Marchisio
Dateline: 07/18/97
In
recent years there's been a wave of Piemontese white wines from the area around
Alba, many produced by vintners justly famed for their red wines. Most of these
whites are Roero Arneis, made from the Arneis grape, locally known as Nebbiolo
Bianco, and though my wine encyclopedia says the bouquet of these wines is "Aristocratic,"
I've been underwhelmed by them. There has to be some reason these producers
are making Arenis rather than Chardonnay like everyone else in Italy, I kept
thinking.
Well, I've found out why. The Fattoria Marchisio is located in Castellinaldo, a town about 10 km from Alba, but outside of both the Barbaresco and Barolo zones. Though Sergio Marchisio can and does make an excellent Barbera, he has preferred to concentrate his attentions on his Arneis, and the results are wonderful.
The flagship wine is Roero Arneis Costa delle Rose, a cru from a vineyard that has rose bushes at the end of the rows of vines that were planted by Sergio's mother. Poetry aside, it's a surprisingly complex wine whose extremely low acidity and marked sweet fruit flavors makes it much more similar to some French wines I've had than it is to the average Italian white wine. Getting down to specifics, it's a pale straw yellow, and has a remarkably clean bouquet, with floral notes, honeydew melon, and nice aromatics (no vanilla or spice). On the palate it has very nice fruit, with (again) honeydew melon, is surprisingly sweet without being cloying, well balanced, full, and has an elegant persistent finish. Sergio says the wine sells well in California, and I can see why: It would be a nice aperitif, would go well with more involved fish dishes (it would overpower a steamed fish), and would also go very well with oriental foods, especially those with a healthy dose of ginger. Worth seeking out.
Sergio
also makes Roero, a red wine from Nebbiolo grapes that is designed to be
drunk young. It's a bright ruby red and has a typical Nebbiolo bouquet, with
lots of fruit and hints of white pepper, but none of the spiciness or vanilla
one associates with wood (there isn't any). On the palate it's very smooth and
well rounded, with good fruit and low acidity, though the finish, which is quite
clean, is slightly tart. This is definitely a first rate quaffing wine, the
perfect accompaniment to a simple meal that doesn't want to be burdened down by
an overly serious wine.
Barbera Castellinaldo is much more serious, and also represents a step back to an earlier time: It's aged in barriques locally produced from the wood of the acacia tree. It's a deep pigeon-blood red, and has a rich fruity bouquet with stewed cherries and interesting nutty notes given by the wood. Sergio says that though the 1995 vintage is ready to drink now, it will continue to evolve positively for another 3-5 years; if it doesn't stray from its present path I think it will be quite intersting by then. As it stands, on the palate it has nice, somewhat tart maraschino cherry flavors, is well structured and full, and has nice, elegant well-rounded tannins that are somewhat dusty. The finish is clean, with a faint tartness that leaves you ready for another sip. This would go well with pasta with meat sauce, chicken, or a light stew. Very nice.
The last wine I tasted was Passito delle Rose, a white dessert wine made from bunches of Arneis grapes clipped and left to dry in the vineyard, then pressed, fermented and aged in acacia barrels. The wine is a brilliant straw yellow and has an intriguing bouquet with floral and melony notes overlain by rich honey. On the palate it's rich, warm, and strikes the perfect balance between sugar and alcohol, with lush fruit and barest hints of nuttiness on the finish. Another elegant wine, well worth seeking out.
There was also a Dolcetto, and a sparkling wine made from Arneis, and though I didn't taste them, I wouldn't hesitate to buy either.
In addition to making wine, Sergio Marchisio is the president of the local grower's association. We can expect to see some other interesting wines emerge from Castellinaldo.
Good Food & Drink,
Elisabetta
