JUNE WINE BOX: ITALY, GERMANY, FRANCE (Stage #39), led by sommelier Samuele del Carlo: Italy - Germany - France

The cellars

ITALY: Cà Rovere, Alonte (VI)

The Cà Rovere family farm is located on the Berici Hills, in the village of Alonte in the province of Vicenza, immersed in the greenery of dense spontaneous oak and beech forests. The roots of their vines dig deep into the stony earth, finding nourishment in what, 50 million years ago, was the bottom of a prehistoric sea. Even today the soil produces small fossils and gives its fruits an intense and pleasant flavor and minerality. The 30 hectares of vineyards are 150 meters above sea level and enjoy a warm and dry microclimate, in addition to the natural filtering capabilities of the calcareous soil. The terrain is truly particular: no one would imagine that right under the cave that houses the bottles for aging, the terrain expands into a karst cavity where an underground river flows with waterfalls and lakes. Starting from grandparents Bruno and Giuditta, who fell in love with these mountains and planted the first vines "among the stones", the passion for wine then involved the whole family, who for the past twenty years have specialized in the production of Metodo sparkling wines Classic, from Chardonnay and Garganega: the first among the beautiful hills that surround them. The cuvées of their sparkling wines, all vintage, are the work of a skilful assembly. No synthetic chemicals are used: the work in the vineyard is meticulous and ends with the manual harvest. After all, only the best grapes can resist the challenge of time imposed by the classic method. In the cellar dug into the rock, the bottles are then stacked by hand for the second fermentation and aging on the yeasts for at least 36 months, up to 70.

GERMANY, Meulenhof, Moselle

The winery is located in Erden, on the banks of the Moselle, a historic area of ​​Germany, producer of wonderful Rieslings. This ancient cellar dates back to the thirteenth century and boasts a long winemaking tradition, producing not only excellent wines but also spirits and liqueurs. Winemaking is scrupulously carried out, characterized by natural pre-clarification and fermentation at the correct temperature, to obtain complex, long-lived and elegant wines. The most important estate vineyards are three and are located on the banks of the Moselle river, characterized by different soils and microclimates. The Erdener Prälat vineyard is a narrow strip of land, which gives the wines great minerality, arranged on steep terraces that enjoy a wonderful exposure which is reflected in the extraordinarily early grapes in ripening. Erdener Treppchen is located downstream of the Moselle on rocky areas of blue slate and enhances the elegant and fruity aromas of Riesling. The Wehelener Sonnenuhr vineyard is located in the most favorably exposed area of ​​the slope, bordering the Moselle river, and is recognized throughout the world for creating wines with a very fine expression of personality and mineral tones of unquestionable elegance.

FRANCE: Famille Lieubeau, Loire

The history of the Lieubeau winery begins in a particular way, when in 1816 the newborn Joseph Lieubeau was found in the portico of the Nantes hospital. Raised by a family of winemakers, he learned to love and take care of the vineyards, later founding the Lieubeau company. Today it is Pierre, Chantal and their children François, Vincent and Marie who carry on this story, each with their own personality and skills, which combined with the savoir-faire that has always distinguished the cellar, give life to excellent products. The Lieubeau family strongly believes in the saying "A great wine comes from great grapes", and for this reason the attention and care given to the territory and the vineyards is maximum. Thanks to internally developed tools such as the weather station and a solution for mapping the vineyards, they keep their property constantly monitored to get to know it better and adopt the most suitable methods for each individual plot. The Muscadet region, in fact, is characterized by numerous microclimates that give life to grapes and then to wines with different personalities, all represented at their best and with great care by the Lieubeau family.

FRANCE: Château Peyruchet, Bordeaux

In 1906 Jean-Baptiste Audy settled in Libourne and created his shop along the Dordogne Riviera (already then famous for its shop) dedicating himself to the distribution of the great Bordeaux wines. He immediately demonstrated a clear predilection for the right bank and in particular for Pomerol, which in certain respects constitutes the new frontier of the Bordeaux area. It will therefore be in this wonderful municipality that Jean Baptiste Audy will also consolidate his winemaking activity. In a short time, this large independent family group with a solid financial base perpetuated a long entrepreneurial tradition with the triple function of winemaker, refiner and distributor. As proof of this, the group controls important Châteaux of the most prestigious appellations as well as owning numerous properties such as Clos du Clocher/Pomerol, Château Bonalgue/Pomerol, Château du Courlat/Lussac Saint Emilion and Château Peyruchet... From 1991 to 2002, Pierre Bourotte, nephew of Jean-Baptiste Audy, runs the company. Joined in 2003 by his son Jean-Baptiste, the two have been able to create solid collaborations with numerous châteaux of all Bordeaux appellations. Many of their prestigious wines are aged in the centenary cellars of approximately 15,000 m2. Château Peyruchet is a small property of 30 hectares in the Loupiac appellation: a still familiar reality, where manual work goes together with the most modern winemaking techniques to guarantee maximum quality.

The wines

ENTHUSIAST BOX

Italy: Sisto Rosso, Cà Rovere

100% Cabernet Sauvignon, hand-harvested in boxes in mid-October. Soft pressing, fermentation in steel at around 20° C with the pomace for 12-15 days. Daily pumping over and 2-3 délestages. Aging in steel and 225 liter French oak barriques for 12 months, then in the bottle for 3 months. Pale and clear ruby ​​red, it has good olfactory intensity on the nose. It immediately stands out for its aromas of cut grass, which then give way to nuances of violet, morello cherry, plum and blackberry, light black pepper, liquorice and tobacco. All together with vegetal and mineral hints. The palate is precise, agile and tasty. Dry, it has a pleasant bitter note characteristic of the vine. The finish is soft, with subtle balsamic perceptions.

To be paired with roasted red meats, grilled meats, game and mature cheeses. Some suggestions: baked rabbit with Storo polenta, sliced ​​beef with rosemary and for a territorial combination, try it with fresh Pecorino dei Colli Berici and pickled onions. Taste at 16-18° C in a classic red wine glass. Uncork now or keep for another 2/3 years in the cellar.

Germany: Feinherb Riesling, Meulenhof

The art of balance between two giants: acidity and sweetness, merged in a classical dance step set to the rhythm of the Moselle slates. Light and brilliant straw yellow, it already gives its first hints of dance on the nose between white peach and citrus fruits, sweet flowers, rocks, das; an irrepressible sip opens in the mouth with an explosive, luminous and furious candor, driven by freshness and embroidered by flavor, seasoned with a sober but effective residual sugar. The naturalness of the sip will lead to two people finishing the bottle in the blink of an eye, if not alone...

Perfect with spicy white fish first courses (only if spicy), fresh goat cheese, crostini and aperitif. Taste at 10-12° C. Best within 15 years of harvest: the older it gets, the more evolved its nose will be, always remaining in excellent shape.

France: Bordeaux Blanc, JB Audy, Château Peyruchet

Both manual and mechanical harvesting. After a soft pressing the temperature is blocked between 0 and 5 degrees for 7 days. Only 25% of the grapes undergo skin maceration. After this phase the winemaking takes place regularly. Aging for 3 months in stainless steel. From this Bordeaux Castle, a sweetly aromatic white made predominantly from Sauvignon grapes (85%), with the usual balance of Sémillon to embellish and "brown" the picture. Of a straw gold color, with clear emerald green nuances, this Bordeaux Blanc offers aromas that reveal a fragrant and fresh wine, with a trail of balsamic echoes typical of Bordeaux Sauvignon, more mature than in the Loire, but oceanic in their own way, with the note of yellow fruit just in the background and this very inviting underlying freshness; from the initial herbaceous and vegetal hints, we move on to the closing of tropical fruits. It unfolds in the mouth agile but intensely tasty in a continuous balsamic-fresh-savory dialogue with an extraordinary balance, which makes it both thirst-quenching and very pleasant; it eclipses on a trail of grapefruit, salt and sage.

To drink as an aperitif, but also with delicious starter dishes such as sardines in saor, fried vegetables and the like. Serve at 10° C. Enjoy it 3-5 years after the harvest to appreciate it at its best.

EXPERT BOX

Italy: Classic Method Brut Rosé, Cà Rovere

70% Chardonnay, 30% Garganega and Pinot Noir at disgorgement. The grapes are selected and harvested manually, in mid-August the Chardonnay, at the end of August the native Garganega. Refines for 60 months on the yeasts. Copper in color, with a tendency towards antique pink. The perlage is fine and continuous. On the nose, the first sensations of berries, gooseberries, violets and mandarin, then lead to minty hints, toasted hazelnut and graphite. Carbon and freshness create a very dynamic drink: hints of wild strawberry and raspberry return and it closes on a savory, almondy finish.

Perfect as an aperitif or to try in combination with a slice of grilled tuna flavored with mint. Serve at 8° C. Taste now: it is its best time, or within a year and a half.

Germany: Riesling Erdener Treppchen Kabinett, Meulenhof

The art of balance between two giants: acidity and sweetness, merged in a classical dance step set to the rhythm of the Moselle slates. Straw yellow, slightly golden, for a nose of exotic fruit, saffron, yellow peach, quince and highly fascinating mineral flashes; in the mouth the power of the fruit and the residual sweetness have great weight but remain perfectly supported by the great acidity; the finale is a long journey in the style and land of an incredible vineyard located in Erden, one of the most suitable areas of the Moselle.

To be tasted on a great Taleggio, for a combination that leaves you breathless; or in any case with soft cheeses, with an intense character and obviously made with raw milk. If there is something spicy on the table, don't hesitate to try it on any dish, even an exotic one, that has an overall grace that does not undermine the magnificent elegance of this champion of classicism. Serve at 12° C. To be tasted up to 20 years after the harvest or beyond, without problems: acidity and pulp are unique.

France: Château-Thébaud, 1816 Méthode Traditionelle of Chateau Lieubeau

70% Chardonnay, 30% Folle Blanche. A Loire Chardonnay, combined with an ancient local variety, from a single vineyard almost forty years old. Aging on fine lees for 28 months. A tribute to the founder, Joseph Gregoire, an orphan abandoned in 1816 in a hospital in Nantes. The result is a vibrant and creamy Classic Method, intensely mineral: at the sight of an almost golden yellow in reflections and bright, it shows off a nose of rocks and sea, citrus fruits and evolutionary notes fused with yeasts; in the mouth it has great tension, fine perlage and intense flavor, with a finish with a decisive and truly seductive terroir imprint. Among the most convincing Crémants in circulation ever.

Enjoy with fried fish, mussel terrine, raw fish, aperitif, whole meal if seafood without excess seasoning. But also alone at any time of the day. Serve at 8-10° C. Drink within 5-6 years of harvest to enjoy it to the fullest.