Let’s Talk Italian Wine

A passion for wine a conversation about Italian wines

By Christine Cutler

Vineyards of Chianti

Giovanni Grillenzoni has had a passion for wine since he was a child. At that time, his family had a vineyard near Modena where they grew the typical grapes of the area— Lambrusco, Barbera and Trebbiano—and produced wine for their own enjoyment.

When he became an adult, he became more interested in the world of wine and decided to take a sommelier course of the AIS (Associazione Italiana Sommelier/Italian Sommelier Association). For three years, Giovanni studied viticulture, winemaking techniques (Italian and foreign types), theory, and tasting (how to judge the quality of a wine), and in the end, he earned his certificate.

I asked him if he would share his thoughts on wine with our readers. Giovanni agreed but told me that even though he is a sommelier, he is not an expert. “The more I learn of it, the more doubts take the place of certainties. It is a very vast world that is always changing. Compared to 20 years ago, when I started studying it seriously, a lot has changed.”

Do you have a favorite wine?

Without a doubt, Pinot Noir. In 1998, I happened to open a bottle left in the cellar by my father. It was a 1993 Blauburgunder Vigna Sant’Urbano di Hofstatter in Termeno. It is perhaps the Italian Pinot Noir that is closest to those of Burgundy, which is the area of origin and choice of Pinot Noir. It is a difficult vine that grows only in a few areas of the world, but in the most suitable areas, it gives extraordinary wines. It is a light and transparent wine that rests entirely on perfumes. It is almost a shame to drink it, sometimes I just need to smell it. In Italy, it is produced almost only in South Tyrol and in particular in the area between Termeno and Montagna, two small villages south of Bolzano.

In the last few years, I have greatly appreciated another grape variety that is produced only on the slopes of Etna in Sicily. The vine is Nerello Mascalese, and the DOP is called Etna Rosso. This, too, is a light wine that focuses entirely on perfumes. Unfortunately, the area is small and there are few companies that produce it. Consequently, the prices are high because it is

becoming famous, and Etna is now called the "Burgundy of Italy.”

Italy and France are leading the world in wine production. What is the main difference between the wines of the two countries?

As you might have understood, I really appreciate the French winemaking technique, and I have great admiration and respect for the work they have been doing for more than 200 years to achieve ever higher quality.

Italian quality wine was born about 50 years ago. Before that, the production, albeit large, was of mediocre quality (with few exceptions). Experience is very important, and wine can only be made once a year. This is why the French have an experience gap compared to Italy. Having said that, I must add that in the last 20 years, Italy has made great strides to fill this gap, and many wine areas are comparable to France. This is a consideration of the advantage the French have.

The main difference, however, is that in France a few dozen vines are grown that have been selected over the years, and each area has specialized in the production of a few vines: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Burgundy; Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot in Bordeaux; Grenache in the Rhone valley. These are the main ones. In Italy, on the other hand, there were hundreds of different vines that have been gradually recovered, and many production areas have dedicated themselves to these.

Then the international vines are also cultivated which are then the French first brought to Italy by Napoleon. Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from Trentino to Sicily. Only in some areas are high quality results obtained, and perhaps it was better to make a more targeted selection, which is now being done. In Italy, there are two very famous grape varieties that make high quality wines. They are the Nebbiolo in Piedmont that gives Barolo, Barbaresco, Sassella in Valtellina. Nebbiolo is the best Italian grape and cannot be grown in other areas with good results. The other great grape is Sangiovese which is grown throughout central Italy and is the basis of Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino (Sangiovese Grosso). In the south, the most famous grape is Aglianico, in the province of Avellino and in Basilicata.

Then, as I said, there are hundreds of native vines that have been rediscovered. Some deserve attention, others maybe less. Hence a great doubt that often comes to me. Is the grape

Photos (left-to-right): Pietrantonj Wines of the Abruzzo region; Cerasuolo wine; the Pietrantonj wine cellar

variety (excluding the particular ones I mentioned earlier) really that important? Or is it the cultivation and vinification techniques that create the quality of a wine?

What are some of the best Italian wines?

As I have already mentioned, the best Italian grape varieties are Nebbiolo in all its varieties (Barolo, Barbaresco, Sassella, Gattinara, Ghemme), Sangiovese (Chianti, Brunello di Montalico, Nobile di Montepulciano), and Nerello Mascalese from Etna. The best wine region is undoubtedly Piedmont, without taking anything away from other regions.

Tell me what you think is important to know about Italian wines.

The answer to that question is very complex. I can say that Italy, due to its morphology and the geological stratification of its territory, has some areas that are very suitable for the production of wine. The same vines planted elsewhere would give completely different results. In general, the best wines come from arid and stony soils where no other cultivation would be possible. In this, Italy is certainly favored because it has very few fertile plains and many hill or mountain soils where wine gives better results. I know excellent wines grown up to 1000 meters above sea level, where almost nothing else grows. As I wrote at the beginning, the world of wine is changing and now there is a new generation of winemakers who are focusing on organic and natural wines. I, too, have oriented myself a lot on the latter because they represent something new against the now standardized flavors of large production.

What do DOC and DOCG mean in Italian wine production?

DOC and DOCG are two quality certifications of the legislative classification. The DOC and DOP mean Protected Designation of Origin; they mean that there are standardized regulations for wine production. It must be produced in a specific geographical area and must have certain organoleptic characteristics, minimum alcohol content, and aging.

DOCG is the same thing but the regulations are more specific and tighter. To get a DOCG, a wine must pass an in-depth technical analysis and tasting. I believe the Italian DOCGs are less than 75 and represent the wines of the most suitable areas.