wine press

Metamorphosis
Of Piedmont:
The
Rapidly-Evolving
Expression
Of
Nebbiolo
CURTIS MARSH REPORTS ON MODERN-DAY BAROLO AND
BARBARESCO WHERE A PROGRESSIVE BALANCE OF CONTEMPORARY
AND TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES HAVE TRANSFORMED AN
OTHERWISE UNYIELDING STYLE OF RED.

171
 L ike many of the Old World wine regions, there was an inherited
resistance to change in Piedmont, with the old guard Barolo
and Barbaresco winemakers obstinately adhering to time-honoured
liquorice and that much lauded cigar-box aroma; a compelling potion
for the wine cognoscenti notwithstanding the perfect complement to
truffle and wild mushroom dishes.
traditions and techniques. Indeed, Barolo was seemingly cemented in
time with little variance from the winemaking methods introduced in “Savouring a glass of Barolo is like drinking
the early 1800s by French oenologist Louis Oudert. Most vineyards here
a cigar.”
are family-run, where successive generations of sons or daughters have
It was not until the early 1960s that circumstances would change and
dutifully taken over the reins, abiding by the methods their parents
the first to defy his lineage was Angelo Gaja, succeeding his staunch
handed down and maintaining the status quo with the Barolo merchant
traditionalist father who had prevailed over Barbaresco’s largest vineyard
houses that have long dominated the market with an indifference
holdings as a long-established conservative producer. In defiance of a
to evolving trends of wine consumption. For the uninitiated, these
disconcerted Gaja senior, the young Angelo Gaja introduced stainless
formidable red wines were fiercely tannic coupled with pronounced,
steel tanks and temperature-controlled fermentation, malolactic
angular acidity and high alcohol levels requiring some 20 years of
fermentation and maturation in French barrique (225-litre Bordeaux
bottle age to be approachable, and a further 30 or 40 years to reach
oak barrels), all methods that are commonplace now yet, were
optimum maturity. Whilst possessing profuse tannins, the thin skins
truly avant garde in Piedmont at the time. “Sure, the wines from
of the Nebbiolo grape actually have very low colour pigmentation,
around here are ancient, but until recently, so was the winemaking”,
which lead to the self-defeating method of prolonged maceration on
criticised Angelo Gaja, who is now lionised throughout Italy and the
skins after fermentation, up to 40 days or more to extract suitable
winemaking world.
saturation of colour yet a surfeit of tannins, in turn necessitating
lengthy sojourns of seven or more years in large chestnut oak barrels
It was also around this time that Beppe Colla of Prunotto inaugurated
to tame the excessive phenolics. The combination of these practices
the concept of single vineyard Barolos, effectually the harbinger
promoted premature oxidisation and volatile acidity, stripping the wine
of Barolo’s revitalised status and embodiment of defining the
of its fruit and instilling an old leathery, tarry character with a dried out,
distinguished sub-regions and individual vineyards rather than
over-savoury palate and an unyielding astringent rusticity. Odd as it
the dilution of nondescript blends. This also coincided with Italy’s
may be, Barolo devotees never questioned these flaws. To the contrary,
introduction of the Denominazione di Origine Controlllata or DOC,
they cherished these characteristics and defended them as unique and
with the same aspirations as the Appellation Controlee classification
authentic qualities of definitive terroir. Their reasoning was the very
of France, although equally plagued by bureaucracy, convoluted wine
best aged Barolo or Barbaresco can possess a bouquet of unparalleled
laws and dissention. The accession of a more cosmopolitan generation
complexity with a hedonistic perfume of antique woods and dried
‘X’ propelled a sea of change in Piedmont with a new wave of young and
bark, cedar forest and pine needles, damp forest floor along with all
enthusiastic sons and daughters questioning their patrimonial training
number of wild mushrooms and truffles, earthy-musty undertones,
and also far more in tune with the changing demands of the wine
hung game and animal scents, dried Provencal herbs, dried flowers
consuming public. Not all was positive with this wave of modernisation,
and briar-underbrush, clove and oriental spices, dark soy, black teas,

The very best aged Barolo or Barbaresco can possess a

bouquet of unparalleled complexity with a hedonistic
perfume of antique woods and dried bark... earthy-musty
undertones... dried flowers... clove and oriental spices...
a compelling potion for the wine cognoscenti.

WWW.ASIACUISINE.COM

In defiance of a disconcerted Gaja senior,
the young Angelo Gaja introduced stainless
steel tanks and temperature-controlled
fermentation, malolactic fermentation and
maturation in French barrique (225-litre
Bordeaux oak barrels).
Angelo Gaja
wine press
with a fixation on wine styles that would have immediate appeal to
a broader market, particularly America and catering to the taste of
the omnipotent wine critic Robert Parker. An overzealousness to be
part of the revolution resulted in an overshoot of applying the latest
techniques that were unpractised on the indigenous varieties Nebbiolo
and Barbera, engendering the two contrasting factions of winemakers
— ‘the traditionalists’ and ‘the modernists’.
Initially, this segregation appeared to have a positive impression on
wine consumers, at the very least instilling a distinction between styles
that they could use to decipher a bewildering myriad of wines. The wine
press latched on with equal gusto, not only giving them something
topical to write about but also chance to proclaim their allegiance to
a particular faction, notwithstanding the opportunity to grandstand,
as if they had an axe to grind, and much to bemusement of Piedmonte
winemakers, yet sanctioned under the efficacious adage, “All press is
good press.” Ironically, the precedent had already been set further south
in Tuscany and one can draw the same comparisons and consequences
where winemakers were too quick to appease the American palate,
seduced by this bourgeoning market. In this case it was the emergence
of the so-called ‘Super-Tuscan’ producers that introduced Merlot and
Cabernet Sauvignon in to the equation, along with small French oak,
invariably high-toast and making softer, plusher more ‘New World’
style wines, subsequently diluting the unique qualities of indigenous
and venerable Sangiovese grape. Whilst enjoying a period of adoration,
these IGT wines (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) are now losing favour
to pure Sangiovese, aptly rationalised by Memo Zaldi, who has run
restaurants in Chianti for over 28 years, “Sangiovese is like Pinot
Noir, it expresses its soil, its place.” Throwing his hands in the air,
“Would you blend Burgundy (Pinot Noir) with Pomerol (Merlot)?” As
it transpired, Piedmonte suffered the same addiction to French oak
as Tuscany. However, it would be the radical changes in fermentation
techniques and vessels that would have greater repercussions with the
introduction of rotary-fermenters of varying types, some resembling
a concrete mixer where the whole tank rotates, others with blades
and plungers that gyrate inside of the tank during the fermentation
process. Regardless, the primary objective was to achieve the desired
colour extraction in the minimum amount of time, in the extreme as
little as four and five days at alarmingly high temperatures, but with
little or no cold-maceration on skins, thus avoiding the over-extraction
of tannins, ergo facilitating a much shorter maturation period in wood
with an accent on softer more flirtatious French oak.
Protagonist modernist, Elio Altara, who makes some of Piedmont’s most
evocative wines, is adamant that the longer the maceration period on
skins, the more the colour destabilise through oxidisation along with
increased extraction of bitter tannins. In contrast to the traditionalists
who believe tannin is essential for Nebbiolo to have longevity, Altara
is insistent, “It’s not the acids and tannins that make a great wine;
it’s the balance”.
It is obvious that many of the modernists overindulged both in technique
and the lavish use of new French oak, masking much of Nebbiolo’s
unique characters and effectively internationalising the wines. However,
the producers of Barolo and Barbaresco have been rapidly regenerating
over the last five or six years with the divergence between traditionalist
and modernist diminished to the point of irrelevance, in no small part
due to the succession of generation ‘Y’ winemakers. Indeed, it is quite
173
Enzo revealed that he had recently been to
Australia visiting his friend Joe Grilli at Primo
Estate, subtly establishing his familiarity with
the big wide world of wine.
Brezza father and son-Enzo (right) fourth generation winemaker.
likely these modern-day artisans have attained a university degree in
oenology or chemistry, perhaps specialised in viticulture or geology
and more than likely undergone their formative vintages in Oregon,
California, Australia or New Zealand. This much-needed correction
comes from both factions, with modernists prescribing to gradual,
gentler fermentations and more importantly cutting back on the use
of new wood, in fact reducing their dependence on barriques and
using 500 or 600 litres tonneaux with minimal toast (firing of the
barrel). There is even a revival of the botti, the large oak barrels that
range from ten to 30 hectolitres of wine, the modernists conceding it
is advantageous for Nebbiolo to evolve in unobtrusive wood although
avoiding the old-fashion chestnut in favour of Slovenian oak, or even
experimenting with different French, German and Russian oaks. Ironic
as it may seem, this new generation is keen to rediscover their roots,
and what was old is now new.
Correspondingly, the traditionalists have relinquished drawn out
fermentations and macerations and most are updating their wineries
with a sweeping awareness that meticulous hygiene in the winery
and clean, less oxidative winemaking are an imperative, as is
uncontaminated maturation replacing old dirty casks with new botti
or tonneaux with the wines spending significantly less time in wood.
Even the staunchest of traditionalists, Giacomo Brezza & Fils, who
have been making Barolo since 1885 have reduced macerations to
around 15 days, depending on the vineyard and condition of the grapes
(as opposed to 40 plus). I had singled out Brezza on my recent tour
of Piedmont as the litmus test of resistance to change, expecting to
encounter a bastion of tradition. Appearances can be deceiving and
the old Brezza cellars below the legendary Hotel Barolo, which they
have run since 1910, exude an aura of heritage that conveniently
camouflages the insightful approach of fourth generation winemaker
Enzo Brezza. In actuality, this could well be the model example of
contemporary Barolo, where wisdom and astuteness take the best
from both (modern and traditional) worlds distilling it to a flawless
simplicity. I had an illuminating tasting of juicy, succulent fruit-laden
reds, deceptively approachable yet brooding with firm tannins. Enzo
revealed that he had recently been to Australia visiting his friend Joe
Grilli at Primo Estate, subtly establishing his familiarity with the big
wide world of wine. With a poker face he declares he might bottle his
Dolcetto and Barbera in screwcap next year, his expression changing
to a devious grin at the prospect of a purported conservative stirring
up the establishment. Suddenly I feel like I am simultaneously in the
past, present and future of Barolo.
All this said, there are many producers that believe it is the changes in
the vineyard that are more significant to the metamorphosis of Barolo
and Barbaresco than in the winery with five defining factors; green
harvesting, progress in clone selection, sustainable farming (organic
and biodynamic practices), global warming and most importantly
the comprehensive move towards producing and labelling individual
vineyard wines, all encompassing the age-old reality: that truly great
wines are made in the vineyard. Whilst the trend towards sub-regional
or individual commune wines has been evolving for some time now,
there are a myriad of unique single-vineyard sites, or cru as they are
sometimes referred to, within the famous subzones that are now
recognised for their individual and sometimes distinguished qualities
and deservedly treated exclusively. Sanctioning this concept as the
way of the future, the Enoteca Regionale del Barbaresco has recently
announced the official approval of 65 individual vineyard sites or
recognised ‘micro-areas’ that can be legally stated in labelling as
‘added geographic mentions’. Green harvest is a relatively new practice
where young berries are selectively removed before veraison (colour
change, hence the term green) in order to reduce yields, subsequently
diverting the vines’ energies to the remaining grapes and achieving
riper and more intense flavour compounds. The relationship between
reducing yields and increasing quality is accepted however, this is a
very labour-intensive process and the reduction of crop levels equally
financially painful.
I shall not bore you with clones, besides it is the subject of global
warming that is far more topical, affecting many vineyards regions
around the world, equivocally benefitting some and burdening others.

Clearly it is time to redefine our impression
of Nebbiolo and the wines from Barolo
and Barbaresco and accept there are
fundamental changes.
wine press
Nebbiolo ripens later than any other red variety, ordinarily being picked
in mid to late October, even as late as early November, by which time
the autumnal morning clouds and thick mist blankets the region, hence
the association between the grapes name and nebbia (fog). Needless to
say, Nebbiolo needs extended hang-time to ripen sufficiently, preferably
with warm, dry late summer conditions yet, in the past Barolo and
Barbaresco producers would be lucky if there were two vintages in a
decade that achieved fully ripe grapes, leading to comparisons with
Burgundies similarly unreliable vintages.
When I visited Barolo and Barbaresco regions in the last week of
September 2007, the weather was warm and dry with a little mist
however harvest had all but finished with the exception of some rows
of Nebbiolo in Serralunga d’Alba and Monforte d’Alba. Every producer
I spoke to agreed that the changing weather patterns contributed
significantly to the quality and style of their wines. Whilst some
were non-committal on the theories of global warming all admitted
that they have been picking their grapes successively earlier over the
last ten years, and were achieving much more phenolic ripeness, less
astringent tannins and increased dry extract. This is substantiated by
an unprecedented run of very good to excellent vintages (underlined);
1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2003 albeit controversial,
2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, with 2002 being the only off-year.
Clearly it is time to redefine our impression of Nebbiolo and the wines
from Barolo and Barbaresco and accept there are fundamental changes.
At the same one should not be lured in to the misconception these
are unsubstantial wines and whilst generally far more accessible than
the past, there is no escaping the natural core of tannins intrinsic
to Nebbiolo’s personality. Furthermore, Barolo and Barbaresco will
never be straight forward, the complex mosaic of single vineyards
and kaleidoscope of wines equalling the idiosyncrasies of the Pinot
Noir grape and abstruse realms Burgundy. Barolo or Barbaresco is
unquestionably an exceptional terroir as the wines truly unique and
nowhere else in the world has yet to replicate the complexities that
Nebbiolo achieves in the hills of Piedmont. Above all, there has never
been a better time to buy these wines, with the superb 2004 vintage
now rolling out to markets. The 2003 wines might be atypical however
there are some stunning wines to be found. The excellent 2001’s are
still easily sourced and there is the bevy of good vintages of the last
decade to source on the secondary market. Looking ahead, 2005 is
not without its problems but still considered a good medium-term
vintage, whilst 2006 is already being touted as equally brilliant as
2004 and 2001. Last but not least, and addressing the misimpression
that Barolo and Barbaresco wines do not pair well with Asian food, a
misleading assumption based on the clash of tannins with chilli. Well,
without stating the obvious, not all Asian cuisines are dominated by
chilli. Personally, I think these wines pair wonderfully with Chinese
barbecued pigeon, roasted duck and pork, braised beef and pork clay-
pot, Sichuan beef and sublime with beef rendang, to mention just a
few combinations. CM
New Zealander Curtis Marsh is known to many as
‘The Wandering Palate’ who believes that a
meal without wine could only be breakfast! To read
more of Marsh’s wine and travel articles, click on to
www.thewanderingpalate.com, where he shares a
selection of his many journalistic exploits.
175