Why rely on Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to express a Tuscan terroir?

Castello di Brolio

Grape varieties in Chianti Classico have long provoked controversy and a recent exchange of emails over terroir, indigenous and imported varieties with Francesco Ricasoli suggests that little has changed.

Baron Bettino Ricasoli, Francesco’s ancestor, is often credited with the ‘recipe’ for Chianti Classico as Jancis Robinson MW explains in The Oxford Companion to Wine: ‘… who in a letter of 1872 , synthesized decades of experimentation and recommended that the wine be based on Sangiovese (for bouquet and structure) with the addition of Canaiolo to soften the wine.’ Jancis notes that Ricasoli’s ideas were only gradually adopted as Canaiolo remained the basis of Chianti Classico until the end of the 19^th century.

It was the DOC regulations of 1967 that set the rat amongst the cypress trees and olive groves with the requirement that there should be between 10% and 30% of white grapes – Trebbiano and Malvasia – in the red blend. Along with the generous yields allowed these regulations paved the way for the emergence of the super-Tuscans with French varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah – being popular planting choices. Initially these ‘super-Tuscans’ were plain vino da tavola later becoming IGTs.

For many years, despite efforts to promote Chianti Classico, the super-Tuscans have been the most expensive and prestigious wines at many of the Chianti estates. Quite often an estate’s flagship wines are 100% Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon or a blend of the two and are sold at far higher prices than the estate’s Chianti Classico Riserva. All too often these super-Tuscans have been super only in price, alcohol, extraction and wood influence with the Chianti Classicos and the Riservas far more interesting wines, more enjoyable to drink and much better value.

Fortunately the requirement to use white grapes was much reduced when Chianti Classico became a DOCG in 1984 and from 2006 their use was banned altogether.

In visits to Chianti Classico over the last couple of years or so I sense that the pendulum may be slowly swinging towards fully valuing Chianti Classico Riserva. In time many super-Tuscans might be recognized as an international cul de sac. I would hope to see a time when as a general rule the Riserva is the top wine.

It would also be interesting to see an increased emphasis on the use of the other local varieties like Canaiolo and Colorino to see if they produce a more authentic expression of the Tuscan terroir than do Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

However, if a recent exchange of emails (see below) with Francesco Ricasoli is any indication, this is not about to happen. The exchange was prompted by my post here on our visit to Castello di Brolio during the post EWBC Chianti Classico trip.

Some of the Castello di Brolio vineyards

Chianti: indigenous varieties or imported ones from France: an exchange of emails with Francesco Ricasoli

From: Ricasoli Francesco – F.Ricasoli@ricasoli.it:

To: "budmac@btinternet.com

Sent: Tuesday, 25 October 2011, 10:55
Subject: your blog ...

Dear Jim,

it was very interesting reading your blog after your visit here in Brolio last October 18, and I fully agree with you that Rocca Guicciarda 2008 is a lovely wine!

I nevertheless was quite surprise that a knowledgeable person about wine like you does not understand what really “terroir” mean, as a matter of fact you write in your blog about me …

‘…he launched into a spiel about his wines being an expression of their terroir and not about individual grape varieties(bravo Jim! I was really meaning that). A reasonably enough view but it does beg the question that if the terroir is so important to you, why do you use imported French grape varieties and not a range Tuscan native grapes…’’’

reading your writings I understand that the concept of “terroir” is far from being understood by you therefore I try to help you copying what the English version of Wikipedia describe about such term:

Terroir (French pronunciation: [tɛʁwaʁ]) comes from the word terre "land". It was originally a French term in wine, coffee and tea used to denote the special characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place bestowed upon particular varieties …*

In essence, dear Jim, “terroir” is about geography, geology, climate etc… and not about grape varieties …!!!

I always respect different opinions from mine but I hate stupidity, therefore I decided to write you.

Have a great day my friend, and come and visit us again in the near future.

Kindest regards

Francesco Ricasoli

p.s.

forgive my poor written English.

Extract on terroir from Wikipedia:

Terroir (French pronunciation: [tɛʁwaʁ]) comes from the word terre "land". It was originally a French term in wine, coffee and tea used to denote the special characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place bestowed upon particular varieties. Agricultural sites in the same region share similar soil, weather conditions, and farming techniques, which all contribute to the unique qualities of the crop. It can be very loosely translated as "a sense of place," which is embodied in certain characteristic qualities, the sum of the effects that the local environment has had on the production of the product. Terroir is often italicized in English writing to show that it is a French loanword. The concept of terroir is at the base of the French wine Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) system that has been the model for appellation and wine laws across the globe. At its core is the assumption that the land from which the grapes are grown imparts a unique quality that is specific to that region. The amount of influence and the scope that falls under the description of terroir has been a controversial topic in the wine industry.^[1]

My reply to Francesco Ricasoli:

From: J BUDD

Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:50:13 +0200

To: Ricasoli Francesco

ReplyTo: J BUDD

Subject: Re: your blog ...

Dear Francesco

Many thanks for your message.

This is the second time you have accused me of stupidity and I reject the charge on both occasions.

Thank you but I'm very well aware of the meaning, elements and significance of terroir. Although in my experience if you ask people to define exactly what they mean by terroir you will see considerable variations in the reply. Clearly grape varieties are not terroir but they are a part of matching the right variety to a particular site or terroir as your definition suggests.

The choice Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Burgundy is now inextricably linked to terroir. Similarly in Vouvray the terroir is ideally suited to Chenin Blanc (plus Arbois if you wish) that the variety is now part of the terroir and part of the appellation's heritage. It would be possible to plant Chardonnay here but the results would clearly not be the same and you would no longer have wines that have the potential to age for more than 100 years.

At Ricasoli you have carefully mapped out where your various varieties are planted and linked this in with elevation, rainfall etc, so you understand the link between terroir and grape varieties. I suspect that we are both convinced 'terroirists'.

My point is that if you are so convinced about the importance of your specific terroir why use imported French varieties to express your terroir? Surely it would make more sense to explore what a range of local, indigenous grape varieties would give. Then you might find that your wines would have a truer interpretation or expression of the terroir of Brolio.

Best wishes

Jim

Reply from Franceso Ricasoli

From: Ricasoli Francesco
To: J BUDD
Sent: Tuesday, 25 October 2011, 17:17
Subject: R: Re: your blog ...

You don't even deserve a proper answer my friend since you might be an expert of Loire, but you are far away from knowhing (and understanding) the complexity world of Ch. Classico and Brolio particularly when you are stating what you just wrote at the end of your below mail.
Ciao ciao ...

Barone Ricasoli Spa - Mobile Internet Service

My reply

Francesco

Thank you for your response.

Sadly you may not be in a position to answer my last paragraph, which might be why you dismiss it out of hand. Do you know? Have you experimented with a blend of indigenous varieties? If so with what results?

As a Ricasoli are you not tempted to search for a modern day 'Chianti recipe' using a blend of indigenous grape varieties matched to the terroir?

Incidentally what are the average picking dates for Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese along with Canaiolo and Colorino if you have any planted please?

Happily I have asked similar questions of other Chianti Classico producers during my visits in the past and received considered and thoughtful answers.

Best wishes

Jim

Vineyards of Castello di Brolio

European Wine Bloggers' Conference 2011 (#EWBC): Visit to Castello di Brolio (18.10.11)

 Castello di Brolio

 The Castello gardens and vineyards (above and below)

The Castello di Brolio estate now gives the impression of seamless evolution and of long historical continuity.

However, in the latter part of the 20^th century this certainly wasn’t the case. In the 1970s the winery and the brand was separated from the Castello and the vineyards and the former was sold to Seagram and then onto Hardy’s. Eventually the Ricasoli family was able to buy this back from Hardy’s who were in severe financial difficulties having pursued an over-optimistic overseas expansion.

 Francesco Ricasoli

The current managing director, Francesco Ricasoli, has since been working to restore both the quality of the wines and its reputation. He alluded briefly to the 20 years of mismanagement in foreign hands but gave no details.

Francesco’s initial pitch was that he wanted to know about bloggers, who we were and why we blogged and didn’t write for the conventional print media. Apart from a few shouted answers, I’m not sure he was especially interested in answers to his question. I spoke to him afterwards and explained that it wasn’t possible to categorise the group as we all had different backgrounds and experiences. Ricasoli’s response was that he was being provocative. 

Reading in the Brolio’s booklet that their top wine was a blend of mainly Sangiovese plus a small amount of Merlot and Cabernet  I asked him about the blends in the Castello di Brolio 2008 and 2005, their top Chianti Classicos. Francesco responded that this was both a beautiful question and a very stupid one. He launched into a spiel about his wines being an expression of their terroir and not about individual grape varieties. A reasonably enough view but it does beg the question that if the terroir is so important to you, why do you use imported French grape varieties and not a range Tuscan native grapes.  

Of the five wines shown my preference was for the reasonably priced (14.80€) 2008 Rocca Guicciarda Chianti Classico Riserva. My least favourite was the 2008 Casalferro (100% Merlot@29€ a bottle – 2007 currently on sale). To be fair this was far from the worst Merlot I have tasted in Tuscany as it wasn’t overcloying and had acidity in the finish. Why would I want to pay double the price of the Riserva for a Merlot? Someday I hope the producers in Chianti Classico will decide that the super-Tuscans (now IGTs but formerly vino da tavola) has become a cul de sac.

European Wine Bloggers' Conference 2011 (#EWBC): Badia a Coltibuono 17.10.11

Roberto Stucchi Prinetti

The long established estate of Badia a Coltibuono, based in a magnificent old abbey, was the first producer on our itinerary. The estate has some 800 hectares with 50 hectares of vines. It has been in the hands of the same family since 1846. The vineyards and the winemaking side are now looked after by the aristocratic Roberto Stucchi Prinetti, while his sister Emanuela looks after the commercial side. 

The estate was amongst the first in Chianti to bottle both its wine and olive oil. It has been organic since 2000 and there is no irrigation. 

Roberto made a number of interesting comments. He talked about the research into and work on saving the wealth of old grape varieties in the area. "There are 130 red varieties that still exist in the Chianti area. These have been saved." There may have been even more grape varieties prior to phylloxera. 

"We started harvesting Sangiovese at the end of August this year. In the 1980s we would have harvested in mid-October. This is partly due to the changing climate but also from viticultural changes in the vineyard – closer spacing etc. It is now difficult to keep our Sangiovese under 14% potential alcohol – before the grapes would be 12.0 - 12.5%."


"We use indigenous yeasts – they are better. Even when you use cultured yeasts, the native yeasts can take over during fermentation." 

Bloggers at the entrance to the cellars 

 A numbered botte

Specially gentle and shaped staircase from cellar to allow oxen to enter and exit. Remember something similar still existing (but no longer used) for horses when I was a kid in London, except this was to get horses up and down to their quarters on the first floor  

1999 Riserva 

Over dinner we drank three Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classicos: the 2008 CC and then the 2007 and 1999 Riservas. The 1999 was a very fine example of a mature Chianti with delicate concentration, seamless structure and enough acidity in the finish to make you want to take another sip. In contrast the 2007 Riserva was bigger, more concentrated but more cloying at 15% alcohol – the 1999 is at 13.5%. Will the 2007 mature as well as the 1999? I have my doubts given the higher level of alcohol and the apparently reduced level of acidity.  

 Ceiling in the drawing room (above and below)

 Scenes from dinner (above and below)

  

Rosso di Montalcino DOC: keep it pure Sangiovese

Here is the text of an open letter from Italian specialist, Nick Belfrage MW, to the producers of Rosso di Montalcino DOC 

I understand that, on Wednesday Sept 7, 2011, a vote will be held in the Assemblea of Montalcino wine producers on whether to allow a small but significant percentage of other grapes, which everyone understands to mean Merlot and/or Cabernet and/or Syrah, into the blend of Rosso di Montalcino DOC, which is of course at present a 100% Sangiovese wine.

I would urge you in the strongest terms not to support this change. Rosso di Montalcino, like Brunello di Montalcino, has created for itself a strong personality on international wine markets based largely on the fact that it is a pure varietal wine. In these days when more and more countries are climbing on the wine production bandwagon it is more important than ever to have a distinctive identity, to make wine in a way which no one else on earth can emulate. It is my belief that the strongest factor in the identity of Rosso di Montalcino (and of course Brunello di Montalcino) is the fact that it is 100% Sangiovese.

I am not disputing the fact that Merlot, Cabernet and Syrah are excellent grape varieties, but it is their very excellence, their very strength of personality, which threatens to compromise the unique character of Rosso di Montalcino. Who could ever imagine the producers of Bordeaux voting to allow 15% of Sangiovese into the Bordeaux blend? The idea is absurd – or would be treated as such by the Bordeaux producers. There are many who think that a reverse situation, in Tuscany’s finest vine-growing area, would be equally absurd. Yes, in many cases it may improve the wine – especially in weak vintages or where Sangiovese does not succeed every year. But it will fatally undermine the personality of the wine.

I am aware that a lot of Merlot  and  Cabernet are planted in the Montalcino growing zone, and that there may be a need in the short term to find a commercial use for these grapes. But there are the options of St. Antimo or IGT Toscana. Perhaps, instead of compromising the purity of one of Montalcino’s unique wines, there should be more effort in the direction of promoting these other wine-types.

You will be aware that many of us fear that a compromise in regard to Rosso di Montalcino would constitute an opening of the door to a compromise, farther down the line, of the purity of the great Brunello – one of the world’s great wines. Whether or not that might be the case, I am convinced that it is against the long-term interests of Montalcino to allow any other grape variety, including any Italian or Tuscan variety, into the Rosso, just as it would be fatal to great Burgundy, for example, to allow Syrah to be blended with Pinot Noir, as was once widely practised – with, one might add, some notable successes, but with the inevitable distortion of the style.

You, the Montalcino producers, hold the fate not only of your own future market in your hands. You are the representatives of all of us who will not have a vote on September 7^th.

We urge you, please, to vote NO.

Nicolas Belfrage MW

30 August 2011

Lanciola@Gustavino

 

2006 Le  Masse di Greve, Chianti Classico Riserva, Lanciola

Sadly we had a pretty disappointing range of wines from Lanciola at our opening meal at the Ristorante Gustavino. They included a rather sweet, oaky Chardonnay rather in a Californian style and Pinot Noir with cooked fruit, presumably because the site is too hot. Quite why one would bother to plant Pinot Noir in Tuscany at a relatively low altitude (200 metres) is beyond me. The above single vineyard 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva was perhaps the best wine. It didn't help that the wines were served a little too warm.

More evidence that so called 'international' varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, although widely known and popular, do not suit all climates. Onwards and upwards, I trust!

Fortunately the evening was rescued by a very fine tie – I can't claim great expertise in this area of clothing but I can distinguish class when I see it. However, the hue wasn't quite right for the vin santo...

40% of 5: Marc Vanhellemont and Hervé Lalau