Monferrato slide show

DiscoveringDiscovering

withwith the Enoteca Regionale del Monferratothe Enoteca Regionale del Monferrato

A A greatgreat wine “terroir” of the worldwine “terroir” of the world

Between twenty and two million years ago, huge tectonic pressures caused the rising of the Alps range. Today’s Piemonte, Northwest of Italy, is surrounded by high mountains, on the North (Swiss border), West (French border) and part of the South. Under the same huge pressures, the southern and western parts of the bottom of the sea, filling up today’s Padanian plain, rose, forming a system of hills named Piedmontese tertiary basin. These hills, whose light-coloured soils are essentially sea sediments, are one of the world’s best wine “terroir”.The Alps give Piemonte a protection against the “westerlies” (lowest rainfall in Northern Italy).

Maurizio Gily forEnoteca Regionale del Monferrato allrights reserved

In Piemonte the vineyards are onlyon the hills’ slopes, except for the northside, which isusually covered bythe forest, or planted withhazelnut trees. The mountain is toocold, and the plainis too rich, to makereally good wine.

VignaleMonferrato, site of the ‘Enoteca Regionale del Monferrato”



130 km South-West: the Monviso, the mountain wherethe Po Riversprings


110 Km North: Monte Rosa 4600 mFrassinello

maurizio gily


Treville

90 Km 90 Km SouthSouth: : the the MediterraneanMediterranean ((warmwarm) ) seasea mitigatesmitigates

the the SouthernSouthern Piedmont’Piedmont’s s climateclimate


Grignolino d'Asti, G. del Monferrato CasaleseGrignolino

Monferrato FreisaFreisa

Ruché di Castagnole MonferratoRuché

Barbera d'Asti, Barbera del MonferratoBarbera

MAIN D.O.C.MAIN GRAPEVINES

January-JulyJanuary-Julydryest month

275 inches700 mmAnnual Rainfall

32 °F0 °CAverage January Temperature

77 °F24 °CAverage July Temperature

4200 °F2200-2400 °CDD Huglin

3100-3500 F°1700-1900 °CDD Winkler

American standardEuropeanstandardCLIMATIC DATA

soft limestone from sea sedimentsbedrock

silty-clay-calcareous, light grey, 1-3 m deepmainsoils

hills, vineyards on the slopes, excluding North facemorphology:

300-1000 feet100-300 m slmaltitude

62 m100 kmDistancefromthe AlpsRange

62 m90 kmdistancefromthe sea(warmsea)

45° N45° Nlatitude

American standardAlessandria and (partially) Asti Province

Piemonte (Piedmont)Region

Italy, North-WestCountry

Terroir Monferrato

Maurizio Gily“Terroir 2006” University of California, Davis, March 2006

The vine’s budburstoccurs, usually, in the first days of April. Usual vintage time:Chardonnay:First days of SeptemberRuché, Moscato:-September10Grignolino, Malvasia di Casorzo: -September20-25Barbera, Freisa:-end of September to October 10Cabernet Sauvignon: October 7-15


No “monoculture” in Monferrato: meadows, fields and a lot of forests share the territory with the vineyards, providing a lovely landscape, and a great reserve of “biodiversity”. (In the centre, the hill of Maria’s HolyMountain of Crea, with its world known Sanctuary)


Monferrato hasbeenanindependentcountry, betweenthe Xthand the XVIIthcenturies, ruledbythe Marquisesof Monferrato, tillit becamepartof the Savoykingdom. Manycastlesand old settlementswitnessthisancienthistory. The maintowerof the Camino castledatesback toXIthcentury.


Monferrato has quite a lowannual rainfall for NorthernItaly, about 700 mm (27 inches), mostly during fall and spring. The summer is usuallyhot and dry. But some storms, even hailstorms, can sometimes occur. There is no irrigation in the vineyards.


Fall is maybe the nicest season in Monferrato, withclear light and colours. And it is the season to find and taste the white truffles, this being maybe the world’s main production area. The cult of good food is a substantial element of Asti and Monferrato traditions.


The earth rests, under a misty sheet,

waiting for a new season and a new crop.


Ottiglio(Moleto)

The winter in Monferrato is quite mild for the latitude, the snow is uncommon, and usually not long lasting. This is the reason why, for many centuries, the shepherds from the Alps have been bringing the sheep to graze in Monferrato in winter.


Olivola

The areas where the snow melts soonest are the best for The areas where the snow melts soonest are the best for winegrowing, perfect examples being the “winegrowing, perfect examples being the “sulìnsulìn” in Monferrato. ” in Monferrato.

VignaleMonferrato


Barbera

Grignolino

Ruché

Freisa

Monferrato: the Monferrato: the GrapesGrapes

Malvasia diCasorzo

Cortese


BarberaThe Barbera grape is a late ripening one, being harvested between the end of September and mid October. The vineyard has to be controlled through canopy management and bunch thinning, to avoid possible overcropping in some years.The bunch has medium size;the berry is slightly oval shaped, very rich in sugar, rich in colour, and has a medium or low quantity of tannic compounds.

The wine is fresh, dry, fruity (cherry, plum), with good acidityand no abstringent tannins. Ideal “food wine”, it matches very well with steaks, cured mead, medium aged cheeses, pasta with meat sauce, salt stored fish and many other foods. The most classic marriage: the “Bagna Cauda” Maurizio Gily for

Enoteca Regionale del Monferrato allrights reserved

The Southern Piedmont wine districtis shared in different “terroir”: the Langhe, home of Barolo, Barbarescoand Barbera d’Alba wines, in the South-West; the Asti and Monferrato hills, in the centre; Gavi and Tortonahills in the South-East, the Monferrato Casalese in the North-East. The southern hills are higher, the northern ones lower and warmer. Here, in the northern and central hills, the main vine variety is Barbera, which needs much heat for a good ripening.


Courtesy of Gribaudo editore

Map from the book

“Piemonte Vigneto tutto DOC”

A.A. V.V. 2002

DOC Surface hectares

BARBERA D'ALBA, 13,86%

BARBERA D'ASTI, 45,67%

BARBERA DEL MONFERRATO,

18,20%

COLLI TORTONESI BARBERA, 2,20%

PIEMONTE BARBERA, 19,72%

altre DOC, 0,35%

Source:

2003. Source:Consorzio di Tutela Vini d’Asti e del Monferrato and

Bagna Cauda- Olive oil and anchovies came from the Ligurianshores to Piemonte along the “salt trail”, crossing the Appennino mountains, and met the garlic to make-up the most traditionalsauce for fall vegetables. Bagna cauda should be eaten very hot (the pot is continuously heated by a small fire), drinking youngBarbera, and sharing it with many friends. Maurizio Gily for

Enoteca Regionale del Monferrato allrights reserved

RuchéThe Ruchè grape is quite early ripening, being harvested about 10th of september. The vineyard has to be controlled through canopy management and bunch thinning, to avoid possible overcropping in some years.The bunch has medium to big size;the berry is very rich in sugar, medium in colour and tannic compounds, rich in terpyneol flavours (rose, violet, spices), pleasant to eat. The wine is usually dry, while other aromatic grapes in Piedmont are typically processed to have a sweet one (Moscato, Brachetto, red Malvasia of Casorzo)


Anotherside of Piemonte:The “little DOC” wines

RuchédiCastagnoleMonferrato:smallproduction,big personality

Courtesy of

Gribaudo editore

Map from the book

“Piemonte

Vigneto tutto DOC”

A.A. V.V. 2002


The anarchic of MonferratoDon’t call it “pink”, “rosé” or “blush”: it’s a light red wine. It is a red wine, while it is fermented with the skins and has a good tannic structure. The color is a light, bright red, without any violet nuance. The nose is not very strong at the first impression, but quickly increases into the glass. Some typical characters: raspberry, wild rose berry, strawberry leaf, spices (white pepper, clove), almond. Every Grignolino has, anyway, its own profile, depending on the place where it is grown.

In the mouth it looks much more “strong” than expected form the eye and from the nose, mostly at a final impression. The tannic fibre is tight, and the wine has often a good length, with hints of pepper and spices, and a good balance between sweetness and astringency.Luigi Veronelli, the greatest Italian wine-writer of the XXth century, defined it “anarchic”, the same definition he used to give for himself and his anti-conformist attitude: this explains very well how much he loved this wine.The main growing area of this indigenous grape is Northern Monferrato, on the left shore of the Tanaro river, with two DOC: Grignolino d’Asti (Western) and Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese (Eastern).The Enoteca Regionale del Monferrato in Vignale is located in the heart of the second area.


Grignolino

Courtesy of

Gribaudo editore

From the book

“Piemonte


A.A. V.V. 2002



Freisaa grape to discover

The growers plant Freisa in the medium part of the slopes, where exposure to light is still high but more water can be found in summer than at the top of the hills: in fact this grape is susceptible to drought and mould-resistant. The berry is small and the skin is thick, so that a big amount of colour and tannins are available in the must. DNA genetic studies have revealed that the grape is a close relative of the Nebbiolo (the grape used to make Barolo, Barbaresco, Ghemme etc.). In the Monferrato district Freisa is traditionally blended with other grapes during winemaking, but there is also a tradition for single grape wines, which are very intense, fruity and slightly astringent, due to the high content of tannins. The “vivace” (slightly sparkling) version is as traditional as the still version. The first is particularly recommended for serving with cured meat and fresh bread for an afternoon “merenda” (snack).

DOC: Monferrato Freisa, Freisa d’Asti


Malvasia di CasorzoMany Italian grapevines, both white and red, are called “Malvasia” (Malvasia di Candia, del Chianti, di Brindisi etc.) The name is supposed to come from the Greek port of Monemvasia, site for an ancient Venetian fortress and for a trading market between the West and the East. Tha Malvasia di Casorzo is a black berry grape, medium-late ripening, aromatic, usually processed with the double fermentation technique to have a sweat, aromatic, lightly sparkling wine, to serve chill, terrific to match with cakes and cookies. The “passito” (raisin wine) is the most precious version of the Malvasia wines: the grapes are dried on a straw bed to gain high sugar and aromatic concentration.

Then the grapes are pressed and put to ferment for a long time, at low temperature, until the yeasts’ activity naturally stops due to the high alcohol degree.The DOC Malvasia di Casorzo is grown in a small area, at the border between the Provinces of Alessandria and Asti, into the town limits of Casorzo, Grana, GrazzanoBadoglio (Asti), Vignale Monferrato, Altavilla, Ottiglio, Olivola (Alessandria).


Anotherside of Piemonte:The “little DOC” wines

The two redMalvasia:sweatand delightfulwines

Courtesy of

Gribaudo editore

Map from the book

“Piemonte


A.A. V.V. 2002


Altavilla Monferrato, Casale Monferrato, Casorzo, Altavilla Monferrato, Casale Monferrato, Casorzo, Cella Monte, Cella Monte, CerrinaCerrina, , ConzanoConzano, Frassinello, , Frassinello, FubineFubine, Lu Monferrato, , Lu Monferrato, MurisengoMurisengo, , OlivolaOlivola, ,

Ozzano Monferrato, Ozzano Monferrato, PomaroPomaro, Ponzano Monferrato,, Ponzano Monferrato,Rosignano Monferrato, Sala Monferrato,Rosignano Monferrato, Sala Monferrato,

San Giorgio Monferrato, San Giorgio Monferrato, SerralungaSerralunga Di Crea, Di Crea, TerruggiaTerruggia, , OttiglioOttiglio, , TrevilleTreville, ,

VignaleVignale Monferrato, Monferrato, VilladeatiVilladeati

ThankThank youyou forfor youryour attentionattentionfromfrom the wine the wine growersgrowers of Monferratoof Monferrato

and the town and the town CouncilsCouncils of: of:

And the Province of Alessandria

Enoteca Regionale del Monferrato

Palazzo Callori

Piazza del Popolo 12

[email protected]

+39 0142 933243

Welcome!

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http://www.enotecadelmonferrato.it

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Monferrato slide show