him to take over the vineyard. He would be able to make it shine once more as the age was putting challenges for the old couple to run the business. Massimo and Maria Chiara decided to cross through that opened door, leaving everything behind, moving to Torreano and grasping their dream.

Philosophy behind Tralci di Vita

Tralci di Vita has about 3 hectares, with 10 varietals distributed partly in a flat area and part on a south facing hill. The production is of nearly 7 thousand bottles altogether.

Part of the production is sold in bulk (sfuso) and part in bottles. The first is aimed at the retention of long time clients who were buying wine at the property for years, from the previous owner. The bottled portion is where Massimo and Maria Chiara began to explore the potential of the land, producing wines from selected parcels and evaluating the results. It’s a simple but straight forward approach to segmenting the clients and keeping the cash flow under control.

The philosophy of the production highlights the integrity of the grape. The work is concentrated in the vines so that minimum intervention is required in the cellar. Customized pruning techniques, adapted to each varietal, help the vines give their best into the grapes.

Tasting Impressions

That philosophy is reflected in their style. The wines are delicate in the aroma and in the palate. The acidity is high, yet balanced with the structure, reflecting the colder weather of the area. Tannins are active but round, bringing life to the wine without being aggressive. The finishings are elegant but at the same time rustic. The signature ending notes of wild berries, slate and moist soil reminds you where the vines are located, and how the area smells like.

Some of their wines caught a bit more my attention. The Sauvignon Blanc, brings delicate white flowers and exotic fruit to the aromas despite the moderate to cold climate area. The Merlot is rich and boasts beautiful black cherries, dark chocolate, liquorice and the signature rustic closing of the Tralci di Vita vineyard.

Their Schiopettino was a great finding. Balanced from the start, presenting a wide range of spices in the palate and smoky tones, with cigar box and a bit of leather. This autoctonous grape had a strong decline during the late 19th and 20th centuries, it was saved from extinction in the 1970s and is now regaining the place among the local varietals it once had. That’s a similar story shared by Tazzelenghe, another jewel from the region.

According to Massimo, 10 years ago would be unthinkable to growth red grapes in the zone, especially thick skin ones such as Merlot. Climate change has created a warm pocket in the zone, opening for a potential that didn’t exist before.

Coming next to Tralci di Vita

Even if the vines are far from being young, ranging from 50 to 100 years old, it was actually the first vintage of Massimo and Maria Chiara at Tralci di Vita.

Their results are focused and makes me curious about what waits in the bottles in the next vintages.

Instead of fixing what is not working, the goal is to understand what are the strengths of the vineyard and excel on what is already great.

Having 10 grape varieties is a challenge to manage, especially during harvest. The different maturation times spreads the efforts between vineyard and the cellar for too long. The season last year went through 12 September until 28th October.

As the strengths from Tralci di Vita become transparent, the focus on quality would naturally impact their current segmentation. That would lead to an eventual reduction on sales of bulk wines and a gradual shift to the bottled selection.

Massimo and Maria Chiara said that their vision was to give people something of their own. A piece of their dedication, their dream, their work, their culture, a piece of their life… and that’s how the name “Tralci di Vita” came about.

By the time of this post, their website was still under construction. The way to reach out to them for a visit and for purchasing wine was either by email ([email protected]) or their Facebook page.

November 24, 2019August 28, 2024

Profile of the Italian Wine Consumer

Earlier this year, the survey “Mercato Italia, gli Italiani e il vino” (Italian Market, the Italians and the Wine”) carried out by Vinitaly with l’Osservatorio Vinitaly-Nomisma Wine Monitor was presented at the Verona Fair. It refreshed some assumptions about the profile of the Italian wine consumer and checked the pulse of the market in the largest producing country in the world.

Re-thinking the profile of the Italian wine consumer

Italians are drinking less. The analysis has shown a -26% reduction in volume compared to twenty years ago. Drinking has become more responsible throughout the country: the average is of 2-4 glasses a week, consumed mainly at home (67%) and in particular by baby boomers (55-73 years, at 93%). Nevertheless, relevant shares have been increasing through all generations with millennials (18-38 years) showing a penetration rate of 84%.

A big contribution in the drop in consumption came from changes in the life style of Italians (increased attention to health, working habits, etc…) and increased rigour on the traffic laws regarding limits of alcohol consumption before driving.

Even if Italians are drinking less in average, the market holds and produces a consumer value estimated in approximately 14.3 billion Euros (2018). That translates into a growth of +2.8% vs. 2017. The estimated volume sold was of 22.9 million hectolitres, which is rather stable vs. 2017 (-0.3%).

Shifts in Preferences

Interesting perceptions between drinks and social occasions were brought up on the survey. For most of the people interviewed, wine is tradition, elegance and culture, as opposed to spirits, associated with fun and monotony, or beer, where the link with friendships and everyday life prevails.

While it is true that red wine remains the favourite on the table, preferences change along the Italian peninsula. These shifts are rooted on changes in consumer habits as well as the dominant grapes and styles in the region.

Red wine lovers drink at least 2-3 times a week in 50% of the cases, while for the other types the consumption is more sporadic and happens often out of home. In metropolitan cities, the penetration rate is slightly higher than the Italian average (91% in Naples against 88% in Italy) and the average age of consumers is lower. Rome drinks more white than the Italian average (25 % vs 18%) while the reds dominate the preference in Naples. In Milan, the consumption of sparkling and rosé wines is well above the country average.

Through out the country, the spritz is the king of the aperitivo and whenever a glass is served out of home. The spritz is now a true initiation rite on wine for the younger palates. Some see it as a popular trend that bridges the first cultural introduction towards the more traditional product.

The consumption of spritz takes off especially in Lombardy and Veneto, with around 40% of the consumption out of home. That trend is also observed for other wine mixes in the big cities, where the propensity to wine tourism is bigger, especially in Milan (36% ). Red, the first in consumption, dominates the South, Piedmont and Tuscany. Veneto stands up with the concentration of sparkling (contribution from the being the center of prosecco production).

Passing the wine knowledge test

The survey also pointed that rather than dig deeper on wine knowledge, the average Italian wine consumer is more focused on the satisfaction of the senses. Only a quarter of consumers say they can recognize what they are drinking.

The share of “connoisseurs” rise in males (33% against 18% of women), in the North-West (31%) and in a manner directly proportional to income (45%) and education (39% graduates).

When selecting the wine, the survey revealed that the production area, denomination and grape variety are the dominant criteria. Together they add up to 61% of the answers and prove to be much more important than price, company brand, sommelier advice and green features.

The survey also asked which trends the consumers believe will get stronger in the next 2-3 years. They have indicated the autochthonous (28%), the organic (19%), the Venetian, Piedmontese, Tuscan, Apulian and Sicilian wines and the light, easy to drink.

The knowledge gaps regarding great vines are a bit more evident: when asked to indicate the regional provenance of Amarone della Valpolicella, Brunello di Montalcino and Franciacorta, only 1 Italian out of 4 responded correctly. In a geography of responses that rewards the Venetians (38% of answers without errors), followed by Lombardy (34%), while Sicily and Campania fall behind, with the threshold lowered to about 20% of respondents.

October 12, 2019August 28, 2024

Unlucky with corked wine

Odds were not much in my favour this past week when it comes to corked wine. Three different bottles, at three different locations, all tainted.

It had been a fair while since I have found cork taint. It can be a real turn off when it happens on that bottle and at that occasion.

What is corked wine?

It’s a wine fault that gives the wine a range of unwelcoming scents, suppressing the freshness and fruity aromas. Those only get detected later, after aging, bottling and while serving the wine. This fault occurs regardless of the quality and price level of the bottle.

A corked wine is safe to drink, though the smell can be off putting and render the whole experience not a pleasant one.

Why does wine get corked?

The main cause of cork taint is the presence of the chemical compound 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) in the wine.

That’s a powerful chemical that can impact the wine even if in really small amounts. The human nose is highly sensitive to the TCA molecule and can perceived it already at about 10 parts per trillion (ppt). That’s smaller than the volume contained in a coffee spoon poured into an full Olympic swimming pool.

TCA is generated from a really specific interaction between cellulose, chlorine and mold. It is commonly formed in the cork and gets transferred to the wine overtime while stored. However, the taint can originate anywhere in the winery where wet surfaces (allowing mold to develop) and chlorine based cleaning products are easily found. TCA can start forming on those places and find it’s way into the wine bottle through barrels, transport systems, wine cases and others.

How often does it happen?

Not that often. The numbers used to be higher in the past, reaching around 9% in 2007, based on a research done in Napa Valley. The wine industry, however, estimates that the rate of corked wines is around 2% nowadays. That 2% can become irrelevant, though, if taint comes to happen exactly on your special bottle.

The reduction in the incidence of TCA in wines is due to new practices being adopted by cork producers and wine makers. Those include:

change in the chemicals used to treat the cork
adoption of synthetic corks and screw caps
reduction in the use of chlorine in the facilities

How to recognize if the wine is corked?

The descriptors mostly aligned with a corked wine are:

Wet card board/newspaper
Wet dog
Dump basement/carpet

Some people are more sensitive to TCA than others and can detect the scents in lower thresholds.

TCA is also known to be a powerful suppressor of olfactory signals. In low levels it might not be strong enough to produce the descriptors above but instead, it can mute the freshness in the wine. If you don’t perceive the expected floral and fruity notes in a wine that is known to you, there is a chance that low TCA levels are impairing your experience. This compound was found to be over a thousand times more effective than other odor blockers used in making perfumes.

What can you do about it?

Unfortunately, there is not much we can do about it. Once TCA gets into the wine there is no way to neutralize it. Actually, if you aerate the wine in a decanter it will increase the effect of the compound.

If you really want to try and improve a corked wine, there are filtration systems you could experiment with at your own curiosity. One of them consists on passing the wine through a sponge of polyethylene. Technically, the TCA molecule has an affinity for the molecule of this plastic, attaching to each other during the filtering. I haven’t tried it yet as I generally don’t carry a block of polyethylene with in my pocket.

In most restaurants or wine stores, you still have the option of returning the bottle if you perceive the wine to be corked. You might be able to get your money back but, unfortunately, not the spoiled occasion.

My thoughts on corked wine

The growing adoption of screw caps and other synthetic materials to seal wine bottles have been reducing the risk of TCA in wine. The use of chlorine in wine producing facilities for cleaning purposes has also been avoided. Still, the risk always lingers… no matter how expensive your bottle.

It is really a bummer when you are saving that wine in a special night, only to find out at the first seconds of service that it’s tainted.

A good story to tell and a great bottle as a back up can do the trick on shifting gears on the discussion. I also found that people are genuinely curious to smell a corked wine and understand what it is like, given that it’s not that common.

Nevertheless, that also makes part of the experience of sharing a bottle of wine. Maybe not for the reasons you expected but, sometimes, a tainted bottle can create a better story than the wine it was holding.