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NOBLE

Wine Scholar Guild Italian Scholar

Alan Tardi, IWS What does “NOBLE” mean?

• Noble : varieties that have established a strong presence and profile in many areas throughout the world: , , , , , , , .

• ‘Noble Grapes’ of Alsace: , Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris

• Connection to nobility: “The King of and the Wine of Kings.” - Louis XV of and as “Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum.” - Napoleon Bonaparte and . - Carlo Alberto King of Savoy and Vittorio Emmanuale II King of and ; Marchesa Giulia Falletti, Count Benso di Cavour. NOBLE Often used in a descriptive sense to describe the character of a variety or the wine made from it. Inherently ‘noble’ characteristics of the Nebbiolo grape and the wines made from it:

– – Structure – Lighter color, transparency – Reserve, Austerity – Ability to age/evolve favorably over long period of time – Necessity to wait until the wine is ready – Very selective about where it will grow – Heightened capacity to capture and express unique aspects of a specific place while still retaining its own unique fundamental character. I. Take a close look at the Nebbiolo grapevine.

I. Examine the principal regions where it grows.

II. Investigate the major Nebbiolo-based appellations: • the specific places the wines come from • how they were made • the people that made them. • What are basic common characteristics of the Nebbiolo grape that run through all the wines despite their differences?

• What are the unique qualities that appear in each wine due to specific and wine making style?

• What are elements of the wine that could be described as ‘noble’? Nebbiolo Basics • Ancient variety of uncertain parentage. • Early budding, late ripening. • Conical-shaped tight cluster; med-small berries. • Thick skin; pronounced tannin, high acidity. • Moderately low in anthocyanins. • Very sensitive to and particular about where it grows: Grows in specific areas of 3 adjacent regions in Northwestern Italy*:

Despite its limited growing area, the variety has numerous local names, sub-varieties, and biotypes.

Formed by the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates + subsequent glacial activity and erosion.

Mera River Switzerland

Alpi Retiche River River

Alpi Orobie Province of

• Breezes off lake moderate temp & provide ventilation. • Rhaetian provide barrier for harsher northern temperatures. • Bergamo Alps prevent moderate temperatures from escaping. • Nebbiolo grape here known as CHIAVENNASCA.

• East-West strip of steep south-facing terraces above the Adda River made of dry-stone walls filled with soil brought up from the valley. 300-700 meters ASL • Probably originally created by ancient Celtic Ligurian inhabitants. • Conquered by Romans 16 BC; Lombard tribes gain control around 720. • Unique example of a natural viticultural terroir largely created by humans. • Shallow soil (40-120 cm): sand (70%), silt (18%) and clay (10%) over porous rock with low water retention. VALTELLINA Approximately 850 ha under vine. About 300 ha are Superiore.

3 Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo) based appellations: (First DOC 1968. DOCG 2003) 1) Rosso di Valtellina DOC (min 90% Nebbiolo) 2) Valtellina Superiore DOCG (min 90% Nebbiolo) 5 Subzones: Maroggia, Sassella, Grumello, Inferno, Valgella 3) Sfursat/Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG (2003) Valtellina Superiore

• Valtellina Superiore DOCG -- 215 ha • Valtellina Superiore Sassella DOCG -- 114 ha • Valtellina Superiore Inferno DOCG -- 55 ha • Valtellina Superiore Grumello DOCG – 78 ha • Valtellina Superiore Valgella DOCG – 137 ha • Valtellina Superiore Maroggia DOCG (2002) -- 25 ha NINO NEGRI • founded by Nino Negri in 1896. • Major boom in post-WW II period. One of the first to export Valtellina wines outside Italy. • Acquired by a Swiss company in 1968. • 1986: sold to a large Italian cooperative Gruppo Italiani Vini. Consists of 15 historic wineries throughout Italy. • Nino Negri owns 30 ha of estate in key areas and controls another 160 ha. • Casimiro Maule, ”Prince of Valtellina” according to Luigi Veronelli, in charge of from 1971 until 2018. • Enologist Danilo Drocco of (Fontanafredda, Prunotto) assumed position Nov 2018. Valtellina Superiore DOCG “Vigneto Fracia” NINO NEGRI

• 6.5 ha vineyard in Valgella subzone (Chiuro). • Predominantly sand and gravel. • Original vineyard of Negri family. Valtellina Superiore Sassella “Rocce Rosse” DOCG 2002 ARPEPE • Family winery founded 1860. • 1984 ARturo PElizzatti PErego starts own winery. • 2004: Guido, and Emanuele take over. • 13 ha in Sassella, Grumello and Inferno. • About 60,000 bottles/year. • Rocce Rosse 400-500 masl, SE exposure. • 40-day - fermentation in 50 hl , chestnut & acacia tini • 5 yrs maturation 50 hl botte Sfursat/Sforzato • Appassimento from v. appassire, to dry out. • Ancient technique of air-drying grapes after /before vinification. • Many examples throughout Italy: Recioto della (Veneto), (Toscana), del Caluso (Piemonte), di Montefalco (Umbria), delle Lipari (Sicilia). • Fruttai: well-ventilated drying rooms in the hills. • 40-50% of water is lost, concentrating flavor & intensifying sugar. • Preserve grapes, increase sugar, increase alcohol, produce stable long- lived wine. • DOC 1968, became DOCG 2003 Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG “Alberada” 2015 MAMETE PREVOSTINI • Grandfather opened • 100% chiavennasca from osteria Crotasc in 1928 Grumello and Sassella. where he served his wine • 350-550 MASL to guests. • Sandy topsoil over • Mamete started his own granitic rock. winery in 1995. • Hand-harvested into small crates; dried in fruttaio until mid January. • 3-week maceration; 20 months in wooden casks + 10 months in bottle. • 16% abv Valtellina Superiore Sassella Riserva DOCG “Ultimi Raggi” 2013 ARPEPE • Late harvest (Nov 13): grapes dried on vine. • Highest part of Sassella (600 masl), known as “Ere”. • Maceration & fermentation 58 days in wooden tini followed by maturation in , concrete and bottle. • Released December 2019. ggg VAL D’AOSTA/VALLÉE D’AOSTE

• One of Italy’s 5 autonomous regions. • Italian and French are both official languages. • Nebbiolo known as PICOTENDRO. • Grows only in the southeastern part of Val d’Aosta above the Dora Baltea River. • Planted mostly on southwest-facing slopes. • Very steep hillsides, terraced vineyards, dry-stone walls, pergola trellising, stone pillars. • Evidence of Roman presence 1st C. BCE. Documented activity since 1200. • Big diurnal variation: stones absorb heat during day and radiate at night. Vallée d’Aoste DOC Donnas 2016 CAVES COOPERATIVES DE DONNAS • 90%+ Nebbiolo aka Picotendro or Picotener: (‘small’ + ‘tender’) • 10% + • Towns of Donnas, Bard, Pont-Saint- Martin, Perloz. • Cooperative winery created 1971. • Min 12 months in large casks (botte). • 23 ha, 20 members. • First DOC of Valle • 150,000 total/year. d’Aosta in 1971. ggg

Piemonte PIEMONTE 42 DOCs + 17 DOCGs

• Largest surface area of Nebbiolo vines. • Four primary areas: 1. 2. Alto Piemonte 3. 4.

SWE Carema: Province of Torino, Canavese Area, Piemonte

Population 795 (2017) • Dry stone walls create steep south-facing terraces filled with morainic soil from valley floor. • Pergola system called “topia” often resting on tapered stone & cement pillars (“pilun”). Carema Riserva DOC 2015 PRODUTTORI DI NEBBIOLO DI CAREMA

• Carema DOC created July 1967. • 2 local biotypes of Nebbiolo: • 100% nebbiolo Picoutener and Pûgnet. • founded 1960 by 10 • Riserva: 3 years members to age & bottle wine. ageing with 18 • Currently 71 contributing months in large members with 13 ha of vine in oak casks. municipality of Carema. • Approximately 45,000 bottles/year ALTO PIEMONTE

• 4 Provinces , , , Verbano Cusio Ossola. • 10 appellations 2 DOCGs: & Gattinara 5 Village DOCs: Boca, Fara, , Lessona, Bramaterra 3 Regional DOCS: Colline Novaresi, Coste della Sesia, Valli Ossolane • “Spanna” is King and (Bonarda) important traditional grapes. • Consorzio created 1999 Winegrowing activity since 200 BCE Alto Piemonte

• Historically one of the most important wine growing areas of and the most important for Nebbiolo, traditionally known as SPANNA. • Late 1800s area hit by oidium, peronospera and phylloxera followed by devastating frost in 1905, WW I & II. Rise of industry, decline of viticulture. • High of 45,000+ ha of vine at end of 19th C, less than 1,000 ha today. • Consorzio Tutela Nebbioli Alto Piemonte created 1999. Ghemme • East side of Sesia River, . • Winemaking dates back to V-IV C BCE. • DOC in 1969; DOCG 1997. • Zone comprised of 2 adjacent towns: Ghemme and . • Currently just over 50 ha of vineyard. • Monte Rosa glacier: • Morainic; alluvial soil with lots of clay & sand; low pH. Ghemme DOCG “Collis Breclemae” 2011 CANTALUPO • 100% Nebbiolo (Spanna) • 2 ha vineyard named after ancient (no longer extant) village of Breclema. • Diverse soils low in pH and high in mineral content: • Morainic alluvial deposits from the Monte Rosa glacier, volcanic porphyry, • Winery founded 1977 by white calcareous stones Carlo Arlunno. Now from ancient lake Tethys. headed by son Alberto. • 45-year-old vines. • 35 hectares in and • 36 months maturation in around Ghemme. large wooden casks. • About 8,000 bottles/yr. • Subsoil of volcanic origin: Abundant magmatic deposits of porphyry and granite as well as potassium, magnesium and . Gattinara

• West side of Sesia River. • Vineyards planted by Romans II BCE. • About 94.5 ha under vine. • DOC 1967; DOCG 1990 • 90-100% Nebbiolo/Spanna. Max 4% Vespolina and/or , but may not exceed 10% • Must age min 35 months with at least 24 months in wood. Riserva = min 47 months with min 36 in wood. Gattinara DOCG “Vigna Valferana” 2014 NERVI — CONTERNO • Founded by Luigi Nervi in • Oldest continuously 1906. operating winery in • 28.5 ha of vineyard, mostly Gattinara. planted to Nebbiolo. • Valferana vineyard • 4 principal vineyards: cited in documents Valferana, Molsino, Casacce 1231. & Garavoglie. • 40 months elevage • Sold to steel magnate in in large botte. 1991. Norwegian banker • Fermentation in Erling Astrup in 2011. conical oak vats. • Acquired by Roberto • Single vineyard Conterno of Giacomo wines made only in Conterno winery (Monforte) excellent years in 2018. Gattinara DOCG “Osso San Grato” 2012 ANTONIOLO • Winery founded 1948 • Fermented on skins • 14 ha of vine in 5 plots for about 3 weeks. • “Osso San Grato” 3 ha of old • 30 months in large vines planted 1960. S-facing. cask + 6 in bottle. • White dusty topsoil of light • About 4,100 bottles clay and sand. per year. • Volcanic subsoil of igneous rock. Cristiano Garella

• Born in a small town in Biella province. • Obsessed with wine as a child. • Attended Alba enology school. • Took job as manager of Tenuta Sella in Lessona (1671) at age 20. • Left after 5 years to go off on his own. • Currently partner at Le Pianelle and Colombera & Garella (Bramaterra) and consultant advisor to many others throughout Alto Piemonte. • Garella is having a major impact on the current ‘renaissance’ of Alto Piemonte.

Le Piane • Christoph Küenzli, from Switzerland, “discovers” Boca in 1988. • Acquires a small .5 ha estate from an old farmer, Antonio Cerri, in 1998. • Acquires additional parcels in Boca for total of 8 ha. • Left side of the Sesia River. Northernmost village appellation of Alto Piemonte. • Porphyritic soil of volcanic origin. • Boca DOC, Colline Novarese DOC “Maggiorina” Maggiorina trellis system • Montalbano vineyard consisting of 10 parcels 440-470 masl. • 1.5 ha total. Planted 1915. • Croatina 70%, Nebbiolo 10%, Vespolina 10%, other local varieties 10%. • 3 vines planted together, 2 branches per vine, each branch trained to surrounding poles. • Technique perfected by architect Alessandro Antonelli (1798-1888). • 2010-2014 Küenzli works with Anna Schneider to select clones of old vines to plant new vineyard “Traversagna”. Alba, Langhe Roero, Barolo &

Province of • Barolo DOCG • Barbaresco DOCG • Roero DOCG • Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC • Langhe Nebbiolo DOC Roero • Alluvial soil: loose soil or sediment that has been eroded, reshaped by water in some form, and redeposited in a non-marine setting. • Formed during the Pliocene Epoch (Tertiary Period) 5.3— 2.5 MYA. • Up until 2.5 MYA area was covered by the Padano Sea. • Pointy isolated hills; loose soil with high proportion of sand and marine fossils, rich in phosphorus, calcium and potassium. ROERO

• DOC established 1968. DOCG 2004.19 Municipalities • Originally part of Barolo, Barbaresco, Alba,153 MGAs Langhe Consorzio. • Established separate Consorzio for the Roero appellation in 2014. Tenuta Carretta • Officially created as wine- producing estate in 1467. • Acquired by the Conti di Roero in 1811, and the Miroglio textile family of Alba in 1985. • Estate consists of 65 ha of vineyard, 35 ha located in historic seat Piobesi d’Alba. • Specializes in traditional grape varieties/wines of Roero: Nebbiolo, , , , . First single-vineyard bottling Roero Riserva DOCG “Bric Paradiso” 2014 TENUTA CARRETTA

• 100% nebbiolo from the Bric Paradiso vineyard on the Carretta estate in Piobesi d’Alba. • Riserva = 3 years ageing with about 18-24 months in large wooden casks. • Name of vineyard cited in documents as early as 1878. • DOC in 1985; upgraded to DOCG 2004. Barolo Zone, Langhe

• 11 municipalities, only 3 completely within the zone. • 3 geologic ages (Miocene Epoch): – Serravallian: 13.8—11.6 MYA – Tortonian: 11.6—7.2 MYA – Messinian: 7.2—5.3 MYA • Name ‘Langhe’ thought to come from dialect word for tongues after typical topography of extended hogbacks. • Three main Nebbiolo biotypes: Lampia (predominant), Michet (virused Lampia), Rosè (related to Lampia but genetically different). • Town of Barolo (+) considered the “classic” area of production that gave its name to the entire appellation. • Falletti: prominent family of w/ strong presence in area. • Marchesa Giulia (Colbert) Falletti 1785- 1864. Count Camilo Benso di Cavour Generale Paolo Francesco Staglieno

1818-1861 1773-1850

Carlo Alberto, King of the Savoia Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Italy

1798-1849 1820-1878 Ferdinando Vignolo-Lutati 1878 – 1966 “On the Delimitation of Typical Wine Zones” Presented November 1929 Torino Agriculture Academy • ‘Consortium for the Protection of Quality of Barolo and Barbaresco Wines’ founded 1934. • Italian DOC system created 1963. • First official Barolo Barbaresco appellation 1968. • Vineyard map of Barolo codified by Renato Ratti in 1970-’80s. • Zone consists of 11 towns. Only 3 entirely within appellation. • Disciplinari of Barolo and Barbaresco amended in 2010 to officially register traditional vineyard sites. • ‘Crus’ become MGAs. • 181 MGAs • Barolo considered by many the noblest expression of nebbiolo and the most ‘important’ wine. • Nebbiolo traditionally planted in the very best sites, i.e. “where the snow melts first”. • Vino da regalo. • Most noble and prestigious wine but traditionally not the most widely planted grape or most popular wine. Barolo Cannubi • Long considered the iconic vineyard of the area. Name Cannubi/Cannubio almost synonymous with Barolo. • Classic Tortonian soil; high proportion of sand. • Typical lenghe hogback formation: long pointed descending hill towards N with exposition on eastern and western sides. • 15 ha. Over 20 producers make Barolo from Cannubi. • 5 subsections: Cannubi, Cannubi Boschis, Valletta, Lorenzo, . Barolo DOCG “Cannubi” 2011 TENUTA CARRETTA DOC 1966; DOCG 1980 • 2.58 ha of Cannubi ‘Classico’ consisting of 4 parcels w/ different exposures.. • Acquired vineyard in 1952. First Carretta Cannubi 1961. • Vines re-planted 1960, 1981, 2008 • 3 years maturation with 2 yrs in large wooden casks. • About 14,000 btls/yr; Cannubi Riserva (10 yrs) 1,200 G.B. BURLOTTO • Gian Battista Burlotto (1850-1927): one of the founders of the Barolo Consorzio and one of the first to bring Barolo to the outside world and enter it in international wine competitions. • Acquired the Castello di that previously belonged to Carlo Alberto (where General Staglieno lived). • Enologist Fabio , great- great maternal grandson of G.B. Burlotto, manages winery with mother Marina and father Giuseppe. Monvigliero

• Verduno’s finest vineyard and one of the iconic crus of Barolo area. • Predominantly S-SE facing. Moderate slope. • Very high proportion of sand. Classic loose Messinian & Tortonian soil. • Very elegant, aromatic wines with fine . • 25.5 ha; 13 labels Barolo Riserva Fossati Case Nere 2007 ROBERTO VOERZIO

• Roberto left family winery and created his own in 1986. • One of the young producers who became a protagonist of the ‘modernist revolution’ ‘80s-‘90s. • In fact, considers himself a ‘traditionalist’ who seeks the best ways to express the particularities of each terroir and grape variety: • Short pruning 5-8 buds; severe • 500 grams of grapes/vine green harvest in July; cutting off • Wild yeast fermentation, 10-30 days in point of cluster in August; long stainless steel. maceration and spontaneous • 24 months in barrique, 70% used, plus fermentation. 7 years in bottle. • 3000-4000 bottles produced. Fossati Case Nere

Fossati

• East-southeastern exposure. • Fine white silty soil with lots of sand. • Combination of two adjacent vineyards: • Fossati, which straddles boundary between Barolo and , is a bit higher, creating rougher more tannic wines. Case Nere (completely within La Morra) produces wines that are softer more refined. BARBARESCO

• 3 municipalities

• DOC 1966, DOCG 1980

• 671 ha vineyard

• 66 MGAs

• Mostly Tortonian soil • Born into a family of ‘comercianti di vino’, wine brokers (negoçiants). “Il Maestro” • Grandfather Carlo founded winery in in 1900. • Left school at 15 to work with father Carlo in 1944. • Became familiar with every nook and cranny of the Langhe and which vineyards had best grapes. • Made first single-vineyard Barbaresco from Santo Stefano di Neive vineyard in 1964. • Acquired first vineyard parcel, Falletto (Serralunga) in 1982. Asili & 1929 — 2018 Rabajà (Barbaresco) in 1996. • “Open-minded Traditionalist”: long fermentations, long maturation in 50 hl botti of French oak. • Typical Piemontese character. Transitional figure. • family imigrated from Spain in 17th C & Angelo Gaja opened tavern in Barbaresco. • Winery founded by Giovanni Gaja 1859. Wine bottled/labeled by 1937. • Angelo (b 1940), begins working in winery in 1961 after studying at Alba and Montpellier, and economics in . • Initiates reducing yields (diradamento), use of temperature-controlled fermentation tanks and barriques (1975). • 1967: first single-vineyard Barbaresco Sorí San Lorenzo; Sorí Tilden ’70, Costa Russi ‘78. • Gaja made a huge impact on the • Ripped out Nebbiolo and planted Cab Sauv international image of Italian (‘Darmigi’) in 1978. wine, becoming a highly • 1996: Declassified most Barbaresco & Barolo collectible and sought after to Langhe DOC. commodity. • Considered “modernist” however: always • Angelo stepping back and passing made long fermentations; 1 yr barrique baton to Daughter Gaia and son followed by time in botte. Giovanni.

Nebiolo di Luras, Sardegna Generale Alberto Ferrero della Marmora 1789 –1863

• Marmora — statesman, naturalist, and general of the House of Savoy, — posted to Sardinia in 1800s. • 1839-40: “Travels in Sardinia”. • Marmora said to have brought the Nebbiolo vine to the island. • Nebiolo (sic) still present in the northern area of Gallura (DOCG ) around town of Luras. • Cultivated by handful of producers. • Confraternita di Nebiolo di Luras founded 1998. Other Formats

Bianco Rosato Spumante Vino Terrazze Retiche Colline Novaresi Nebbiolo Aromatizzato di Sondrio IGT DOC d’Alba DOC Barolo Chinato Chiavennasca Nebbiolo Spumante Bianco CONCLUSIONS

• Nebbiolo is largely restricted to North-Northwestern Italy, where it is native. • Scattered plantings in America, Argentina and Australia but they generally do not show character. • The biotype seems most likely to have originated in , migrated westward, and reached its apotheosis in the Langhe area of Piemonte where it underwent mutations. • Prefers steep sites, moderately high altitudes, wide diurnal shifts and good exposures, allowing it to experience long slow ripening and reach phenolic maturity. • Responds to the particularities of each place where it grows and reflects these different characteristics in its wines yet maintains a common thread. • In all these manifestations it demonstrates variations on what could be considered a noble character. Questions, Comments…? Fine