Terroir is a word that gets thrown around quite a bit in the world of low intervention wine. There is...
Pinot Noir, a grape that much like its counterpart of Chardonnay, is indelibly connected to Burgundy. Ask any sommelier about Burgundian red wine and the answer is often: “It is simple. Pinot Noir. It is complex. Because there is Pinot Noir and Pinot Noir.” This is mainly because the thin-skinned grape is particularly affected by terroir. In Burgundy, this has given rise to prized appellations on south-east and easterly facing plots in the Côte d’Or, with prices to match. Domaine Romanée-Conti or Domaine Leroy anyone?
The overwhelming focus on Burgundian Pinot Noir often spawns articles offering ‘high-scoring or most pocket friendly alternatives’ from Chile to Australia to England. Rarely though do many Italian wines make these shortlists. And it is pretty fair to claim that the reason for this is simply an issue of translation. Italian Pinot Noir is, surprise surprise, Pinot Nero. But, given that this translation has not carried through to English-speaking countries (Pinot Black anyone?), the result has in a way been to distinguish Pinot Nero from Pinot Noir.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. For rather than painting all Pinot Noirs from Italy with the same brush, it gives reason to draw attention to the variety of Pinot Nero produced all over Italy. A notoriously temperamental grape, Pinot Nero is best suited to cooler climates. And at the same time, it is prone to spring frost and noble rot. Thankfully, many of these factors are alleviated in Italy’s mountainous and volcanic terrain, with altitude providing the necessary climate, early spring sun mitigating the risk of frost and dense mineral rich soils ideal for water retention.
All factors considered, it is unsurprising that the Alto Adige is the Italian region best known for its Pinot Nero on account of its cooler climate. Thanks to its proximity to German speaking lands it is also known as Blaubürgunder. This further complication aside, vines have taken a stronghold in the area between Bolzano and Mezzolombardo (home to Alois Lageder, Manincor and Pranzegg to mention just a few). It is the combination of the steep easterly facing slopes, moderate weather and calcareous soil that makes this terroir so well suited to Pinot Nero that it is entirely deserving of its renown as one of Italy’s smallest yet most exceptional winemaking regions.
Yet it would be remiss to assume that Pinot Nero is exclusively suited to the northernmost parts of Italy. In fact, there are pockets of land all over the peninsula where the vine has taken a stronghold. In Friuli, Pinot Nero is regularly grown alongside the indigenous varieties of Pignolo, Schiopettino and Refosco. Pinot Nero is of course grown in Lombardy where it is used to make Franciacorta by the likes of Arcari Danesi and La Montina. And as far south as Sicily, Pinot Nero is proliferate on slopes of Mount Etna. Suffice to say, Pinot Nero is as equally prevalent across Italy as it is in the countries where it is known as Pinot Noir.
There is of course the question of method. The sensorial range that can be derived from a single grape varietal goes without saying. It depends, of course, on factors such as the terroir, the harvest, the pressing, the fermentation, the ageing, and the whims of the winemaker. For instance, in Arezzo at Podere Santa Felicita, 35 year old vines planted at 500 metre altitude are aged for 20 months in Burgundian barrels in order to produce their Cuna that makes an undebatable case for the fact that an exceptional ‘Pinot Noir’ can be made in Tuscany. Meanwhile in Puglia the Pinot Nero by Rivale is fermented in steel tanks followed by a year in tonneaux in order to lend a savoury and brackish element to this surprisingly delicate wine for an area best known for its punchy fruit forward reds. And little more needs to be said about the role that Pinot Noir plays in producing the delicately fragrant Demi-Sec Franciacorta by La Montina.
So, it that is not a case for a wider recognition of Pinot Nero as a cornerstone of Italian viticulture, then what more can be said. Just whatever you do, don’t call it the Italian Pinot Noir.
Luca’s Top Three
Pinot Nero Venezia Giulia IGP, Bressan, Friuli Venezia Giulia
This is a heavy hitter. In the first respect, it is due to Fulvio Bressan’s unwavering dedication to artisanal wines that place purity on the land and in the cellar first. Located close to the border with Sloevnia, the vineyards are challenging: steep slopes combined with gravelly soil yet tempered by a gentle Mediterranean climate. Pinot Nero was introduced to this area in the 1800s and successfully cultivated in areas that have surprising parallels with Burgundy. Planted on calcareous soil prior to slow fermentation and ageing for 5 years in oak barrels, this is a wine reflective of the ‘noble’ grape. This is belied by its ruby red hue and further reflected in its nuanced palate. Hints of truffle and musk merge with late summer berries to create a heady, powerful wine that is almost intoxicating.
Pinot Nero IGT, Rivale, Puglia
Mention a Puglian red wine and Primitivo is among the first grapes that will come to mind. But there is a strong case for another alliteration: Puglian Pinot Nero. And where better to make this case than just a few miles inland from the coastal town of Polignano a Mare. Prevailing coastal winds combined with protective wild bush insulates the delicate grapes from the harsh southern Italian climate. A combination of spontaneous fermentation and a year’s ageing in tonneaux produces a wine that would challenge anyone blind tasting to place from Puglia. Smokey notes with hints of orange zest and cooked plums together with a velvety texture in the mouth and fine herbs in the palate, this is a benchmark for the elegance possible of Puglian wines.
Cuna, Toscana Rosso IGT, Podere Santa Felicita, Tuscany
It is no mean feat to emulate Burgundian vinification and produce a worthy equivalent, yet Federico Stederini has succeeded. His small vineyard is at 500m of altitude which ensures a moderate climate for a Tuscan seeking to grow Pinot Nero. In this microclimate, Federico carefully tends to his vines in methods that emulate those deployed in Burgundy. A careful harvest means the grapes are never over ripe and the wine is notable for its soft tannins. Red fruit and lavender on the nose, a gentle acidity with a striking freshness. Pinot Nero tended to with a delicacy without compare.