Tuscan Merlot
THE CONFERENCE DEDICATED to Tuscan Merlot at
le Corti del Vino, a wine show held this June in San Casciano, was
perhaps the most interesting and the most disappointing. Disappointing because
the moderator said hardly anything, and interesting because Merlot is
increasing rapidly in popularity in Tuscany.
And well it should; though the grape was late in gaining recognition -- French wine critics began appreciating it in the 1870s -- wines made from it have delightful complexities and a distinctive roundness that makes them extremely enjoyable. Merlot is also, at least in Tuscany, more tolerant of climatic insults, especially September rains, than most other grapes (especially Sangiovese). At least that's what Niccolò D'Afflitto, one of the best known young viticultural consultants, said when speaking on Super Tuscans to the Young Producers' Association in 1995, adding that if he were told to plant just one grape in most parts of Tuscany, he'd go with Merlot. The yields would be low, but the quality would be consistently high.
Merlot also blends well, and this is both good and bad. Good, because a wine properly made from Merlot will be good, and contribute to what it is blended with. Bad, because Merlot has a powerful personality, and can easily overshadow what it is added to. For example, though Sangiovese has lots of raw power and tannin when it's by itself, much of its grace depends upon its finesse, and even a little bit of Merlot alters the picture substantially -- the wine suddenly gains in soft roundness, and acquires fruity perfumes that smell of Merlot, not Sangiovese. For this reason, I am always somewhat upset when I come across Chianti Classico (or other DOC or DOCG wines) that have Merlot added to them. They may be good, even excellent, but in a very real way they're masquerading as something they're not. If you think I'm talking nonsense, imagine what the reaction would be if Bordeaux producers suddenly began adding Sangiovese (or whatever) to their wines to give them more strength and character.
People would say, "this isn't Bordeaux," and that's my reaction when I come across Merlot in an Italian DOC wine. Having said all this, Sangiovese which has Merlot added to it is good, there's no getting around it, and I do drink it with pleasure. I just prefer that the producer label it as table wine, which is what it really is, rather than slip it into a traditional denomination.
We began with Ghiaie del Furba, Tenuta di Capezzana's blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, which spends two years in barriques (1/3 renewed each year). The wine was first produced in 1979, and is only made in exceptional years. It's a deep blackish red, and has an elegant vinous bouquet laced with red berry fruit, spice, and mint. On the palate it wasn't as fruity as I might have expected, but fresh, somewhat acidic, and full. The finish was slightly bitter. It will be interesting to see how it evolves.
Mandrielle 1993 is a 100% Merlot produced by Castello Banfi at Montalcino, from vineyards 300 meters above sea level. The grapes were harvested in September, fermented for 20 days, and matured in barriques for a year. Production for 1993 was 60,000 bottles. The wine is a deep, almost inky red, with a pleasant bouquet laced with warmth and coffee. On the palate it is rich, lush and has good fruit, but was somewhat acidic on the finish.
Lamaione 1993 is another 100% Merlot from Montalcino, this time from Marchesi de'Frescobaldi's Castel Giocondo; Marchese Leonardo said they're aiming for a wine that will stand shoulder to shoulder with the great French Merlots. Rhetoric, but they're succeeding. The wine is a deep inky red and has an extremely complex bouquet, with earthy notes, wood, stewed cherries, blackberries, currants, and balsamic notes. On the palate it's warm, well structured, with lots of body full, silky tannins, and notes of heat that bring to mind an August afternoon. The finish is pleasantly clean.
Avignonesi's representative disagreed rather sharply with Niccolò d'Afflitto's evaluation of Merlot -- she says they find it difficult to work with, because it's extremely vigorous, and unless carefully pruned, overproduces, giving green grassy flavors. She also said that the harvesting is critical, because Merlot rapidly looses grace if it ripens beyond the optimal. In other words, the grape requires a skilled vintner to shine. She was quite pleased with the 1993 Merlot Avignonesi, which comes from 12 hectares (about 25 acres) of vines planted in 1971 in the clayey soils of the Val di Chiana, whose summer rains help the grapes to ripen. The wine is deep red and has a pleasing bouquet with spicy notes, mixed with underbrush, black currant, and hot brick. On the palate it's full and has nice fruit, with stewed cherries; the tannins are well rounded, smooth, and silky, and the wine is nicely balanced, with a pleasing note of acidity on the finish that leaves the palate clean.
Filippo Mazzei, of Castello di Fonterutoli, has different opinions on Merlot. He thinks the grapes should overripen. So when making Le Siepi, a 50-50 Merlot Sangiovese blend, he picks the Merlot in early October, hand selecting the grapes. Fermentation then takes place in steel, with lots of pumpovers to extract as much as possible. The malolactic fermentation takes place in barriques, where the wine matures for about 20 months; the Sangiovese and Merlot mixed prior to bottling and the wine spends 10 months amalgamating in the bottles before its release. "Wine is like the weave of a rug," he said, "and this rug is tightly woven." I'd have to agree. Of the wines we tasted it was perhaps the best, with the Merlot strongly influencing the nose -- berry fruit, vanilla (from the wood), well balanced mocha, and hints of licorice. On the palate the Sangiovese comes forth, with powerful tannins that are rounded by the Merlot, and lots of rich lush fruit. Superb balance and a nice clean finish.
We closed with Ornellaia, a Merlot produced in Bolgheri, the town on the Tuscan coast famed for Sassicaia. Of the wines we tasted it was certainly the least interesting, and what I had may have come from an off bottle, though the wine from a different bottle that I sniffed later smelled the same. The bouquet was, frankly, musky -- there was fruit, but it was overshadowed by green leather and had an acidic tang to it. On the palate it was also more acidic than the other wines, and with not much fruit and rather thin, short-lived tannins. The moderator said the wine was a fine expression of the sandy terroir from which it came, but then again he had to say something.
So, Merlot is capable of interesting, and even great things in Tuscany. Is it the touchstone producers are seeking to be able to produce consistently great wines? Maybe, and maybe not. The fact that I and the other people at my table unanimously preferred Le Siepi, Castello di Fonterutoli's Sangiovese-Merlot blend, suggests that, at least in Tuscany, Merlot may be better suited to duets than solos.
On a completely different note, one of the nicest things about autumn in Tuscany is Schiacciata con l'Uva, an astonishingly rich, sinfully juicy pastry whose country roots are clearly revealed by the dough and the crunchiness of the grape seeds. This is a fairly elegant, city version, in which the traditional lard and honey have been replaced by olive oil and sugar. You will need wine grapes, because those sold for consumption at table are too watery and not sweet enough.
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 cups flour
- A packet of chemical yeast (baking powder will work -- Italian yeast packets weigh about 15 grams, and are about a tablespoon in volume)
- White wine or water sufficient to make a smooth, workable dough (about 1/3 cup)
- 1 k wine grapes (either white or red), stripped from their stems, washed, and drained
- 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped walnut meats (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary leaves (optional)
Preheat oven to 200 °C (320º F)
Mix the egg, sugar, flour, yeast, and enough wine or water to obtain a fairly soft dough. Knead it till it's smooth, and roll it out about a quarter of an inch thick.
Grease a 9x14" cake pan and line the bottom of it with half the dough, making sure that it reaches about an inch up the sides of the pan. Fill the pan with about 3/4 of the drained grapes.
Use the remaining dough to cover the grapes, sealing them in with care, then spread the rest to the grapes on top of the schiacciata. Dust the schiacciata with sugar and bake it in the oven for about an hour, or until the crust is browned. When it is done it will be about an inch and a half thick; the dough is primarily a container for the grape filling.
You can vary the recipe. Some cooks use considerably more sugar, and others put chopped walnuts within the schiacciata and sprinkle them over it. Still others sprinkle anise seeds or rosemary leaves over the schiacciata; whereas walnuts and rosemary are sometimes used together, anise seeds are used alone.
Schiacciata con l'uva goes wonderfully with a red wine.
A printer-friendly version of this recipe.
Enjoy!
Kyle
Phillips
