Monlià: A Timorasso startup from La Morra giants Oddero and Osteria More e Macine

"There is gold in them thar hills." This was the sound reverberating around the Langhe hills in the decade of the 2010s. And it was emanating from the lips of Langhe producers. And they were not talking about the Langhe hills. Rather, they were talking about the Tortonesi hills. And the gold was white: Timorasso white.

I have previously catalogued the Langhe entrants into the Colli Tortonesi Timorasso space and provided the rationale behind the surge. In this post I detail one of the newest entrants: Monlià, a partnership between the La Morra entities Oddero and Osteria More e Macine.

The Partners

International Wine Report describes Oddero thusly:

Nestled in the Langhe hills, Oddero brings a long tradition of family winemaking ... Today the legacy of Giacomo Oddero lives on through his daughter Mariacristina, who entered the family business near the end of the 1990s, and grandchildren Isabella and Pietro.

Oddero dedicates its full attention to the winemaking process, blending ancient wisdom and modern production techniques with patience and tenacity, from the pruning of the vines to the pressing of the grapes, up to the aging of selected vintages. The vines grow in some of the best and sunniest sites (known as sôri) on the hills in the Barolo and Barbaresco zones and beyond.

Tom Hyland, writing in Forbes, describes More e Macine as offering "a wide variety of traditional plates, with extremely fair pricing, along with an outstanding wine selection, with several selections by the glass. Piemontegirl concurs: "Ito and his crew will serve you good food and wine in a fantastic atmosphere. If you look around, it is almost guaranteed one of the winemakers in the area will sit at one of the tables, drinking coffee or wine, chatting with their friends."

Isabella and Pietro manage the Oddero interests in this project.

The Project

The project was jump-started in an Autumn 2017 mealtime discussion at the tavern. As has been the case for most of the new entrants into this market, the advice and counsel of Walter Massa was sought out during the formative stages of the project.

The foundation of the effort was the purchase of a 1.45 ha eastern-facing plot in Monleale. This 450m-elevation site has very fine calcareous clay soil with some limestone presence.

The freshly planted vineyard would not yield fruit for some time but the team wanted to begin honing its processes and practices and so bought fruit for an initial vintage.

Monlià 2019 Derthona Colli Tortonesi Timorasso

As has been the case for a number of the new entrants, Monlià did not adhere to the traditional Timorasso production process. Rather, it blended Oddero winemaking practices with traditional methods to come up with the final product.

The grapes were pressed and then racked off the gross lees. Fermentation was 30% in stainless steel tanks and 70% in 2500 l Austrian oak barrels. There was no malolactic fermentation. The wines remained on lees — with batonnage — for one year and were blended one month prior to bottling. 

The nose is aromatic, flavorful, and full of promise with notes of sweet white fruit, honeycomb, sea spray, herbs, and pepper. Complexity and elegance. The wine still has a ways to go in order to deliver the promise of the nose on the palate. Broad-based and relatively approachable. Lime skin with a pepper spice finish. Less structure, salinity, and minerality than some of the wines I have encountered to date. It will be interesting to follow its development path.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Ceramic-vessel-use in post-modern Timorasso production: Ricci, Vietti, I Carpini, and Sassaia

Post-modern Timorasso production expanded beyond the traditional stainless steel fermentation/aging vessels to include materials such as oak (barrique and cask), ceramics, concrete, etc. I have covered oak use by Martinetti and Sassaia and will explore ceramic implementations in this post.

Daniele Ricci

The first instance of amphora use that I explore is from the organic Costa Vescovato farmer Daniele Ricci who crafts four Timorasso wines from calcareous clay marl vineyards planted in 1986, 1989, 1992, and 1996. His traditional production method is fermentation in stainless steel followed by elevage in stainless steel or untreated oak or acacia barrels. In the case of his Io Camino Da Solo wine, however, the grapes are macerated for 100 days in amphora before transfer to untoasted oak barrels for 12 months aging.

Vietti

Luca and Elena Currado detailed their Timorasso production process during a Zoom Master Class with Brian Larky of Dalla Terra Winery Direct. According to Luca, because Timorasso is a white variety, everyone thinks that it needs to be protected from oxygen. On the contrary, he says. Timorasso is a variety that needs oxygen. Further, it has a lot of phenolics in the skin but likes some skin contact.

Vietti, according to Luca, had completed three experimental vintages prior to its initial release on the market. The first experiment withheld oxygen from the wine; and the result was "stinky." This led him to conclude that some oxygen exposure was required. He did not want to use barriques because he did not want the oak transfer that came with that. He settled, instead, for a mix of large casks and ceramic eggs, with the eggs providing the same amount of oxygen transfer without material impediment.

In Timorasso production, the lees need to remain suspended in the solution in order to limit reduction. Fluid movement within the egg effectuates lees-stirring.

Luca sees two styles of winemaking within the Colli Tortonesi region: on the one hand, fresh, brilliant, vertical wines and, on the other, high-skin-contact phenolic wines. Vietti's aim is to make a wine that is somewhere in the middle.

Clayver Vessels

I Carpini and Sassaia both use Clayver ceramic vessels in their wine production. The Clayver is a stoneware round egg that was inspired by clay amphorae and produced for the first time in 2014.

Clayver ceramic vessels (Source: clayver.it)

The round shape (in addition to being esthetically pleasing):

• Keeps the grape cap moist during fermentation
• Generates convective movements which reshuffle the fine lees
• Renders it "resistant, isolating, and easy to sterilize."

In addition, the wall thickness "generates thermal inertia and a uniform oxygen exchange." There is no material transfer into the wine.

I Carpini

I Carpini is an organic farm producing Timorasso dry and sparkling wines from grapes grown in the Pozzol Groppo commune. Its Timox is an orange wine which was initially made in small amphorae beginning in 2011. The winery purchased seven Clayvers in 2015. 

The grapes for the Timox wine macerate for 15 days. Fermentation initiates spontaneously while the grapes are housed in an open tank. Post-fermentation the wine is transferred to the Clayver vessels for 12 months aging on the lees.

Sassaia

Enrico de Alessandrini of Sassaia first learned of the Clayver Technology in 2017 and became enamored. After further research, he eventually employed the technology in the 2018 trials for fermentation of whites and aging of reds. He sees the advantages of the technology as :

• Consistent porosity
• Ease of sanitation
• Easier batonnage.

Sassaia expects to use the technology for both fermentation and aging going forward. It will be used, particularly, as part of the neutral regime in the production of the Derthona Riserva.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Navigating the waves of a post-modern Timorasso environment

The Early Modern history of the Timorasso variety was characterized by decline, despair, invisibility, and replacement while its Late Modern history is defined by revival, refinement (of the variety's viticulture and viniculture), and recruitment (of local producers and customers). The world took notice of what was going on in Colli Tortonesi and came calling. The developments around this "foreign" contact forms a major portion of what I call Timorasso's post-Modernism.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Timorasso is a body-rich, white wine a characteristic that is partially responsible for the interest of "foreign" players.

The earliest external interest in Timorasso predated the post-Modern (whose origin date I am establishing as 2010). The earliest case of non-local Timorasso activity was the collaboration between Massa and Martinetti which resulted in the production of a barrique-fermented and -aged Timorasso (Martin), the first vintage of which was the 1997. The owners of Cascina Montagnola did purchase property and begin production of wines in the region as far back as 1988 but they did not plant Timorasso vines until 2003 and introduced their first wine on the market in 2006. With this length of presence in the region I do not think that they qualify as outsiders.

As shown in the table below, outsider interest began with Cascina La Ghersa in 2007, with a gap until the early part of the 2010s, with a rush of entrants in the last two years of the decade.

Table 1. "Non-Local" market entrants by year of initial vintage.

Initial Vintage	Producer	Producer Origins	Timorasso Holdings	Source(s) of Purchased Fruit
2007	Cascina La Ghersa	Moasca	Casasco and Sarezzano; 1.8 ha
2013	Fontanassa	Gavi	?	?
2014	Roagna	Barbaresco	Montemarzino; 1 ha
2015	Borgogno	Barolo	Monleale; 3 ha
	Cascina Gentile	Capriata d’Orba	?	?
2018	Broglia	Gavi		Costa Vescovata
	Sassai	Capriata d’Orba	Profigate and Ca’ del Borgo; 5 ha	Castellania and Monleale
	Vietti	Barolo	Monleale; 4.1 ha
2019	La Spinetta	Asti	Montegioco, Monleale, and Montemarzino; 5 ha
	Monilia	Barolo	Monleale; 1.5 ha	Monleale
	Reis	Langhe and Monferrato		Sarezzano
N/A	Alvio Pestarino	Capriata d’Orba	Stazzano; ?
	Pio Cesare	Alba	?; 2.5 ha	Vho
	Voerzio Martini	La Morra	?

Why did the identified producers launch these out-of-region initiatives? According to Franco Ziliani (Italian blogger and wine critic) the factors driving these producers towards Timorasso wines are as follows:

• They are impressed by the work of Massa and his disciples
• They understand the greatness of Timorasso
• They want to expand the the range of their reds with an important white
• Vineyards are a bargain in Colli Tortonesi when compared to the sky-high costs in Barolo and its surrounds.

From the perspective of selected market entrants:

• Vietti was impressed with the characteristics and future outlook of Timorasso
• Pietro Oddero thinks that Timorasso "is the most interesting indigenous white variety in Italy."
• The Reis team decided to do a project as a group and wanted it to be something challenging. Given cost and availability constraints, it most likely could not be in Barolo. The Timorasso venture is a testament to the friendship as well as the potential of the variety.

On the other hand, did the "locals" welcome these "foreigners?" And what advantages did they see accruing to the region as a result of their presence?

• Walter Massa saw these entrants as advantageous because of their perceived ability to market Timorasso in foreign markets
• Conrad Mattern, a distributor of Timorasso wines in Germany, "senses mixed feelings among the "locals"as regards the new, high profile entrants... They like what these big-name producers can do in terms of marketing Timorasso but, on the other hand, these are large producers and are accompanied by a 'smidgen' of industrialization.
• Gian Paolo Repetto, head of the Consorzio,  and Proprietor of Vigneti Repetto, feels that these entrants have been a "blessing" in that they have raised the profile of the region
• Marco Volpi of Cantine Volpi is supportive of those who come in and buy vines and gives a nod of approval to the Barolo producers in this regard. "Those who come into the region and invest are making a positive contribution and should be encouraged."

Breaking from the base Wine Style in the Post-Modern

Massa and his band of Merry Timorassists spent a large part of the Late Modern getting the Timorasso recipe just right. And they were very successful. So much so that the rest of the world began to take notice; and to come around.

Once the formula was established, producers began to experiment to see: (i) if they could make a better wine or (ii) if they could differentiate by putting their personal spin on it. And though the "foreign" producers were major players in this shifting of the goal posts, as shown in the figure below, local  producers were also in the mix.

During this period, the Timorasso offerings expanded from a standard dry white wine to incorporate orange, sweet, and sparkling styles. In the case of the standard dry white wine, the changes were wrought by different fermentation and/or aging vessels. For illustrative purposes I will highlight the production styles of La Morella and Sassaia.

La Morella sources the Timorasso grapes for its wine from Carrezano Superiore and macerates it on the skins for 60 days. The wine is then fermented in stainless steel to 30% completion, at which point 70% of the wine is removed and placed into 2500 l Austrian oak casks until fermentation is complete. The wines are then aged separately in oak and stainless steel for 1 year. One month before bottling the oak- and SS-aged wines are blended.

The Sassaia team ran a number of tests to determine its most relevant wine style. Higher-potential-alcohol grapes were vinified locally using (i) the traditional stainless steel method and (ii) hyperoxidation in neutral barrique. The lower-potential-alcohol grapes were harvested in 5 - 6 kg bins and shipped to Gevrey-Chambertin for further processing.

In the barrique-fermented and -aged wine, the oak used was 100% new; in the future Sassaia will be targeting 25% new oak.

The Terre di Libarna Subzone

The Val Borbera is the valley formed by the Borbera River. It is surrounded by high mountains which serve to isolate it from surrounding valleys as well as the ravages of industrialization. As shown in the map below, the Alta Val Borbera runs in a northeasterly direction while the lower valley runs almost directly east.

According to Cascina Barbàn, wine has been made in Val Borbera for centuries, with documents from Napoleanic times illustrating the breadth of grapegrowing across the region. As late as the 1960s, 275 ha of vineyards were planted between Vignole Borbera and Carrega Ligure with 60 of those located in Alta Val Vorbera. Most of the plantings were dedicated to Timorasso.

With elevations ranging between 400 and 600 m, Val Borbera has the highest-altitude vineyards in Colli Tortonesi. It also has a markedly different temperature profile. According to Maurizio Carucci of Cascina Barbàn, the Tortona hills, with its hot, humid summers, are more reflective of a Po Valley influence. Terre di Libarna, on the other hand, is colder in the winter, has a more significant diurnal temperature variation, and much more rainfall over the course of the growing season. The diurnal temperature variation supports the production of highly aromatic grapes while the cool temperatures extends the growing season. Maurizio sees at least a 20-day difference in harvest dates between the two zones.

Val Borbera soils are primarily marly clay and silty mary originating in the Lower Oligocene.

Ezio Poggio is the third generation of his family to farm in Val Borbera. He initiated his Timorasso-recovery project with the aid of his sister in in 2003 when they began working with local farmers as well as planting new vineyards. His first was harvest was booked in 2008. Ezio's ongoing work to showcase the differences between Val Borbera and Tortona Hills Timorasso was rewarded with the former being awarded subzone designation in 2011. The subzone Terre di Libarna is illustrated in the figure below.

Processing Timorasso Wines outside the Colli Tortonesi Region

This was a non-issue prior to the arrival of the non-local producers. My first encounter with this phenomenon was my research finding that Borgogno transported its Timorasso grapes back to its main Langhe facility for processing. The first producer that I had the opportunity to discuss this with was Marco Volpi of Cantina Volpi. He feels that the region should be attracting capital and he is not necessarily on board with allowing "foreign" producers to buy grapes and process them outside the region and still get to affix the DOC label to their wines.

In my conversation with Gian Paolo Repetto, I asked him about any quality risks associated with grapes being trucked out of the area for processing. He indicated that those grapes could only be processed in Piemonte and the use of refrigerated trucks would mitigate against significant quality impacts. Gian Paolo indicated that processing-location was something under active discussion at the Consorzio and that they may arrive at a scheme wherein they grandfather the status quo but limit new entrants to processing their grapes within the Colli Tortonesi boundary in order to claim the appellation label. It is important to maintain interest in the appellation, says Gian Paolo, but it is also important to balance that with maintenance of quality.

The Sassaia wine produced in Gevrey-Chambertin in 2019 obviously could not be labeled Colli Tortonesi. However, since Derthona "was still just a registered trademark and not yet submitted to the region as the proposed new appellation name, the consortium permitted Sassaia the use of DERTHONA without Colli Tortonesi Timorasso."

Derthona Appellation

The Consorzio has submitted an application to the appropriate authorities for the designation of a Derthona sub-appellation within the Colli Tortonesi DOC covering the production of Timorasso vines within its borders. While Derthona is currently used on the labels of some producers, it is not an official designation. Further, it is a registered trademark of Walter Massa, who has encouraged its widespread adoption and use. The submittal covers a Riserva (released a minimm of 2.5 years after harvest), a Derthona, and a Piccolo Derthona (both requiring a minimum of 1 year aging). The difference between a Derthona and a Piccolo Derthona will be based on quality parameters as well as tasting panel assessments.

Some of the key quality elements of the upcoming appellation will be the designation of minimum altitudes in each commune as well as minimum alcohol levels for each wine type.

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The Timorasso grape has gone from the brink of extinction to a high-potential, high-expectation variety whose future now lies in the hands of the marketers and the consumers. The producers, led by the inimitable Walter Massa, developed a base wine that gained the world's attention and now a second wave of producers are seeking to expand the envelope of exactly what is  a Timorasso wine. Through it all, the wine's characteristics continue to shine through. The post-modern era is still in its youth; it will be interesting to see the developments along the way

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Sassaia (Capriata d'Orba, Alessandria, Piemonte): A sophisticated Timorasso startup

Sassaia is a unique and exciting Monferrato-based, Timorasso newbie that is bringing a whole lot of firepower to bear on the problem of producing a high-quality wine that contributes to the image that now cloaks the region. The estate, owned by Italian-American Enrico de Alessandrini, will meld estate and sourced Colli Tortonesi fruit, technology aids, science, and winemaking expertise to ramp up quickly and build a wine capable of making inroads in the international -- especially the US -- markets.

The material presented herein was developed during an extended GoToMeeting session with Enrico and his detailed email responses to a number of follow-up questions.

Enrico de Alessandrini's Personal Journey

The Alessandrini family roots date back to Trento in the 1400s where the ancestors were legal and trade councilors to the nobility and Court Physician to three ruling emperors. Enrico's grandfather moved to Genova in the early 1900s to follow family manufacturing interests and married into a family with Genoa roots. The newlyweds purchased a villa and land in Piedmont between Ovada and Gavi, the selfsame location where Sassaia resides today. 

Enrico's father was the physician for Portofino before eventually migrating to the USA where he practiced medicine and was Italian Vice Consul in Virginia. Except for 4 years of study in Italy, Enrico was educated in Virginia. His economics degree, and an additional master’s in business, led him to the world of finance where he focused on commodity investing in the agricultural, industrial, and financial sectors. 

Enrico exited the financial commodities business in 2012 and entered the wine world by first importing wine and then investing in vineyards. His interest evolved to wine making and a search for a mentor to teach him how to produce lower alcohol and low-to-no-residual-sugar wines with more freshness and fruit. The search led him to Pierre Naigeon of Gevrey Chambertin. Their collaboration began in 2016 and eventually led Enrico to the University of California--Davis to pursue his Wine Making Certification.  

Enrico di Alessandrini and Pierre Naigeon
(Source: https://sassaia.com/)

Strategy and Philosophy

Sassaia's goal is to focus on two core wines (Timorasso and Nebbiolo di Monferrato) with a stable of international varieties serving as gateways to the indigenous base. The guiding principles employed in pursuit of that goal are illustrated below.

Physical and Built Environments and Farming Practices

Sassaia farms 18 ha of land between Alto Monferrato and Colli Tortonesi. The Monferrato soil is (i) of marine origin, (ii)alkaline, (iii) with a calcareous limestone and sandstone subsoil which, in some sites, has a chalk presence. I have covered the Colli Tortonesi soils in a previous post.

The distribution of varieties planted at Sassaia vineyards are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Varieties planted at Sassaia vineyards.

Grape	Variety	Planted Hectares	Percent
Reds	Nebbiolo	2.5	42
	Dolcetto	2	33
	Cabernet Sauvignon	0.7	12
	Sangiovese	0.5	8
	Syrah	0.3	5
Total Reds		6	100
Whites	Gavi	6	50
	Timorasso	5	42
	Chardonnay	1	8
Total Whites		12	100

The Sassaia vineyards are SQNPI (National Quality System of Integrated Production)-compliant. This European certification "is issued by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture on the basis of the farmer's records and chemical tests on the leaves of the final products ... the goal is to preserve environmental biodiversity, minimize the use of pesticides and ensure correct management of the cellar. This model derives from the most advanced European practices Integrated Farming and Integrated Pest Management."

In addition to the above estate-grown fruit, Sassaia sources Timorasso grapes from a number of producers in the Monleale and Castellania communes.

The Timorasso Pursuit: The Early Years

Enrico and Pierre began experimenting with a Burgundian approach to local and international varietals  in 2017. The Timorasso fruit for the 2018 test was sourced from the Castellania commune and was processed in the traditional stainless steel method. The vineyard contract allows Sassaia to direct and mange practices such as training, vine tieing, and leaf fertilization. 

Further, the vineyard is mapped to the ENOGIS GPS system which provides the capability of using satellite technology to track vine vigor, development, and health. This capability is key in aiding harvest decisions, allowing Sassaia to harvest at low-enough alcohol to allow indigenous-yeast fermentations. It can also be used to determine if the fruit has the stuffing to complete fermentation without YAN additions.

The project came to the attention of Carlo Ricagni, Director for CIA Alessandria, who found the wines "fresh and more approachable much earlier than most." Given the team's interest in Timorasso, Carlo led them to Walter Massa. According to Enrico, both Pierre and he immediately bonded with Walter. From those meetings a plan was devised wherein Pierre would run a few Timorasso trials in Burgundy and report on the results.

Constructing the Sassaia Timorasso Production Architecture (The 2019 Project)

After meeting Walter, the Sassaia team's interest in positioning Timorasso as one one of the two focal points of the enterprise increased. Such a focus demanded the development and implementation of a production architecture, a task which proceeded along two tracks: (i) vineyard establishment and (ii) selection of the production style.

Vineyard Establishment

The team came to the conclusion that its goals, as regards Timorasso wine production, required estate-grown fruit. To that end they sought the counsel of Walter Massa and he recommended sites in Profigate and Ca de Borgo in the Monleale commune. A total of 5 ha of vineyard land was purchased in these two areas.

The vineyards were planted to scions from the original Old Vines on rootstock pertinent to the soil type and average rainfall of the vineyard. The trellis posts are higher-than-standard to facilitate more airflow among the vines and reduced disease pressure.

The Sassaia Timorasso physical and built environments are illustrated in the chart below. The vineyards will begin production with the 2022 vintage.

Grapes will continue to be sourced from the Castellania vineyard at least up until 2022.

Selecting a Timorasso Wine Style

The Sassaia team ran a number of tests to determine the most relevant wine style. Sassaia already had access to grapes using its Castellania contract but, based on Walter's recommendation, also sourced grapes from the Monleale commune for the effort. The higher-potential-alcohol grapes were vinified locally using (i) the traditional stainless steel method and (ii) hyperoxidation in neutral barrique (I am really excited to taste the hyperox wine as the high phenolic content of the Timorasso grape makes it an excellent subject for this wine style. You can learn more about hyperoxidation by viewing my explanation of the topic here.). 

The lower-potential alcohol grapes were harvested in 5 - 6 kg bins and shipped to Gevrey-Chambertin for further processing.

The barrique-fermentation process is illustrated graphically below.

In the barrique-fermented and -aged wine, the oak used was 100% new; in the future they will be targeting 25% new oak.

The Wines

The 2018 vintage was produced in the classic style and is labeled Colli Tortonesi Timorasso. According to Enrico, the alcohol was 14.5% and this level did not allow the indigenous yeast to complete the fermentation. They had to inoculate and the wine ended up with 2 grams residual sugar. Partial malolactic fermentation in stainless steel with the wine spending approximately 1 year on lees prior to bottling.

Pale yellow-gold in color. Tight surface tension but lower viscosity than some of the wines I have encountered.

Citrus, hay, marine, and bruised apple notes initially. Burnt orange, citrus skin, and slate. Light of body. Citrus and citrus skin prevalent. 

Fleshes out on the palate with residence. Bitter, nutty, and textured. Spicy finish.

With the further passage of time, sweet fruit and honeyed, waxy nose settles into a saline-licorice-sweet fruit nose. Salinity and slatey minerality with a long, hot finish. 

Locally produced 2019 vintage wines are labeled Derthona Timorasso Colli Tortonesi. Both of these wines are presented in Bordeaux-style bottles.

The 2019 hyperoxidation experiment was high enough in alcohol that it required inoculation. At the conclusion of alcoholic fermentation the wine registered 1.5 grams residual sugar and .60 volatile acidity (acceptable but on the high side of the < .4 goal. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation.

The wine produced in Gevrey-Chambertin in 2019 obviously could not be labeled Colli Tortonesi. However, since Derthona "was still just a registered trademark (and not yet submitted to the region as the proposed new appellation name) the consortium permitted Sassaia the use of DERTHONA without Colli Tortonesi Timorasso."

This wine has an exquisitely aromatic nose. A ceiling of rich, sweet white fruit (Gewurtz, lychee) marshals a complex interweaving of green herbs, spices, and lemon-lime notes. Unresolved barrel notes on the palate. Medium weight and smooth. Evenness of transit from the attack to the finish. Green herbs, smoke, and sour butterscotch. Focused and elegant with a lengthy finish.

The oak added richness, roundness, and complexity, along with smoke and butterscotch flavors, while softening some of the citrus notes found in the 2018 stainless steel version.

By the second day, this wine had taken on all the characteristics of a young Puligny-Montrachet: barrel notes, spice, smoke, and mint on the nose; unresolved oak on the palate along with lemon, bright acidity, and minerality. Textured, with a lemony-lime finish. 

I loved this wine. And it is not yet ready. The intent is to release it as a Riserva and it is recommended that it be held until September 2022. It will only improve with time.

The winery’s intent is to reduce the oak used from 100% new to 25% new with the 75% neutral containers including Clayver technology. In my opinion, though, it would be a shame to let the current formulation die on the vine. It is too good. The winery may want to consider retaining this formulation as the Riserva and using the more neutral composition as an earlier-release (2 years?) wine. This cultivar is powerful enough to handle oak with ease so maybe the winery’s efforts should be focused on exploiting the various avenues branching off this path.

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The plan going forward is to produce a Derthona and Piccolo Derthona using the traditional stainless steel method and to produce a high-end, Riserva-type wine using barriques for fermentation and aging. Enrico will also work in the future towards separating the pressed wine and blending the components prior to bottling.

The Sassaia team has invested a lot into this project and it will be interesting to see if this mix of technology, science, and Burgundian expertise yields a unique, high-quality wine. The early trials opened the right doors. Lets hope that the current and future work opens consumer minds and wallets.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme