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In Italy

Sweet Wines of Italy

In Italy
Inhabitants of the Italian peninsula and islands have been making wine for thousands of years. Although techniques of cultivation and winemaking reached a relatively high level under the Roman Empire, the entire enterprise rested on shaky foundations. Science was in its infancy. Observation and experience determined how certain processes might be conducted with reasonable expectation of successful outcomes. The growing of grapes and the making of wines remained something of a hit-or-miss proposition because huge technological deficiencies, as well as a failure to apply systematically those technologies that had evolved, hampered and eventually halted progress.

For example, some ancient writers on agricultural themes suspected that "creatures" or "things" that could not be seen by the human eye caused the fermentation as well as the spoilage of wines. But they could go no further because they lacked microscopes, which would have permitted them to see those “things” and gain some understanding of how they functioned. Yet their empirical approach did permit some ancient winemakers to produce relatively good results and some of the ancient techniques have been retained or revived. For example, raisin or passito wines like Amarone, which are obtained from partly dried grapes, are increasingly attracting attention and fans, although only a few decades ago most producers and critics regarded them as archaic survivals of outmoded and defective winemaking techniques. Survivals they certainly were, for the Greeks and Romans were making them more than 2,000 years ago. And the technique solved, at least in part, the extremely ancient problem of how to preserve wines, which tended to go bad soon after the harvest. Drying boosted the sugar content of the grapes so that, when the fruit was pressed and the must was added to the wine already made, a second fermentation occurred. That increased the level of alcohol (a preservative) and extended the life of the wine, as well as altering for better or worse its sensory characteristics.

Practices familiar to wine consumers today were already common in Classical times. Ancient sources report that identifying labels were often attached to or engraved in Roman wine containers. Consumers were able, theoretically at least, to identify the producer, source and type of a particular wine. But there have always been some unscrupulous dealers who would alter the information on the labels or dilute the wines. In nearly all countries, misrepresentation was not unusual many decades ago but in Italy the impact was limited since most wine was consumed in the same area where it was made. The consumer, therefore, often knew the producer and that familiarity provided a substantial degree of assurance. With the rise of a global wine market, the need for a more formal type of guarantee led to the creation of the modern wine appellation or denomination system.

In the 19th century wine became a commodity, widely available on markets throughout the world due to the development of steam-powered transportation by land and sea. It was then that many Italian wines began to travel outside of their production zones and, particularly, to the large emigrant community in the USA. It was also in the 19th century that scientists began to lay the theoretical and practical foundations of modern winemaking. Eventually, new modes of transportation and technology were to sweep away many ancient winemaking practices, in the process creating pressures for sweeping change in many sectors. As market demands increased, so did the need to guarantee and protect the origin of Italian wines.

In 1980, Italian authorities established a superior classification of DOC wines. The roll call of Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) products began with five wines, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Chianti, all Tuscan, and Barolo and Barbaresco, both produced in Piedmont. All five had solidly established international reputations and all but one, Brunello (developed since the middle of the 19th century), had been produced for centuries in one form or another (for example, Barolo seems at one point to have been vinified as a sweet wine and Chianti as a white). The selection of the five for elevation to the peak of the Italian wine pyramid was, therefore, a foregone conclusion.

The five wines are derived primarily from only two grape varieties - Nebbiolo for Barolo and Barbaresco, Sangiovese for the three others. The two grapes are native to Italy as are the varieties used in the production of most of the other wines added to the superior DOCG category since 1980. The "international" grape varieties which are employed in the making of some DOCG wines have been cultivated in their production zones for a century or more and are completely acclimatised.

A DOCG wine must meet standards that are stricter than those stipulated in DOC regulations. One of the principal differences is the lower yields imposed by the DOCG rules. The reductions in output have probably done more to boost the quality of the wines than any other provision in the production codes. The rules also require in-depth chemical analyses for all DOCG wines. Laboratories recognised by the government must carry out examination of the physical composition of each of the wines. Once the analyses have demonstrated that the chemical properties are in accordance with the standards specified in the DOCG regulations, committees consisting of expert tasters sample each producer's wines. The committees can reject wines that fail to meet the specified sensory standards or instruct the producers to take steps to remedy deficiencies before approving or discarding the product. Upon receipt of a favourable report on the outcome of the chemical and sensory analyses, the producers' consortia or, less often, some other official body issues small pink numbered seals that fit over the corks in the bottles of DOCG wines. Strict controls are applied to ensure that the number of seals issued corresponds to the amount of wine that can be produced in accordance with the limitations of the regulations.

Of Italy's 20 regions, Piedmont currently leads the way with seven DOCG wines. In addition to Barolo and Barbaresco, the region produces Gattinara and Ghemme, both dry reds made from Nebbiolo, also known in northeastern Piedmont as Spanna. There are two white DOCGs, the sweet Asti, including Asti Spumante and Moscato d'Asti, and the dry Gavi or Cortese di Gavi. The seventh Piedmontese DOCG wine is unusual, a bubbly red dessert beverage, Brachetto d'Acqui. Tuscany, Piedmont's perennial rival in the enological sector, ranks in second place with six DOCG wines. Chianti has been divided into two appellations: Chianti Classico, the oldest production zone located in the centre of Tuscany, and Chianti, which consists of seven subzones. The subzones, clustered around the Classico zone, are: Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, Montalbano, Rùfina and Montespertoli. The two remaining wines are Carmignano, a dry red, and Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a dry white.

The Veneto is in third place with three DOCG appellations: dry red Bardolino Superiore and two whites, dry Soave and sweet Recioto di Soave. The regions of Lombardy and Umbria produce two DOCG wines each. In Lombardy, there is Valtellina Superiore with four subzones: Sassella, Grumello, Inferno and Valgella. All four are made from Chiavennasca, the local name for Nebbiolo. The second wine, Franciacorta, is a classic sparkler made in a "plain" version and two additional types, Satèn and Rosé. Umbria's two DOCG wines are dry reds: Torgiano Rosso Riserva and Sagrantino di Montefalco. Emilia-Romagna produces white Albana di Romagna in four types, including a passito version, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia turns out Ramandolo, a sweet wine made in a highly limited area. Campania offers a formidable dry red, Taurasi, while Sardinia serves up Vermentino di Gallura, a dry white.

Today, within the DOC and DOCG zones well over 2,000 types of wine are produced. They may be defined by colour or type (still, bubbly or sparkling; dry, semi-sweet or sweet; natural or fortified). Or they may be referred to by grape variety (e.g. Trentino has 26 types of wine including 20 varietals). Wines may also be categorised by age (young wine to be sold in the year of harvest as novello or aged as vecchio, stravecchio or riserva) or by a special subzone as classico or superiore. The term superiore or scelto may also apply to a higher degree of alcohol, a longer required period of ageing or lower vine yields. (Most definitions can be found in the Glossary).

The National DOC Wine Committee has been relatively niggardly in recognising DOCG appellations. Twenty-four wines over a period of twenty years, or an average of slightly more than one a year, reflects the strict rules governing this appellation. The extensive preparations for DOCG recognition made by the submitting wine producers are time-consuming and require substantial investment. In the long run, however, producers of lesser known but high-quality wines that have entered the DOCG category have seen demand grow briskly both on the domestic and international markets. So the DOCG list seems certain to continue to grow.

Sweet Wines of Italy
Italy has always been a great producer of sweet wines (“passiti”, obtained by late harvests, or both) both in terms of quantity and in terms of variety of the offer, which is really extraordinary. Summarise this production is really difficult, therefore I will mention only the most well-known.The cradle of the sweet wine is naturally the southern part of the Country where, since the ancient Romans and, before then, the Greek, a remarkable wine production developed.
The grapes were harvested lately and let dry under the sun for a few days so to further concentrate the sugars. In the northern areas of the peninsula, the withering was executed indoor in ventilated rooms, to avoid that the humidity created moulds. The bunches were hung to beams or lied on trellis or mats. 

The most famous of the sweet wines is certainly Vin SantoToscano (literally saint wine from Tuscany); the grapes (mainly trebbiano and Malvasia); some red varieties, such as Prugnolo, are used for the Vin Santo “Occhio di Pernice”; they are let to wither on trellis for a few months (up to 6), then they are stored in small caratelli where the fermentation happens very slowly: in the winter months it is practically still and then it re-activates with the first warmth. The fermentation of Vin Santo can last up to 3 years and the refining process can last even 10 years.

In Piedmont great fame for Moscato d’Asti, with its very pleasant aroma of candy peel of citrus fruit, and for Brachetto d’Acqui (with Brachetto, Aleatico and black Moscato grapes). Less famous but certainly interesting is the Caluso Passito with Erbaluce grapes.

In Lombardy the most popular passito is the Sfursat from Valtellina, based on a clone of nebbiolo grape, locally known as Chiavennasca.  The wine is dry but the grapes are withered before fermentation, the same way it happens for Amarone di Valpolicella (dry wine made from Corvina, Rondinella e Molinara) and for Recioto della Valpolicella (same grapes of Amarone but vinificated sweet) whose name origins from the slang word “rece” (orecchie, ears) and says about the fact that only the “ears” of the grapes, the winged superior parts, more exposed to the sun, where used.

Veneto has a long and interesting tradition for passiti wine: beyond the already mentioned Recioto della Valpolicella, the Recioto di Soave, the Recioto di Gambellara, Vin Santo di Gambellara, the Breganze Torcolato (Garganega and Vespaiola grapes), whose name reminds us that the grapes are hung to dry twisted. Very pleasant also the Moscato Fior d’Arancio from Colli Euganei, area particularly suitable to viticulture because of its volcanic origin , for the abundance of mineral salts and for the excellent exposition of its vineyards. The poet Francesco Petrarca, well-known teetotal, converted himself to the Dionysian nectar when he moved to this area: a miracle of Colli Euganei.

Also Valle d’Aosta has 2 interesting sweet wines: the Moscato Passito di Chiambave, with its delicate flowery perfume with hints of candied orange peel, and the Malvoisie del Nus (do not be cheated by the name, because it is made of a clone of Pinot Grigio).

In Friuli Piccolit and Verduzzo, whose grapes, lately harvested, are not essicated, stand out. Piccolit deserves a special mention: its small grapes produce about 30 berries while the other varieties produce about 150-200 berries.; the taste is sweet but dry and the perfume reminds of honey. Its history is very old: it is almost certain that it was cultivated already in the Romans time, and in the Middle Age was one of the wines most requested by the salesmen in Venice. It is back in fashion, thanks to the efforts of Countess Giuseppina Perusini Antonini di Rocca Bernarda, wine producer.

Liguria is famous for the extraordinary Sciacchetra’ from Cinque Terre, a passito wine with amber colour and a bouquet that reminds of acacia honey, dried figs and the resin of the Pine tree. Produced in very limited quantities (less than 5,000 50 cl bottles), its name comes from 2 slang words: “sciac” (schiacciare, crush) and “trac” (tirare via, pull away), which are the operations of pressing and separation of must from skin.

Passing through Tuscany (with the already mentioned Vin Santo and Moscadello di Montalcino), Umbria with Sagrantino di Montefalco Passito, and Lazio with Aleatico di Gradoli on the Bolsena Lake, and the Cannellino on the Colli Romani, it is good to cross the sea to reach Sardinia, where some of the most peculiar Italian sweet wine are produced: Anghelu Rujo, fortified red wine made from Cannonau (Grenache), with its vanilla, cinnamon, walnut and dried fruit notes; Malvasia di Bosa, very aromatic with evident notes of hazelnut and toasted almond; Vernaccia di Oristano, with peculiar notes of hazelnut flowers; Monica from Cagliari and Nasco from Cagliari, with characteristic musk perfume.

Sicily and its islands, as Sardinia, are great producers of sweet and passiti wines. Marsala is the most famous example, but it is worth remember Moscato di Pantelleria (well-known also as Zibibbo or Moscatellone) with an intense mahogany colour in its most aged version, with a nose of vanilla with notes of ripe date and liquorice; Malvasia delle Lipari, whose aroma reminds of the wisteria flowers, and the Moscato di Noto.

Great range of choice for those who love the wrapping sweetness and the Mediterranean perfumes that these wines can offer.

Article by Fabio Zanzucchi.