Fontanafredda

Royal protocol can be a terrible thing: My father and the late King of Sweden were both archaeologists -- Etruscologists to be precise. One day the King visited my father's excavation, accompanied by family members and courtiers. He was well past 70, and as they were walking about the site he stumbled and my father grabbed his elbow. During the buffet lunch held in Murlo's Palazzone (which is now a stunning museum) the King's daughter thanked my father for grabbing her father's elbow, and added that had he not the King would certainly have fallen, because neither she nor anyone else in the entourage was allowed to touch his person. Protocol.

The Court of Savoy (rulers of Piemonte & Sardegna, and subsequently Italy) was by all accounts just as rigid, and King Vittorio Emanuele II would sneak out of town whenever he could to hunt, enjoy fine foods in friendly surroundings -- or to see Rosa Vercellana, the fetching daughter of one of the soldiers in his army. Though he had a reputation as a ladies' man the relationship was serious; he built her a home on a hundred-hectare hunting preserve not far from Serralunga d'Alba, and following the death of his wife made her Contessa di Mirafiori and married her. Since she had started out a commoner the marriage was morganatic; this meant that upon the King's death their children didn't have access to the Royal treasury, and to guarantee Count Emilio Guerrieri's future Vittorio Emanuele willed him the estate that had been Contessa Rosa's home.

A hunting preserve, beautiful as it may be, doesn't offer much of an income. However, in nearby Grinzane Cavour the vineyards below the castle were producing wonderful wines, and Marchesa Falletti, who lived a few miles in the other direction, was gathering the Nebbiolo-based wines that had been known by their vineyards -- Cannubi, Bussia, Sarmassa and so on -- under a single glorious heading: Barolo. Conte Guerrieri cleared his land, planted vineyards, and in 1878 founded Mirafiori Vini Italiani.

Having done this he had a problem: A hundred hectares of vineyards require considerable manpower to maintain properly -- not just during the harvest, but during the rest of the year as well. Mirafiori, while beautifully positioned for making wine, was several hours' walk from the nearest town, over roads that would turn to mud during the wet seasons. So he built a town for his workers -- a fully functional village, with general store, school, and church. Though company towns were fairly common in other industries (especially in the United States), this is the only Italian winery built following 19^th century industrial precepts.

It was extremely successful, and would probably still be Mirafiori Vini Italiani today had the Count's heir not gone into politics -- while he was busy with affairs of state the winery languished, and in 1931 went bankrupt. The property went to the major creditor, Siena's Monte dei Paschi (the world's oldest bank, founded in 1472) while the name was bought by the Gancia winery. Monte dei Paschi settled upon Fontanafredda (Cold Fountain) for their new estate, after a very cold fountain on the property.

Taken as a whole, what Count Guerrieri built resembles other 19^th century factory complexes, for example the textile mills one finds along rivers in New England, but with a couple of twists. Rather than have plain brick or stone facing, he chose to paint the plaster with red and gold stripes, the colors of the House of Savoy, and added decorative elements in silver and blue, his family colors, under the eves -- a clever way to remind people of his roots, and one which is especially beautiful in the light of the setting sun. What really sets the complex apart, however, is the setting: Nestled in a valley, with vineyards draping the slopes, and a pretty park in the flatland surrounding Contessa Rosa's house. Nothing like this in New England, and it's well worth a visit if you are in the area (there are guided tours on weekends from early April through November; call on +39 173 613161 to sign up).

Any illusions you might have about being in a traditional factory vanish upon entering the cellars, however, as you behold hall upon hall of botti, the huge traditional oaken casks where Barolo and other wines quietly mature. This is wine making on a very large scale, but quite traditional; as the tour progresses you will see some smaller wood, much of which is used with the whites that become dry sparkling wines. Fermentation of the reds is also traditional, in upright tanks with maceration on the skins to extract color from the grapes. Why hasn't Fontanafredda adopted smaller wood or higher temperature fermentation in horizontal macerators (the so-called new style vinification) in making Barolo? To be honest, they're experimenting with barriques, with promising results. They're not using the high temperature fermentation out of uncertainty: nobody knows how the new-style wines will hold up. Barolo's longevity is legendary, and great vintages can still be improving after 30 years. Marinella Maiorano, Fontanafredda's export manager, continues to find new things to marvel over every time she opens a bottle from a classic vintage.

The downside of this longevity (and the reason for the new style) is that a good traditional Barolo requires 7-8 years of cellaring before it's remotely ready to be drunk, and years more to reach its optimum. The new-style wines are ready from the date of sale. But will a new-style 1997 vintage (according to many one of the best this century) Barolo astonish and amaze in 40 years? Possibly, but quite possibly not, and this is why Fontanafredda has adopted a wait-and-see attitude.

In any case, returning to the tour, you will wind from the new to the much shadowier old cellars, see the fermentation tanks and the original octagonal botte hall, view the rows of pupitres used to help the yeast settle to the tops of the bottles of sparkling wine (from whence it is removed), and then cross a courtyard to the bottling plant. Industry here, with the rattles and clanks you'd expect as millions of bottles are filled, corked and labeled, to depart on their way to tables throughout the world. This is also where Fontanafredda produces about 3 million bottles per year of Asti Spumante -- it's one of the best Asti Spumantes made -- and the delicious smell of Moscato is intoxicating. From the bottling plant it's just a short walk to the villa, where Rosina and Vittorio willed away the hours. It's nicely furnished with period pieces and artifacts, including Vittorio's bicycle, which must have been exciting to ride since it lacks brakes.

Beautiful and fascinating as Fontanafredda may be from a historical prospective, you may be wondering about the wines. The production, which is considerable, is divided into three lines:

• The basic wines have blue and silver labels, after the Mirafiori coat of arms, and are made from grapes purchased from farmers in the area. It includes Barolo, Barbaresco, Grignolino, Dolcetto, Barbera, and Asti Spumante. Taken as a group these are good, honestly made wines that represent good value.
• The intermediate line, called Le Selezioni, are wines made with grapes from specific areas, for example Barolo di Serralunga, from grapes grown at Serralunga, or Dolcetto di Treiso, from Treiso. Again, most of the grapes are purchased. These are a step up from the basic wines, both in terms of price and quality, and again represent a good value.
• At the top are the crus, single vineyard wines, made from estate-grown grapes. Here things really do get interesting: The red wines are among the best traditional Baroli made, and the sparkling whites are also very nice.

Fontanafredda Langhe Chardonnay Ampelio 1996 The wine, which is part of the Selezioni line, is a pale gold with pink highlights. The bouquet is delicate but complex, with nice floral notes laced with apricot and balanced by vanilla from the wood, which emerges with swishing. On the palate the wine is medium bodied, and well balanced with nice fruit and mild acidity; the finish is persistent and has a good balance of wood and citrus notes. This will be nice as an aperitif, and also good with antipasti, delicate fish dishes, risotti and pasta dishes with cream sauces, and fairly mild Chinese.

Dolcetto d'Alba Treiso 1996 Another wine of the Selezioni line; though famed for Barbaresco, Treiso also produces Dolcetto. This wine is ruby tending towards purple, with violet highlights. The bouquet is rich, with the bitter-almond notes typical of Dolcetto nicely balanced by floral notes, especially violets. On the palate it's medium bodies, with delicately rounded tannins and a very nice fruit finish with almond and cherry at the end. Perfect for a light meal, a picnic, or cold cuts and mild cheeses.

Diano D'Alba Vigna La Lepre 1996 Still the Selezioni line, though a step up. Diano d'Alba is actually a Dolcetto -- the town's vintners have permission to label their wines as Diano rather than Dolcetto, on the theory that doing so will help distinguish their Dolcetto from that of other less favorable areas. Strikes me as a marketing ploy, but Fontanafredda's Diano d'Alba is good. It's an inky pigeon blood ruby and a powerful, richly penetrating Dolcetto bouquet heavily laced with floral notes, fruit and almond blossoms. On the palate it's medium bodied, rich, smooth, and well rounded; the tannins are clean, and the finish is laced with fruit and cherries. With respect tot he Dolcetto Treiso this is crisper and cleaner; it would be quite nice with a light lunch, pasta with cream sauce, or a grilled fish such as salmon. It's relatively light tannins would also make it work well with Oriental cuisine, especially dishes not heavily laden with ginger.

Barbera D'Alba 1995 A wine from the basic, silver-and-blue label line. It's red, heading into garnet, and has a clean, elegant bouquet with nice floral notes and hints of strawberries and other berry fruit. On the palate it's round, and zesty, with nice fruit, structure sufficient to hold the acidity in check, and a clean fresh finish. It will go nicely with meat-based pasta, lasagna, polenta dishes, and mild cheeses.

Barbaresco Coste Rubin 1995 This was a barrel sample, and thus immature. It's a deep garnet red with an orange rim, and has the typical floral notes of Nebbiolo on the nose, though they're not as developed as they will be, and some spice. On the palate it's warm, tannic with rich fruit, and has considerable wood on the finish -- this is also an experiment in using barriques, and seems to be working nicely. When everything has had time to combine (2000?) it should be quite good.

Barolo Serralunga D'Alba 1994 From the Selezioni line. Garnet, with orange rim. Delicate bouquet with nice dried flower notes, and warm, though it's not particularly intense. On the palate it's full, though not tremendously so for a Barolo, with well rounded, dusty tannins, nice fruit, moderate acidity and a clean finish. Quite nice considering that 1994 was not a particularly good year -- the sort of vintage that is actually more accessible than the great vintage, as the wines don't require a great occasion. Nor does it require more time -- it's ready to drink now, and will be fine for a convivial meal with friends, served with braised or stewed red meats, or grilled poultry, or even an evening barbecue.

Barolo Galaray 1993 The cru that's being aged in barriques; the wine is a deeper red, with pale pink to orange rim, and still quite closed, though swishing brings up warm brick, licorice, spice, floral notes, and to a lesser degree saddle leather, and subsequently white chocolate. On the palate it is rich, warm, full, with nice fruit and chewy tannins that still have the burr of youth; the wood comes out in the finish, which is well balanced and long. Considering that they're still getting a feel for barriques it's quite impressive, and I'll be curious to taste it again in about five years, when I expect it will go nicely with red meats, game, and aged cheeses.

Barolo Vigna Lazzarito 1990 A cru from a recently replanted vineyard in the town of Serralunga; the wine is a very deep red with almandine in the rim. The bouquet is warmly enveloping, and rich, with rose hips and leather. On the palate it's tremendous and warm, though the tannins are still a bit rough. Good fruit, and a long clean finish. It's worth seeking out, because in a few more years it will be very nice with red meats, game or cheeses. Meditation? Perhaps not, because the vineyard was still young when these grapes were picked. The 97 Vigna Lazzarito on the other hand…

Barolo Vigna Gattinera 1989 From a mature vineyard, this cru is a spectacular red with faintest hints of garnet on the rim. The bouquet is extremely delicate, with floral notes, dried roses, leather, goudron and all-enveloping warmth; this is a good wine to sniff. On the palate it's tremendously full, warm, and still quite young, but rich, with superb fruit and very clean well rounded tannins. The finish? Long and clean. This will be excellent now with red meats, game, and cheeses, but with time will certainly evolve into one of those rare magical wines that can give grace to a meal or make an evening unforgettable. Well worth buying and setting aside.

Barolo Vigna Gattinera 1985 The 89 was still young, a strapping but handsome youth. The 85 is, on the other hand, entering maturity. It's a rich deep ruby red, with garnet rim, and has an extraordinarily complex bouquet, in which dried floral notes, especially roses, leather, licorice, and fruit interweave. On the palate it is tremendous, with wondrous fruit, exquisitely rounded tannins, and a long clean finish laced with fruit and floral notes. It will go well with stewed or braised meats or game, and also with cheeses, but it will be best in an evening with friends. Seek it out and set it aside for a special occasion.

In comparing Lazzarito and Gattinera, Lazzarito is more floral in the bouquet, perhaps because the vines are younger. Gattinera has notes of underbrush as well, and is much warmer, and is fuller on the palate. The vines are maturer. Is this all there is? Hardly. But quite enough for one tasting session.

The bottom line: If you're in Piemonte, you should certainly stop. You won't regret the visit. And if you're not, you'll certainly like the wines.

More tasting notes for Fontanafredda, including two Baroli and a tasty Moscato.

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To close, a couple of pot roasts that will work well with red wines that weren't included in my translation of Pellegrino Artusi's Art of Eating Well for want of space:

Begin with at least 2 1/4 pounds of lean meat from the shoulder or rump of a large animal. Stick it with lardons the size of a finger that have been rolled in salt and pepper. Tie the meat to give it an elegant shape, salt it, and sauté it in a quarter cup of butter. When it has browned, add the following: half a calf's trotter or a piece of a larger cow's trotter, a large onion, whole, two or three whole carrots, a bouquet garnis made with parsley, celery, basil, and other herbs that suit your fancy, a few strips of lard, a brimming cup of water, or, better yet, degreased broth, and, finally, a half cup of white wine or two tablespoons of aquavit. Cover the pot tightly and simmer the meat until it's just done, but not overly cooked. Since the carrots will cook more quickly, remove them before hand so they will remain whole. Discard the herbs], strain the sauce, and degrease it if necessary. Serve the meat, with the trotter, surrounding it with the carrots, cut into rounds. Made properly, this is a light and tasty stew.

Some stick the onion with cloves, but this spice should only be eaten by those with strong stomachs. I find shelled beans boiled and reheated with the sauce from the meat to be superior to carrots.

This is the boeuf braisé of the French. Buy a nice piece of well aged beef; assuming it weighs about 1 1/4 pounds, lardon it with 2 ounces of lardons cut to the size of a finger and rolled in salt and pepper, and tie it.

Mince a quarter of a mid-sized onion, a half a carrot, and a four inch rib of celery, and sauté the mixture in 2 tablespoons of butter; add the meat and season the whole with salt and pepper.

When the it has browned, sprinkle it twice with a few drops of cool water. Once the water has been absorbed and the meat has browned, add two ladles of boiling water, cover the pot, and simmer the meat until done. Strain the sauce, degrease it, and return it to the fire with a tablespoon of butter, which will improve its flavor; use it to heat through a vegetable, such as spinach, Brussels sprouts, carrots, or bulb fennel, which ever you prefer.

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Good Food, Drink & Travel
Kyle Phillips

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Photos kindly supplied by Fontanafredda. Text & translations Artusi © Kyle Phillips.