BEYOND THE FIASCO A SNAPSHOT OF TUSCAN WINES

Back in the 1960's and 70's the famous region of Chianti in Central Tuscany was known for the Fiasco a large (1.5-6 litres) bottle in a basket of vin da tavola (wine for the table) used for the lunchtime quaffer. As a result the region became famous for easy drinking uncomplicated wine. After drinking a whole bottle a Fiasco was likely.

From the 1970's a more progressive attitude began to filter into the region, from the urban wealthy seeking a change,where modern approaches took hold. Now it still has these quaffers but has so much more to offer the wine curious traveller.

There are few wine regions in the world that encapsulate everything great about wine. The history the culture the people the wine the food the landscape, the romance and ultimately the dramatic beauty of the place.

One region that rises above them all TUSCANY. It's rolling landscape of vineyards olive groves and country lanes straddled by cypress pines, the historic hilltop medieval towns still being lived in today like forts above the valley’s. The friendly and animated local Tuscan people who really know how to enjoy life and the local cuisine it's 'Molto delizioso ' . If you have ever visited the region it is hard not to fall in love with the place. If you live somewhere better I would love to know where.

It really does live up to the hype.


The Region


Tuscany's rolling hills and varied landscape shares visual surprises for all who travel through the region.With many sites from Florence to Montalcino, Livorno to Arezzo.

There are over twenty five thousand places in Tuscany making wine , with nearly every other hill being a winery ,vineyard or an olive grove. To try and get your head around the wine from every corner of the region would take a lifetime.

Getting There


It pays to have your own transport or someone who can show you around if you want to truly explore Tuscany. There are options for the budget traveller but you are limited to places closer to Siena and Florence. The best bits of Tuscany are either between the two cities or in the south beyond the reach of any public transport or shuttle service. An easy way to get there if flyiing into Rome is on the fast train to Florence. Once in Florence you can venture south to some local stops all the way to Siena on a local train or rent a car and explore the area outside it's reach.

INLAND TUSCANY


Chianti Classico : This is the heart of the region centred between the two historical rival Cities of Siena and Florence. The traditional towns of Radda,Greve,Castellina and Gaiole being the center of what makes the region so good. Look for the GALLO NERO (black rooster) on the bottle to deliniate true Chianti Classico. Radda and Gaiole usually showing more elegance and Greve and Castellina more body and fullness.


Chianti : Everything outside the Chianti Classico region but inland is Chianti with some sub regions attached like :


Montalbano:


A highly regarded region west of Florence that lives in the shadow of the Carmignano area within it's borders. Here they make good quality sangiovese and caniolo blends


Rufina:


Here the Sangiovese and other varieties ripen later due to the elevation east from Florence giving them a certain elegance.

Colli Fiorentini :


Lies in the hills around Florence in a warmer subregion here generally the more simpler wines are produced.


Colli Senesi:

These are the hills close to Siena, and up to San Gimignano lying outside of Chanti Classico being it's South westerly neighbour,but also include Montalcino and Montepulciano so the styles can vary quite a bit. From concentrated to 'vin de tavola'.

Here I was lucky enough to help during vintage at a family winery and vineyard. Lower and slightly warmer than Chianti Classico on more sandier soils. The vineyards starting on the top of the hills and dipping into the ravines of forest in between hills. The variability of the grapes from top to bottom is quite dramatic due to the dryer soils at height and moist heavier soils closer to the forests. Sangiovese, Cillegiolo, Caniolo, Colorino, Mammolo, Malvasia, Trebbiano toscana and Chardonnay Merlot and Cabernet were grown here.

Colli Aretini,


Close to Arezzo on the eastern and higher altitude sites where more moisture eventuates means the wines tend to be lighter and more elegant .


Carmignano:


A subregion of Montalbano where 2 year old barrel aged sangiovese blends have traditionally been highly regarded.


Brunello di Montalcino:

This is the celebrity area of Tuscany both in reputation and in Price.

Discovered by the International Brigade you will find celebrities or cashed up merchant bankers from all corners of the globe trying to recreate a vision they have of what Tuscany is about. Either in owning a vineyard or winery or staying in some of the amazing local accommodation. This southern region is slightly warmer and considerably dryer than more central sections of Tuscany. And this together with the soils mean that lower yields give more concentration and extract.With the local clone of Brunello gaining a solid reputation for quality based on the original producer Biondi-Santi. Soils and style vary considerably across the hills from north facing to south facing. With one producer creating the most eclectic and dense vineyard I am ever likely to see. Planted like a vine nursury. The wines are based mostly on the Sangiovese 'superclone' Brunello and tend to be big extractive heavily oaked wines that need considerable time to soften and come into balance but once they do they have a real charm. This style is more international in design to attract the wine writers and American palates that like to see oak and alcohol. Elegance is not a word that comes to mind though the odd producer manages to get savoury elements when made in a more traditional manner.

Vin Nobile Montepulciano:

This is an adjoining town on a hill slightly east of Montalcino these too are big extractive sangiovese based on the 'Prugnolo gentile 'clone. A bit more sauvory but still on the riper end.


San Gimignano:

This towered fortified town is a favourite for most tourists. And has that discovered feel about it. Picturesque and postcard friendly I would gaze west daily during vintage to see the towers of San Gimignano. The surrounding hills have the white grape Vernaccia growing. It makes a light fresh easy drinking white with floral hints and a touch of welcome bitterness when done well, or oxidised nuttiness when done in a tradtional manner. Some producers are using new oak which for me just gets in the way.


COASTAL


Lucca:

The beautiful hills surrounding Lucca here the Sangiovese dominates...at the.foot of the Apennine Mountains. Whites are made from the traditional trebbiano and malvasia with other more international varieties also allowed (sauvignon blanc,vermentino, greco and chardonnay).


Bolgheri: at the foothills of the Metallifere in the Provence of Livorno here Bordeaux blends like Sassicaia have thrived due in part to the mild but warm and dry climate with some sea breezes to cool the vines. This IGT wine is very highly regarded with up to 26 months in barrel. Other wines that have DOCG status share similarities in composition in both red and whites of other parts of Livorno and Grossetto. The straight Merlots can be very good.


Pisa:

Chianti Colline Pisane would be warmer being closer to the coast but with milder day temperatures.Lighter softer wines seem to be the norm, but with so many factors creating the wine styles here there are sure to be the odd gem.


Maremma:..in the Grosseto Coastal area of south west Tuscany the wines have many varieties allowed in them.

White: Ansonica,Chardonnay ,Grechetto, Sauvignon blanc, Trebbiano, Vermentino, Viognier

and Red: Alicante (Grenache), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,Caniolo , Ciliegiolo., Sangiovese,Syrah


The straight Ansonica can be quite interesting from the southern Grossetto area.


HISTORY


It is from this part of the world that the grapevine was spread throughout Europe.

The region owes much of it's early wine history to the Etruscans it was from their propagation of the vine taken up later by the Romans that began grape growing in the region. The Romans then spread it far and wide and advanced the skills and trade of wine and wine making. After the fall of the Roman Empire the re-emergence of the industry occurred mainly as wine merchants and traders in wine in the 13th and 14th centuries. It wasn't until the 19th century that the industry gathered momentum where higher quality was sought. Then in the 1970's the yields and the winemaking became more aligned with what are now more modern international standards.


The renaissance art and the grape are uniquely alligned as major silk merchants and bankers of Florence would move into winemaking like the Antinori and Frescaboldi families. These merchants had and still have the connections and the capital to move wine both domestically and internationally. With many small producers selling their wine in bulk to these producers.

So in a good year like 2015 their mid end wines can be of very high quality.


The quality renaisance of the region came later in 1971, with the launch of Tignanello one of the first SuperTuscans. A blend of Cabernets and Sangiovese with the smaller barriques being used.

CLIMATE


Tuscany has a varied climate and to try to generalise can be dangerous. For the rolling hills the elevation the temperatures and the rainfall changes across the region.


But from the Table below it can be said that it gets drier as you head towards the coast or further south, that the higher elevated areas are considerably cooler and that the region generally has very warm subtropical summers. The diurnal range is also moderated by the ocean influences particularly around Livorno.



SOILS

The soils vary considerably across Tuscany and to hone in on one soil would be a mistake.

So I can give a basic rundown of the soils from some sub regions.


Chianti Classico: Two most famous soils are the

:Galestro (Rocky, schistous clay soil commonly found in most of Tuscany’s best vineyards) a

:Alberese (A compact clay and limestone found in the Chianti region) soils.


Chianti Colli Senesi Monte morli: mainly sandy clay soils.

Montalcino: limestone, clay, schist, volcanic soil and Galestro



WINERIES


The region has so many options that limiting yourself to what some wine writer recommends means that you miss out on some wonderful wines. Around 25000 wineries inhabit Tuscany from Traditional producers , bulk producers , modern artisans and the well known international merchants. A lot of wines may not even be seen out of Italy but can be of a very high quality.

Three wineries I really liked were Dievole, Ormanni and Isole de Olena. The last also had a very fruit driven modern Chardonnay.


What can you expect:


  • Big extracted fruit and oak style from Montacino and Montepulciano based prodominately on Sangiovese with some having Caniolo to soften the wines. These wines are firm structured styles that need some time in bottle to soften. They are also popular internationally, so they usually have a higher price. Although much is made of the Brunello and Prugnolo gentile clones in these regions. I think the resultant wines are more about the dryer lower yielding vineyards. As the amount of Sangiovese clones in Tuscany is prodigious and like Grenache or Pinot Noir the quality can vary quite considerably based on the site and growing conditions.

  • Chianti Classico : This is from the central section between Siena and Florence. The wines are softer from the use of Caniolo, Cieligolo, Trebbiano Toscana and Malvasia Bianca. Colorino and Mammolo are also used but have more structure with the colorino having red flesh and high acidity that can help beef up the wines. Based again mainly on Sangiovese the wines are sometimes co-fermented and traditionally stored in bottes ( a larger volume old oak barrel that imparts oxygen slowly but without the new oak character) .The size of these vessels means the wines maintain an element of freshness provided the barrels have been looked after. The wines have an elegance and savoury edge and a soft drinkabilty that goes well with the local proscuitto,tomatoes and buffalo mozerella. When done well they are easy drinking savoury cherry flavoured yet fresh. When done badly they taste of water or a bland acid tannin mixer. The prices vary but generally if you find a good one they are the best value in Tuscany.

  • Chianti Classico Reserva: these wines have more depth than the basic Chianti's are higher in price and usually have more new oak influences. They are generally richer but still with a savoury cherry and structural elegance. The best of them are sublime examples of what Sangiovese and partners are capable of if the oak is not overdone. And for me are the best examples of Tuscany unadulterated by international influences. Try one from a Traditional producer and compare it with a modern producer and you will see the variance based on oak. I find the traditional style more attractive.

  • IGT These wines can be anything from what was termed supertuscans where Cabernet and /or Merlot may play a major role or a nasty blend of simple wine that may not even be from Tuscany. There is no way of telling the difference except to look for a fancy bottle with Merlot or Cabernet blended with sangiovese that has a higher price. The Super Tuscans can be superb but generally have a very modern sweet fruit and oak mix that appeals to the . international palate. The Merlot in Tuscany can be exceptional so it is definitely worth seeking out. With wonderful sweet mulberry fruit. Tignanello and Sassicaia are the famous examples of the Super Tuscan Style.

  • Grand Reserva: This is a step above the chianti Classico reserva usually a more modern style fruit and oak are generally more intense still with some acid drive from the sangiovese but rounder and fuller.

  • Grand Selectione: These wines are typically the best parcels and most concentrated styles where oak is used in combination with the fruit. When done well it can be a focused concentrated experience with the wines handling the new oak influences. Richer more modern but still great drinking expect to pay a higher price for the best Sangiovese can offer if done well.


Winemaking


The winemaking techniques vary as much as the hillsides but don't be mistaken there are modern well travelled producers down to the traditional maker that was mentored by his father. Sangiovese when fermented can be an acid tannin astringent monster so a lot of the techniques used are to soften the wine. From using oxygen in the ferment some will drain and splash and return the juice over the top of the ferment others will use Micro-oxygenation by passing fine bubbles of oxygen through the wine both during and post ferment. Another technique that works well in the traditional manner is the co fermentation of the Sangiovese with lighter bodied grape varieties this can work well depending on what is used with Caniolo and Cielligolo working well and more aromatic lighter styles result from using Malvasia or Trebianno Toscana.


FOOD MATCH

Tuscan food is all about simply prepared great produce , fresh and ripe.

From the ripe tomatoes fresh basil great local olive oil zucchinni flowers salads and of course the cheese from Pecorino to my favourite Buffalo Mozerella. Matching wine and food really is not a problem here for the they have always gone hand in hand.

AGRITOURISME 

One thing that the region has excelled in is the agritourism there are villas infinity pools on site luxury accommodation in the vineyards and olive groves throughout the region. If you are a celebrity and you want to stay in the highest regarded accommodation there is …...........................

or a modest but cosy cottage on a vineyard and winery there are options near and around both Siena and Florence where they can shuttle you too and from the cities.All ranges all walks of life from budget to ultimate luxury.