SOURCE: “VINO, IL LIBRO COMPLETO”, GIUNTI EDITORE, FIRENZE, 2019
Our journey begins in the land closest to us, Piedmont. Piemonte in Italian literally means “at the foot of the mountains” – indeed some of the highest peaks in the alps, like our Monte Rosa, are located in Piemonte! It is one of the largest regions in Italy and due to its variety of soils, climates and possibly its proximity to France, it is home to some of Italy’s most renowned wines.
If you think of Piemonte, you probably think of Barbera, Barbaresco and Nebbiolo, perhaps of Moscato or Asti Spumante, but above all of Barolo. There is such a multitude of wines, that knowing them all is a challenge. Ideally, from a wine perspective, we can split Piemonte into North and South – with the latter being the most renowned. Taken as a whole, the division between North and South is a fantastic example for the concept of “terroir”: the vines are mostly the same (at least the red varieties), but the soil, the climate and the know-how differ considerably. The result is great territorial expressions in the form of wines, unmatched anywhere else in Italy.
By way of example, the differences between North and South can be illustrated by using Nebbiolo, the king of red grapes, as a measure. These are the main differentiating traits. 1. Bloom is just about 2-3 days difference, earlier in the South.
2. Fruit set in the North is usually 5-7 days after Barolo.
3. Harvest time is usually 7-12 days after the Barolo area.
4. Potential alcohol is completely different. Barolo ripeness could be 14.5-15.5% while 13-13.5 in Northern Piedmont areas for optimal phenolic maturity.
5. The pH of soils is completely different as well. The soils in the North are more acidic and more alkaline in the South, where they consist of limestone. As a consequence, the wines from the South have a lower pH. Barolo/Barbaresco – soil pH can be 7.80-8.80 pH, which is a basic pH. Northern Piedmont Nebbiolo based wines – 4.2-5.50 pH, which is extremely acidic.
6. The soils in the North are lighter than the Langhe, so drainage is better.
7. The Northern Piedmont areas are much drier during the picking season than the Langhe, which is ideal for diverse phenolic ripeness for Nebbiolo.
8. Cool days, with wind blowing from the alps, bring out greater aromatic depth and variety in the North.
Historically, Nebbiolo is often blended with other red grapes in the North, whereas Barolo and Barbaresco must be 100% Nebbiolo.
Descending through the Valsesia from Alagna towards Vercelli and Novara – or for those who return to Malpensa – towards the motorway, on our left is a small appellation around the town of Boca. Here the soil is of volcanic origin in red porphyry that strongly influences the positioning of the vineyards.
The term “Alto Piemonte” is unofficial, it cannot be found on any wine labels, or on wine maps of the region. It is used to connect the group of Northern Piemonte townships that all produce wines from Nebbiolo, as opposed to the “South Piemonte”
This is a little out of the way from Malpensa and Milan, and only for this reason it comes second on our agenda. Indeed, it probably is the most intriguing part of Alto Piemonte, thanks to the extreme diversity of its soils.
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Winemaking
Wine and Winemaking
Wine
Wine is a product of the earth and of man. It arrives at our table from the vineyard in a bottle, passing through a vat and a barrel. To really get to know it, we must first acquaint ourselves with the vineyard and the people who grow it, draw the grapes from it and turn it into wine. To make good wine, you need love for the land, because the future of those who grow it depends on it. You need passion, and you need the right knowledge as a winemaker. These are handed down from generation to generation, taught in schools or by expert oenologists, but only good grapes can give good wine.
How many of us, at home, in a restaurant or at the supermarket, can pick up a bottle and say: I know where it comes from, I know who makes it and what is behind it?
We want to give you the opportunity to get to know the real wine, from its origins to your table. On our journey we will go to discover small producers and their lands, even before their wines. This is our aspiration: to take you with us to discover "real wines made by real people".
Wine, or rather Wines
We believe that there are two great types of the product "wine". The vast majority are wines produced on a large scale, very widespread and well known. For a consumer, the norm is to associate a product with a label. The label signifies what kind of product is inside the package - it is somehow the guarantor. If you uncork a "Mouton Cadet”, a “Blue Nun” or open a "Tavernello" tetra pack, you do so knowing what you will find, and this regardless of the year, or even the land, in which the wine was produced. One may roughly know where Mouton Cadet comes from, but honestly, does anyone have an idea where the Tavernello grapes come from? “Consistency" is what these wines offer, whether they are big or small, does not matter. (In truth, Mouton Cadet offers far more than just consistency). With regard to “consistency”, these wines resemble industrial products, such as Coca-Cola or Carlsberg – products for which the name alone reveals the qualities. It is the strength of the brand. There are also many generic products, such as pasteurised milk, of which we know what to expect. They are safe, (arguably) healthy and have a predictable taste because they are practically the same, as once they undergo pasteurisation, all those little microorganisms that create distinctive flavours fade away.
This is nothing negative. On the contrary, brands and labels greatly simplify our choices. These are industrial products, where the hand of man weighs at least as much as that of nature. They are products, where the "miracle" of transforming grapes into wine is performed with scientific and technological knowledge and the main characteristic of these products is “consistency”, so that the consumer knows what he is buying. Consistency at this level, however, does not exist in nature and hence is the affirmation of man over nature. We prefer to leave this to the great names and large retailers. In any case, you would not need to join our journey to find such wines!
The other "product" wine is produced on a small, artisanal scale. It is a product that reflects the earth, grapes, climate and wise hand of the winemaker. These wines vary from each other, from year to year, from vineyard to vineyard, while maintaining the same label. Some are produced according to the dictates of organic farming, others follow the anthroposophical philosophy of biodynamics, and others yet are made with "conventional" interventions reduced to the bare minimum. They have one thing in common that is fundamental for us: they are produced by passionate people and from grapes grown "with love". They are natural wine, where the additives are limited to a minimum and never used to create "consistency". They reflect a territory, vintage, person, not a company that identifies itself with an emblem, symbol, label… in other words, wine with soul. The wines we want to present to you are "juice of the earth" and not a sophisticated industrial product.
In principle, winemaking is a spontaneous chemical process initiated and governed by human intervention. People wait until grapes are ripe, collect them, press them, wait for the juices to ferment, decide at which moment the fermentation must be interrupted, the wine must be separated from the skins, put into large or small containers and aged… until it is ready to be bottled, sold and drunk. Each of these steps requires human intervention and each of these steps is based on human experience and knowledge. Since the last century and the progress of chemistry, human intervention is less empirical and increasingly scientific. It is so developed, that soil is analysed in labs and with the aid of drones and satellite pictures, it is established which vines to plant in exact spots. Micro sensors monitor the microclimate in the vineyards, the presence of moulds, fungi, parasites and other threats. The level of “readiness” of mature grapes is assessed with high-tech machinery. Science is widely being used to create products that meet the consumers’ palate and sell, to optimise the use of labour and machinery and allow the people who work in the vineyards and in the wine cellars, the marketing gurus, sales force and above all, the investors, to make a profitable living and a return on their investment. Wine is, after all, big business! Well, not for everyone. For many small, or very small vintners, it is passion, it is a vision, a purpose in life to make true, authentic wines. The idea of Vinland was born when we tired of the large wine productions and decided to explore the world of small wines, made “next door” by people and nature, not by industrial processes. When we first visited Paride Chiovini in Sizzano - and such visits can take hours of long conversations - after showing us around his vineyards, he told us how much he loved spending time there. “It makes me oblivious, because I’m so happy there”, he said. One day, while in his beloved vineyard, he received a call from a restaurant he supplies. They asked for an urgent delivery as they were out of stock and had a big party of guests coming. Paride went back to his cellar, loaded his car and drove off. On the road he realised that he was still wearing his dirty clothes and boots covered in soil and dust. Too late, he thought. A Jaguar was parked in front of the restaurant and a very elegant gentleman drove off in it. The restaurant manager asked with a wry smile “ Did you just see that Jaguar leave? That was Mr. A., a colleague of yours”. Paride knew that Mr. A. was one of the best known winemakers in Italy, whose family business exported many thousands of prestigious bottles globally. He was puzzled, felt embarrassed in his dirty working clothes and regretted not having shaken hands with the great man. Then, as he drove back, he realised that no, he did not want to be like Mr. A. He wanted to be just like he was: bound to the soil, happy in the vineyard. At Vinland we have wines from many passionate winemakers like Paride Chiovini, and we are happy to introduce their wines to you, and tell you something about them.
