Step #3
Led by Andrea Galanti , May 2018
An obligatory stop on this particular tour of Italy is Sicily, and in particular Etna: a great territory of great wines, under the eye of the storm due to the explosion of its wine excellences on the national and international markets. We are in Sicily, a stone's throw from the sea, but in reality we are in the mountains above a volcano, at 800 meters above sea level. All these oxymorons (south and mountains, altitude and sea) drive the palate crazy and the same emotion is communicated by the centenary vineyards that climb up to the slopes of the volcano . Well yes, Murgo has always believed in the sparkling wine potential of this great terroir ! In 1981, Baron Emanuele Scammacca del Murgo decided to transform the family landholdings into modern agricultural businesses and in the following years his sons and brothers also joined in this venture. Currently the vineyards are located on the three estates: San Michele, Gelso Bianco and La Francescana. In 1982 the first Etna Rosso was bottled and in 1990 the first Classic Method Murgo Brut sparkling wine. Murgo is today the point of reference for the classic methods of the entire area, but also a stylistic expression capable of transcending regional borders. It's easy to say Prosecco - a true economic boom for the entire denomination... The data speaks clearly: it is the best-selling Italian sparkling wine abroad. And who better than Le Croture interprets "made in terroir"? I have known the reality for about ten years and in all the members of the family I have found the same light in the eyes when they talk about their products. They live for their land and the wines reflect their personality . The company is located in Santo Stefano di Valdobbiadene, a small village nestled among the vineyards of the Prosecco hills. The Le Colture agricultural company is located here and has been run by the same family since the sixteenth century. In 1983 Cesare Ruggeri started the sparkling wine business, and today he is the custodian of an extraordinary wealth of experience, made up of small and large production secrets, which range from knowledge of the territory and its grapes, to the innate sensitivity for the health of the vineyard . Cesare's three children - Silvia, Alberto and Veronica - are fully engaged in the company, where they have brought a breath of enthusiasm and the innovative breath typical of the young generations, without ever forgetting the love for their land and the respect for traditions. If we have to name a name called to represent the Classic Method in Italy this is certainly the Trento Doc: subsoils rich in "raw materials" very important for the vine, the mountains and the altitude, the exposures and much more paint a perfect picture. Abate Nero was born in this Alpine context and among its main characteristics it has the long refinements on the yeasts of the classic methods. The results are all in the glass: wines that are profound and very fresh at the same time. The history of Abate Nero starts from the founding partners, Eugenio de Castel Terlago and Luciano Lunelli, still today, after over 40 years of activity, the soul of the company; They were recently joined by their children Andrea Eugenio de Castel Terlago and Roberta Lunelli, who will have the task of collecting their parents' legacy and carrying forward what - from 1973 onwards - is, as well as a job, a great passion that two families have it in common. The company reaches a production of around 50/60,000 bottles a year and is respectful of the dictates of classic sparkling wine: therefore maximum attention to every phase, starting from the choice of yeasts and the blending of the base cuvées , which will allow the wine to refermentate very slowly in the bottle and transform into Abate Nero and give endless emotions in the mouth. Patience is at home here: the wine rests on the yeasts for secondary fermentation much longer than usual. Don't be surprised if on the label you find dates that date back to harvests in the past few years, this gives added value to the sparkling wine. The great charm of Abate Nero also lies in the fact that each phase is manual , to guarantee direct control of every single bottle. Talking about Lambrusco is not easy because too often we think of banal products or the famous "amabile", however here we are on a completely different planet! Yes, the planet of sorbara and salami, two of the many varieties of Lambrusco; one of its greatest interpreters is Paltrinieri who has dedicated himself to the cultivation of this variety for three generations. The activity of the Paltrinieri winery, in fact, began in the 1920s, when Achille, the town's esteemed and enterprising pharmaceutical chemist, built the first part of the winery , which was then expanded and developed by his son Gianfranco . The cellar is today managed, in an extraordinary combination of ancient wisdom and modern technologies, by his nephew Alberto .The selected wines
ENTHUSIAST BOX
Murgo Brut
Murgo icon that I couldn't help but choose for you. 100% nerello Mascalese, more than two years of refermentation in the bottle. Bright and young colors tending towards a straw yellow, fine and elegant perlage. On the nose, hints of citrus and fresh flowers and iodine notes; great freshness in the mouth and a savory finish typical of the volcanic territory. The first Classic Method of Etna and a point of reference for the entire denomination, as well as a product that I am particularly fond of because every glass makes me dream of that mythical land .Sylvoz - The Crops
Prosecco Doc Treviso Spumante Brut The grape harvest (100% Glera) takes place from mid-September to mid-October. The vinification of this Prosecco takes place with soft pressing of the grapes, followed by fermentation of the must in the absence of skins at a controlled temperature. The second fermentation takes place with the Charmat method with refermentation in an autoclave. A fact not to be underestimated: the grapes come from the surplus production of the Santo Stefano area. It is a wine with a delicate perlage and a characteristic straw yellow colour, an intense aroma that recalls the sensation of apple and pear. The ending is fresh. I challenge you to find such quality in one of his "colleagues"...Furrow - Paltrinieri
Semi-dry sparkling Lambrusco dell'Emilia IGT The maceration of the grapes (100% salami) takes place in contact with the skins for two days. Alcoholic fermentation and refermentation are done with the Martinotti method. It appears to our eyes of a dark purplish red color, with fine perlage . Intense notes of ripe fruit appear on the nose - cherry and black cherry are prevalent. In the mouth it is delicate, with great freshness and elegant flavor. If I think of Lambrusco, Solco wine is one of those products that best conveys the reality of the vine to me: that play in the mouth of dark pulp fruit and the decisive pettilant drive me crazy.EXPERT BOX
Murgo Brut rosé mc 2015
Murgo icon : I couldn't help but choose it for you. 100% carefully selected Nerello Mascalese, more than 2 years of refermentation in the bottle. Brief maceration on the skins for this Classic Method of great acidity, with a volcanic minerality that distinguishes all Murgo products. The light maceration on the skins gives this Rosé an attractive colour , a pale pink and with a very fine perlage . On the nose, aroma of grapefruit and rose; great personality on the palate, with acidity and flavor that are the protagonists. It lends itself to interesting combinations: try it with salmon with dill...Black Abbot Brut
When I think of Abate Nero I have in mind his Extra Brut where you can fully appreciate the essence of Chardonnay (100%) without any "sugar influence". A deep, alpine, fresh and never banal Chardonnay. Traditional white winemaking with soft pressing of the grapes and first fermentation in steel. Second fermentation and rest on the yeasts for almost two years. Its elegance manifests itself from the beginning: here is the fine perlage , citrus notes and light exotic touches, combined with mountain floral notes . In the mouth it is a riot of almost infinite freshness and has a nice savory finish, a strong reminder of the territory.Rive di Santo Stefano Brut “Gerardo” - The Crops
This is a sentimental wine, dedicated to my grandfather who passionately cared for his Rive, the vineyards located on the steepest terrain . Gerardo (100% glera) is born from the Santo Stefano vineyards, in the heart of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG area, with a straw yellow color and rich aromas of citrus fruit, but also green apple and pear with a beautiful finish of fresh flowers. Endowed with great freshness, the perlage is fine and striking for its persistence, guaranteeing a harmonious finish. I couldn't help but let you know!
