The territory inside the glass, a very typical wine, a local wine, the most typical expression of the denomination, respectful of the vine and the territorial model... there are many expressions linked to typicality that populate the conversations of enthusiasts. Let's see what it really means to say that a wine is typical.
What does it mean for a wine to be “typical” and what to expect from a wine defined in this way.
Since when do we talk about the typical nature of wine?
The existing link between wine and territory began to be valued at the beginning of the nineteenth century in France , when the foundations were laid for a regulatory structure to distinguish the quality of wine. This regulatory structure was based precisely on the territorial matrix of origin.
Typicality and terroir
The concept of typical local wine is closely connected to that of terroir , a French term which indicates the set of natural conditions of the place (soil, exposure, microclimate - the so-called pedoclimatic conditions) which interact with the plant , cared for by men .
- Read also: why soil is important for wine
What is a typical wine?
A typical wine of a territory is a wine that summarizes the qualities of the land where the vineyard grew. The basic concept is simple: elsewhere that grape variety would have expressed itself differently and the wine would be different.
What is the point of talking about typical wine?
Typical nature is above all an effective tool for protecting local products: it means recognizing their differentiating value .
How is a typical wine made?
Far from smelling of the earth, a wine typical of a territory expresses the characteristics of the place where it is created. It is a wine in which the essence of the territory is recognised , in the magical and orchestrated synthesis of the many elements that contribute to defining its olfactory and gustatory profile: from the characteristics of the soil to the exposure, from the microclimate (in all its variability ) to the characteristics of the vineyard, from the vintage to the intervention of the winemaker. A symphony of aromas and flavors that would not be possible anywhere else in the world but which is not at all easy to recognize: it takes a lot of practice.
What is the role of the winemaker in the production of a typical wine?
First of all, producing a typical wine is not at all easy. And there is a nuance that is linked to the concept of typical wine that is important to grasp: it is the respectful intervention of the winemaker , who in restoring the territory does so with a delicate hand, without intervening with excessive force but rather enhancing the most traditional and typical of its land, in fact.
