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Home , Aglianico del Vulture, Barile, Scialatelli, Wine color

Introduction

just heard), looks straight toward you like a DEFINING laser beam directed onto a stick of butter (and Walk into any bar today in (or else- you are the butter), and says something so clear where, for that matter) and you will find the you never end up forgetting it. In this case, it place so crammed with glass-swirling terroir- was: “You know, Ian, back when I was your age, istes it’s almost immoral. It was not always so. to say that a wine had a goût de terroir was seri- Jean-Claude Berrouet, for over forty years tech- ously offensive.” nical director at J. P. Moueix (the producer of The word “terroir” originally derives from of near-mythical status such as Château the Latin word territorium, or “territory,” but Trotanoy, Château La Fleur–Pétrus, and, in over time it lost that association and took on the California, Dominus, who is still today the con- meaning of the French word terre, or “earth”; sultant winemaker at Pétrus), is one of the therefore, back in the 1930s or 1940s, to tell wine people I respect and have learned the someone his wine tasted of the earth was just most from over the years. During one encoun- about the best way to ensure you wouldn’t be ter with him in what others might have defined invited back to the house (which, depending on as my salad days of wine writing (I wrote about how you felt about the person and his or her one such meeting in the “Ampelology” chapter wines, might have been a good thing). Dating of Native Wine Grapes of Italy, and not by back to the seventeenth century, the word “ter- chance, I do so again here), he was kind enough roir” was used to refer to the soil and subsoil to discuss the subject of terroir at considerable only, and anything tasting of the earth was length. As is often the case when I am around frowned upon as being something rustic, or him, I had just finished saying something com- worse, unclean (Matthews 2015). In modern pletely wrong; in such moments, Berrouet times, “terroir” has taken on a broader mean- pauses, with the hint of a smile (probably trying ing, one that encompasses the highly complex hard to keep a straight face despite what he has interaction of grape variety, soil, climate, and

1 human involvement in the production of dis- and techniques (judicious water tinctive wines from a specific site or area deprivation, very low yields, cold soaks, and (Seguin 1986; Van Leeuwen and Seguin small barrels), you can certainly kick San- 2006). According to Michael Broadbent, who giovese’s wine up a notch or two. Just holds the title Master of Wine and is one of the remember that no amount of terroir will ever world’s foremost wine experts, wine is a prod- turn a 100 percent wine into a uct of man, but even more important are the or doppelgänger (please earth—the soil and subsoil—and the climate, note that I use that word not with poetic because there is little or no point in cultivating license but rather in its literal but oft-forgotten vines and making wine in a place not suited to meaning). This is because the genetics of each vinifera (Broadbent 2003). It is only when grape variety determines what each can and grapevines have been planted in the right place cannot give: terroir (which includes the actions that man’s role becomes most important. of human beings) can only modulate the end Aubert de Villaine, the gentleman in charge at result. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, in , Using different words: if the grape variety is believes the same: there can be no great terroir the vehicle, then terroir is the driver. One can- without human beings allowing those very ter- not function well (at all, really) without the roirs to express themselves to their fullest other. It follows that it doesn’t matter if potential (de Villaine 2010). is the world’s greatest grape or not: Ries- The notion of terroir today includes all the ling being a cool-climate variety, if you should features of a landscape and of the past and pres- decide to plant it in one of the coastline vine- ent societies that have, or have had, an effect on yards of Sardinia, you have no hope of making the wine you drink. Therefore, many different a great wine, never mind hearing the voice of factors contribute to terroir in their own impor- the land. The message will be hopelessly mud- tant way. Plant the same grape variety in two dled, if not downright absent. Because wine is different areas, and they make remarkably dif- the end product of grapes grown in specific ferent wines; plant them in the same area, and places, the metabolic composition of the grapes the wines can turn out noticeably different as used to make that wine depends both on the well. All it takes is for one of the two plantings to genetic makeup of the grape and on its interac- be done in a shady area, and the other perhaps tion with the many factors that characterize a in an area exposed to the cold north. Clearly, a specific terroir. Varying concentrations of sug- wine made from Nebbiolo tastes different from ars, organic acids, esters, flavonoids, anthocy- one made with Sangiovese, and more different anidins, and many other compounds in the still from one made with . grapes all affect the way a wine will taste. Some However, as many wine lovers know, plant Neb- of these compounds are found within the biolo in Monforte d’Alba’s and Bussia grape to begin with and have their concentra- crus (the real Bussia: an important matter I will tions modified during the ripening process. broach later in this book; see the section titled Without any creative winemaking action, a “The Italian Job” in part 1 and the Nebbiolo wine tastes of peach because the grape used entry in part 2), and the wines, though similar, to make that wine has aromatic precursor will also differ. Clearly, terroir differences can molecules that through the winemaking pro- change what a grape can give only to a degree. cess will liberate, among other molecules, You cannot expect Sangiovese to give you the γ-undecalactone, which smells of peach. It fol- inky--hued wines of Merlot; no matter lows that the genetic element (the grape vari- where you plant Sangiovese, that fact stays ety) is all-important in determining the aromas true. However, by planting it in appropriate and taste of any wine and is the single most soils and intervening with creative important factor in determining the terroir

2 introduction effect, while terroir’s other factors help fashion (thereby fully exposing the grapes to the sun’s wines distinctive of a finite area. rays), that producer’s wines will taste obviously Taking Chianti Classico as an example, 100 different from one made with grapes kept percent Sangiovese wines made with grapes under a cool, shady leaf canopy. Clearly, human grown in Gaiole and Radda (two specific sub- decisions will also impact heavily on how a zones of the denomination) are usually sleeker wine will taste. For example, in 2015, Anesi et wines, and wines of greater total acidity, than al. found that viticultural practices (row direc- those of Castelnuovo Berardenga (another Chi- tion and system) and certain soil anti Classico subzone). All three subzones are properties (pH and active lime) correlated with associated with magnificent but distinct wines: the composition of volatile metabolites in the differences are especially obvious when the wines, which clearly leads to different-tasting wines from Gaiole and Radda are made with wines. Terroir in a nutshell. grapes grown in spots located at higher average elevations and with soils especially rich in cal- SCHRÖDINGER’S WINE cium carbonate. In these areas, the interaction between strong ventilation rates and high cal- Looking for and finding terroir in wine is not careous soil content leads to slowed grape rip- the playground of a privileged few. At different ening and higher acidity levels in the grapes; in levels, terroir in wine speaks to all wine lovers. I Castelnuovo Berardenga, where lie at strongly believe terroir is more than a mere phys- lower elevations and calcium carbonate is not ical, viticultural, or winemaking concept leading as abundant, such an effect is lacking. It is easy to different biochemical outcomes. There are to understand why the wines from the latter important cultural, intellectual, socioeconomic, subzone taste so different from those of the ecological, and spiritual components to terroir. other two subzones. In this sense, my view is not different from the But there’s more to wine than just cultivar, one voiced by Vaudour (2003), who wrote of ter- geology, topography, and climate. Human roir in terms of the socioeconomic, cultural, and beings, with their viticultural and winemaking ethnological meanings of a geographical place. decisions, also help fashion what a wine will be For example, the intellectual aspect of terroir is like. The winemaking process causes mole- huge: even after decades of drinking fine wines, cules to be newly formed, either by the transfor- many wine lovers remain mesmerized by the mation of preexisting precursor molecules in many nuances that great wines offer and the rea- the grapes or by activity in the must; for sons such wines behave thus. Sardinia offers example, which one chooses to use will delicious Vermentino wines; but whereas a Ver- play a role in determining the expression of ter- mentino di Sardegna is all about fruity charm, a roir in that wine. In fact, the degree to which Vermentino di Gallura (made with grapes grown the biochemical profile of a wine is changed on degraded granite soils highly characteristic depends not just on the yeasts performing nor- of the Gallura region of Sardinia’s northeastern mally, but also on the ambient conditions the corner) offers greater salinity and power. Why yeasts find themselves in. (For example, in con- that is fascinates a subset of wine lovers on a ditions of environmental stress, yeasts produce wholly different level than just the hedonistic very different molecules than they would pro- experience the individual wines provide. A well- duce otherwise.) Viticultural practices are just made entry-level Alsace Riesling wine from just as important: if a farmer chooses to let his vine- about any decent site is delightful, but one made yards produce twice as many grapes as those of with grapes from the Schlossberg grand cru is another grower, it is likely his wine will taste usually deeper and richer. However, because of more diluted. If in a hot climate one producer differences in soil, exposure, and microclimate, decides to remove all leaves from the vines Schlossberg made from the summit,

introduction 3 the middle, and the bottom parts of the Schloss- of and scialatelli was less than success- berg hill are very different wines. Part of the ful than it should have been attests to the com- intellectual stimulation in wine resides in the plexity involved in the apparently simple details, discovery of (or rather, the attempt to discover) such as shape, that create an ultimately all the different facets that a specific terroir can satisfying taste experience. And so it is with showcase. For this subset of aficionados, wine is wine grapes and terroir: details matter. not just about making and drinking it, but also Terroir is also a cultural concept of signifi- about thinking it: questioning and deconstruct- cant socioeconomic impact, for, much as native ing wine are highly enjoyable steps of the same grapes do, it speaks of specific places and people, game. their traditions and habits. In fact, both Aubert Though this approach to wine might come de Villaine and Jacky Rigaux (author, university across as a little excessive to those just starting professor, and one of the world’s most knowl- out in wine or not prone to intellectual games- edgeable people on all things Burgundy) go so manship, it isn’t, really. Think of this in the far as to speak of a “civilization of terroir.” After same terms you would pasta. Some people go to all, UNESCO created its World Heritage Sites a restaurant and just ask for a plate of pasta, with just this objective in mind: to preserve limiting themselves to choosing a sauce they the cultural, historical, and natural landscapes. like, be it carbonara, amatriciana, or cacio e (Famous wine-production zones such as the pepe; but an Italian, or anyone seriously into Langhe and the Burgundy climats are World food, will also look at the specific pasta shape Heritage Sites.) The interplay between terroir paired with the sauce. Pasta shapes are myriad, and culture occurs everywhere. ’s Agli- including , , , anico del , one of Italy’s potentially great- bavette, (rigate and non rigate), and oth- est wines, is completely different from Taur- ers. The reason for so many different shapes is asi, another also made with that each different sauce actually wants a differ- grapes grown on volcanic soil, but in . ent type of pasta, and vice versa: specific pasta Campania and Basilicata are two different shapes hold on to sauces in different ways, and places: the people are different, their histories in the end, the flavor and texture of what you are different, the land is different. The wines, are eating will be different than it would other- too, are different, because each represents a spe- wise be. You didn’t really think Italy has over cific way of life, a specific memory. It’s a cultural one hundred codified and officially recognized thing. This is true even within a region itself. pasta shapes just because someone had lots of made at five hundred imagination or free time on their hands, cor- meters above sea level near on reddish- rect? Just imagine that pasta shape is a matter clay soils should and does in fact taste different of such importance that back in the 1980s, the from Aglianico del Vulture made from grapes famous pasta company hired no less grown at six hundred meters above sea level on than Giorgetto Giugiaro and his Italdesign Giu- lava-rich soils near , for example. (See the giaro firm (Giugiaro is one of the world’s fore- Aglianico entry in part 2.) Those who farm Mas- most designers: he has created the Volkswagen chito vineyards expect their Aglianico wine to Rabbit; the DeLorean DMC-12, made famous speak of who they are and where they are from: by the Back to the Future movie franchise; they want, even need, their Aglianico to show- numerous Maseratis and Ferraris; Apple com- case the differences with respect to any Agli- puter prototypes; Nikon camera bodies; and anico wine made elsewhere. The common other iconic elements of twentieth-century denominator is the grape variety—the first and style) to create a new pasta shape. Which he most important step in any terroir-based wine; did, wind-tunnel-like drawings and all, creat- but much as Clint Eastwood’s character in Ser- ing “Marille”; that the curvy, inner-ridged cross gio Leone’s 1966 filmThe Good, the Bad and the

4 introduction Ugly believes that every pistol has its own sound, the month. Last but not least, terroir is a spiri- Aglianico del Vulture from Maschito sings its tual concept. Great site-specific wines speak of own tune, too. And in so doing, it speaks of Mas- much more than just soil, climate, or viticul- chito to the world. It follows that the socioeco- tural practices. Potentially, they have an inspi- nomic impact of that terroir-specific wine will be rational quality (from the Latin inspirare, “to felt in the community (in terms not only of wine breathe into”), breathing new life and new sales, but also of increased tourism to the area experiences into people and propelling them and increases in sales of other local food prod- into, however briefly, a higher realm. It’s a ucts and handicrafts to visitors). unique experience. Much as Schrödinger’s cat The concept of terroir also has ecological confuted quantum superposition theory (a importance. Terroir-oriented viticulture is eco- quantum system exists as a combination of logically friendly: for example, the cultivation of dynamic states that can have different out- vines high on the alpine slopes of Valle d’Aosta comes; hence a cat that may be simultaneously and Valtellina reduces the risk of erosion and both dead and alive, which is unlikely), terroir- helps to preserve them, reducing the risk of specific wines are, if you will, Schrödinger’s landslides. And the centuries-long cultivation wines. Their ability to live simultaneously in of a specific grape variety adapted to a specific different states (the physical, the intellectual, spot makes for a more eco-friendly agriculture the spiritual) is a random event that may or than one where producers rip everything up may not occur, and often doesn’t. We are all the just so they can plant the latest grape flavor of better for it when it does.

introduction 5