Last Tuesday was the hottest day in the wine trade. Three major players for small, terroir-driven, great producer portfolios held tastings. Can these guys maybe communicate a little and not have tastings all on the same day? Being ever faithful to Louis/Dressner, I skipped Terry Theise and T. Edwards and made my way to the De Vinne building. Dressner et al have become hugely popular over the last few years — they are like famous indie stars and the young, the cool and geeks of the wine world gathered in an all white, light flooded studio for swishing, sniffing, tasting and bantering. It was, as always, a wickedly brilliant tasting.
I know and love the company’s Loire imports: Clos Roche, Puzelat, Chidaine, Francois Pinon, Dom. de la Pepiere, Pierre Luneau-Papin – god they are all so good. Then there are the Rhone’s that make me want to declare, “I’m not worthy” from the likes of Dard et Ribo and Erix Texier. And the Beaujolais wines that taught me a whole new respect for Gamay: Jean-Paul Brun, Clos de Roilette and Louis-Claude Desvignes. But on this day I decided to focus on Dressner’s growing Italian portfolio. Time was short so I blew mental kisses to the beloved producers I know and stuck to lesser-known territory. Here’s what I discovered and I’m sure glad I did.
CRITIANO GUTTAROLO
From Puglia. The winemaker is young and the elevage for his primitivo wines span stainless steel, large barriques and amphora. Another crazy Italian that ferments in clay.
Cristiano Guttarolo Primitivo 2005
Stainless steel fermented. Very funky, layered, floral and herbaceous. Beautiful.
Cristiano Guttarolo Primitivo Giola del Colle Antello dell Murge 2005
Wine has spent time in barriques. Obviously natural and unfiltered, cloudy, again very funky, complex and indescribable!
Cristiano Guttarolo Primitivo Giola del Colle Anfora 2006
Amphora! Very light in color, amazing, unusual, hints of black olive and very savory.
ARIANNA OCCHIPINTI
According to L/D this is a new cult winery making natural wines in an area dominated by industrial producers. The estate is run by a young twenty-four year old woman, she practices biodynamics, uses stainless steel and large botti. No added SO2 during vinification.
Arianna Occhipinti Frappato IGT Sicilia Rosso 2006
Floral, soft and absolutely lovely. I could drink bottles of this.
Arianna OcchipintiSiccagno Nero a’Avola IGT Rosso 2006
A lean wine with hints of dark fruit. Seems young and shows nice structure.
JULIEN FREMONT
L/D brings cider in now. When I ever get around to writing about my time in Madrid, you’ll know that one of my favorite things to drink was natural cider from Asturios. So I was excited to hear about the new addition to L/D’s portfolio. These ciders are from the Calvados region and they are light, refreshing and quaffable. I saw David Lillie at the tasting and he told me about the natural ciders he carries including one from Asturios. I know where I’m heading this weekend for a little retail therapy.
Julien Fremont Cidre Brut par Nature
A very natural, strange, soft mousse cider. Delish.
Julien Fremont Cidre Brut par Nature Greniers
Single orchard cider! Very fresh, apple and Muscat nose. I could drink this everyday……..
TEOBALDO CAPPELLANO
This producer is tiny. He only has 3 hc of vines. Some of it, apparently, ungrafted.
Teobaldo Cappellano Dolcetto d’Alba Gabutti 2006
Unbelievably aromatic and beautiful.
Teobaldo Cappellano Barolo Otin Fiorin Pie Rupestris 2003
Smells like leather, sweat and roses – true and honest Barolo.
CASCINA DEGLI ULIVI
I had to taste the Gavi wines from this producer in honor of my husband Jim. He’s a sucker for good cortese. These were particularly wonderful because they are vinified in acacia botti and the vines are super old.
Cascina degli Ulivi Gavi 2007
I smell pea shoots! Light, ethereal and stunning.
Cascina degli Ulivi Gavi 2006
More acidity than the ’07 vintage. Very racy acidity actually. Bright.
Cascina degli Ulivi Filagnotti 2006
A little funkier than the above. Really fantastic and tons of mineral.
AZIENDA AGRICOLA MONTESECONDO
When I interviewed David Lillie at Chambers for my natural wine piece for Imbibe magazine (which will be uploaded to the site soon) we spoke about how France is the trailblazer in vin au naturel. I asked about the handful of Italian wine producers that vinify naturally and he mentioned a Chianti producer. Despite coming from Mr. Lillie and even though it was imported by Louis/Dressner I could not bring myself to buy it because I’ve had more bad chiantis than I’ve had hot dinners. But I was wrong. I was so wrong.
Montesecondo Rosso IGT Toscana 2007
Excellent stuff, mineral, savory. 50-50% canaiolo and sangiovese.
Montesecondo Chianto Classico 2006
Apparently this was almost denied DOCG status because the wine was so unlike typical Chianti and I agree because this is so much better…..complex, hints of salty mineral, quite barnyard too. It almost reminds me of a northern Rhone.
Montesecondo Chianti Classico 2005
OMG like an aged Barolo. I’m not worthy.
MASSA VECCHIA
A real shiner and new to the L/D portfolio. I’ve visited Maremma, I wasn’t impressed with the wines I had there but I’d go again just for this. The wines are vinified in open chestnut vats with long skin contact and then aged in barrels.
Massa Vecchia Bianco IGT Maremma 2005
Whoa. Funky monkey. Intense nose and lovely palate.
Massa Vecchia Rosato IGT Maremma 2006
Really yummy, structured, layered. It’s a rose disguised as a red.
Massa Vecchia Rosso Querciola IGT Maremma
Waaay natural. It’s as if the grapes dropped off the vine and fermented themselves and some passerby scooped the juice into a bottle. Alight, it’s better than that but you get my gist. Love it.