|
 ‘Confuzione’ seems to be one buzz word you pick up fast when you visit wineries and Italy, . Appellations, infinite labels named after the grandfathers and grandchildren will confuse and confound even if the unmentioned grape varietals on the bottle don’t. An IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) wine may be a lot more expensive than the highest rated DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita). There are several docg wines available at under €5 but a lot more with the lesser quality hierarchy-DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) fetch more than €15, not to mention the 73 DOCG and 330 DOC wines and counting.
The political pulls and lobbying are the one constant in the changing life of a wine and its region. Several DOC Bolgheri (the relatively new, buzzing west Tuscan appellation, near the coast) wines command astronomical prices. But as a mark of recognition to the iconic Sassicaia wine produced by Tenuta San Guido, there is even a DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia awarded only to a single wine which commands higher price than a vast majority of DOCG wines. This Bordeaux blend used to be an IGT wine earlier.
Montepulciano –A grape and a city
One of the several such Confusions is Montepulciano. Forget for a while, the similar confusing names as Montecucco, Montespertoli and Montalbano-area-based Tuscan wines. Montepulciano is often confused with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo which is a grape to which the Abruzzo region has staked claim as its native grape. Since it grows in abundance and is relatively cheap, even the importers sometime choose not to clarify the difference.
Montepulciano is a small, beautiful Tuscan town 120 kms-an hour and 20 minute drive from Florence, 37 kms and 40 minute drive from Montalcino. It is known for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a wine that received its DOCG status in 1980 and a Rosso di Montepulciano DOC. World famous for its Vino Nobile76% are exported with Germany, USA, Benelux and Switzerland alone consuming over 80%, it must use 70% Sangiovese (known as Prugnolo Gentile) as the base in its blend. The balance 30% can be other authorized Tuscan grapes, giving the winemaker significant leeway in crafting wines.
This is one area of Tuscany where nothing much has changed since 1966 when the appellation laws wer first created. The limited geographic area remains unchanged at 1300 hA for Vino Nobile (as it is often referred to) and 380 hA of Rosso di Montepulciano that has less stringent requirements in terms of both the grape quality, processing and ageing requirements and drinks younger. The extraction from grapes to wine is limited by law to 70%.
 The control on production by the Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano which has 78 winery members representing 90% of the producers, is evident when you realize that the production to the last bottle is recorded. In 2013, 7333621 bottles (about 610,000 cases) of Vino Nobile were produced; Rosso produced 2535146 bottles (210,000 cases).Together the number almost equals the number of premium wines , costing over Rs.250 each, produced in India during the equivalent period. The area also produces high quality Vin Santo which can age for decades.
An interesting and important aspect of Montepulciano reflects the attraction it has for wine-tourists. One-fifth of the wine sold in the domestic market (19%) is from the cellar door indicating the importance of wine tourism which the Indian producers have now started waking up to-Sula being a pleasant and major exception.
Anteprima del Vino Nobile
Vino Nobile must be aged for 2 years and therefore it may be released only on January 1, two years after the harvest year. Thus, it was time for 2011 Nobile- a vintage rated at 4 stars (out of possible 5) to be showcased. A total of 41 wineries participated at the 20th edition of the Anteprima and showcased their wines to be released in the spring. The Riserva which requires one year of extra aging was from the 2010 vintage. The same way, The Rosso which is a younger wine and needs one year of aging was showcased for its 2012 vintage rated 5-stars.The Fortezza which has being renovated and has also become the seat of the Consorzio, offers a beautiful setting for tasting although the tasting with producers can be slightly spread out at different levels.
Eliminating CO2 footprints
2014 is an important year for Montepulciano as the producers join the initiative promoted by EU to make the wineries totally carbon dioxide free. When the project is complete in 2020, Montepulciano is expected to be the first district in Italy to claim net zero carbon footprints for its wine production. The project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy sources and make the complete cycle of producing Vino Nobile (agriculture, business and transport) carbon neutral.
WINERY VISITS
After tasting various wines through a sommelier service for each taster, followed by an opportunity to taste and interact with the 41 producers, one has little time to visit many wineries; usually one can squeeze two visits in the programme- it was Cantina Dei and the organic winery of Salcheto for me this year.
Cantina Dei
 Founded by the now octogenarian Glauco Dei- a manufacturer and merchant of Travertine Stone, the winery is now being actively managed by his daughter Catherina Dei. A state-of-the-art winery has come up next to the old winery which was the first winery I had visited in Montepulciano almost 8 years ago.  Glauco had welcomed me and tasted with me at that time as it was Sunday and Catherina wasn’t there. He has been focusing on the new winery which I have been visiting every year and watching it turn to a beautiful architectural piece besides adding to the capacity and quality of their wines. The concept of shells has been used in the total design as the area was infested with shells millions of years ago, giving it a unique terroir. The Dei family exports marble to India in a big way and would like to export wines too. No doubt the wines are of high quality and medium priced. The chic tasting room has already come up –soon they will have a small restaurant/bar where one can have some food with wines as well.
Salcheto
 During a tasting with the producers after tasting around 40 wines using the independent Sommelier Service where I found the Rosso 2012 more impressive than the 2011 Vino Nobile, I was really taken in by Salcheto winery which is not only organic and biodynamic winery but runs the winery with only solar energy. I was told it was the first project of this type in Europe.
The 30-year old winery had changed hands when the current winemaker partner Michele Manelli also joined the previous owner. In 1997 he bought it and inducted a couple of new partners. The current modern winery was ready in 2011 and helps them save electricity. The visit to the winery had another bonus- the view of the town at a distance beyond the Salcheto vineyards, with its magnificent Fortezza was simply breathtaking. The winery also has a California-style informal tasting room with a small restaurant serving tapas like snacks.
 The winery visit was quite an interesting sci-fi type of experience where we saw a huge terrace atop the underground winery. It serves as an alfresco dining area with a few plastic bubble tops sticking out of the flat surface. We came to know later that these are a part of the lighting system. Eight of these shiny tubes converge the light to a circular area through periscope-like tubes. It looked like a Star-trek transporter waiting to take you to another galaxy. Just as we were walking by the tanks and the big wooden casks (tonneau), it started getting dark in the winery which had been fully lit-up through the natural light and one saw the mandatory emergency lights switched on. It is heartening to know that the winery aims to be the first one in the area to become carbon emission foot-prints free.
Another interesting feature of the winery is that it has higher plantation of Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile). In fact the top quality wine ‘Salco’ is a 100% Sangiovese. ‘Obvius’ Rose was another interesting wine.
As I sat in the coach waiting to take us to Montalcino, reflecting on the mesmerizing area and the delicious wines my palate was fortunate to enjoy, I could not help think for the nth time that Rosso di Montepulciano from a reputed local producer here is what Indian needs and the Indian wine aficionado can indulge in.
Subhash Arora
Glimpses of Anteprima Vino Nobile |