Tuscany: Another new/old grape revived

Today's Italian wine scene is fascinating precisely because it's so full of tension.

Many small to medium producers, which are of most interest to me, are on a tightrope.  They are trying to find the right balance between innovation and tradition.  And at the same time they accentuate terroir -- the intimate connection with their land -- while seeking international markets.  None of this is easy, but increased production worldwide (and generally improved quality) make it necessary.

I've noticed that some aziende have embraced this set of challenges by digging into the local soil and resurrecting grape varieties that had almost disappeared. 

Before I go any further, I know you're probably thinking, "If the varieties were any good they wouldn't have fallen into obscurity."  It's a reasonable thought but not quite correct. Think of Falanghina.  The Mustillis and others in Campania brought this wonderful grape to the world's attention after it had been nearly forgotten, consigned to peasants' homemade vino.

Promiscuity is a good thing

Local varieties started disappearing when "promiscuous" viticulture was replaced early in the 20th century by a more "modern, scientific, specialized" (commercially driven) approach to vineyard management and winemaking. Fewer varieties were easier to deal with, and this dovetailed with the commercial drive to make an easily identified, consistent product.  That's hard to do when you aren't even sure what percentages of what vines you have on the property.

"Promiscuous" viticulture means that a whole bunch of grape varieties grew "wild" in a vineyard.  Clearly, many of these varieties were derived from one or two parents which were common in the area -- variations on a theme.  This practice continues in relatively backward areas like Portugal, where a simple $9 bottle of red might list 6-7-8 grapes on its label. Ironically, this backwardness heightens the unique flavor profiles and attraction of such wines.

Back to Italy.  I've already written several posts on the work that the Veneto-based Azienda Agricola Albino Armani has done to give new life to the foja tonda from the Vallagarina. In its youth a bit rough and rustic, the wine made from this grape ages impressively.  More to the point, it's unique, it expresses the territory in which it evolved -- and the Armanis hope to make it a signature wine to differentiate their winery.

Foja Tonda

And in Tuscany there is a winery with a similar mission: to resurrect a variety on its way to extinction, to develop it as a key differentiator of the azienda and, at the same time, to gain a deeper understanding of the potential of the terroir.

Fattoria Le Fonti, Chianti

I've written about this beautiful property a number of times.  The first post was after a tasting here in New York in January 2006.  It was then I met Tony Sasa and his associates from Le Fonti, the vineyard manager Lorenzo Bernini and the winemaker Paolo Caciorgna. (See photos of that event at end of article.)

Recently Lorenzo (l.) sent me an overview of the investigations made by the original researcher, Roberto Bandinelli of the University of Florence, and fellow researcher Paolo Storchi. They traced the genetic history of one grape that had been widely grown under the old vineyard-management system, surveyed the countryside and found that it existed but only in a few isolated spots, and called it what the local contadini had called it for generations: Foglia Tonda.

If that name seems a lot like Foja Tonda, that's because it is.  They both mean "round leaf."  But they are very different grapes in what the Italians call their organoleptic qualities. In other words, how the wines look, taste, smell.  And of course in their provenance.

Current Le Fonti lineup - Vito Arturo, a 100% Sangiovese cru, is my personal favorite

From out of the Tuscan dust

The Foglia Tonda of Tuscany is closely related to Sangiovese and Morellino del Casentino, "another interesting minor Tuscan grape."  I asked Lorenzo how the Foglia Tonda's wine would differ from Sangiovese -- really, I was wondering what the point was.  His reply:

FT is softer and less tannic than Sangiovese so it's ready to drink much sooner.  We plan to use older vines to provide a good balance of vigor and an ability to make a wine to age well.  But since there is so little FT in  production currently, we will now go so far only as to say that it should age fairly well.  The first [commercial] harvest will be in 2008.  The first FT wine will be released in 2011.

The softer and ready to drink part is key, obviously.  Foglia Tonda seems to be a kinder, gentler Sangiovese, less harsh and grating on the palate in its early years; but with greater varietal clarity than a typical Chianti with its Canaiolo, Colorino and other "taming" grapes.

From a vineyard management point of view, the researchers made these points in Foglia Tonda's favor:

Bud break is about the first of April, after Sangiovese and before Trebbiano...it matures ahead of Sangiovese, generally about the end of September.

In other words, Foglia Tonda should be less subject to late frosts and heavy autumn rains.  Further, it thrives in thin, well-drained soils and does well without irrigation in the dry summer months.  As the climate changes these attributes may well spur on the planting of the variety, a practical addition to its "organoleptic" advantages.

Lorenzo and the owners of Fattoria Le Fonti, the Imbertis, are evidently very keen on the potential of the Foglia Tonda.  When Lorenzo first told me about it, he was brimming with excitement.  I felt obligated to tell him, "But there's another Foglia Tonda under development."  I explained about the Armanis' research to resurrect their "round leaf" variety.

This didn't faze Lorenzo.  He smiled and said, "We can change the name.  The wine itself will be the important thing."

Based on his skills in the vineyard and Paolo's in the cantina, amply attested to by my eager consumption of their wines and oil, I have no doubt the wine will be very good.  Even strepitoso.

The problem will be one of marketing, communication and education.  I hope that, come 2011, the Anglo-Saxon world will be ready for yet another "new/old" Italian product on its crowded wine-store shelves.

Paolo Caciorgna and Tony Sasa

Caciorgna and Unknown American Journalist

The confident Lorenzo Bernini

 

Comments

[liloniadriano]

mustilli sisters?....woow!......

[piesal]

Foglia tonda???? New sort?????????????????????????????????? I think is a lot similar to Merlot.

[pierovini]

Foglia tonda??? New sort?? I think is a lot similar to merlot!! Coincidence??

[Terry Hughes]

Pierluigi, i ricercatori l'hanno analizzato, scoprendo che QUESTO vitigno e' geneticamente piu' simile al Sangiovese (e Morellino del Casentino, altra variazione su tema SG) che a qualsiasi altro.

Se c'e' un altro vitigno di nome FT, e se un ricercatore ha scoperto parentela Merlot, forse indica che ai contadini mancava l'immaginazione oppure un vocabolario ricco, eh?

[Michael M]

I think that it’s always good to have a nice wine from time to time. Personally I like red and white, it depends on what I want at that time. Over all I think quality is important and it’s good for health as well. Another page that may be of interest to some is here http://www.wine-expert-101.com/Good-Wine.php

[pierovini]

Le ipotesi possno essere tante...

Alcuni anni or sono, comunque, in un seminario sul marketing del vino ad Orvieto venne affrontato il discorso sul foglia tonda in Toscana...e le conclusioni erano molto scettiche....tra l'altro proprio da parte di un ordinario della Facoltà di Agraria di Firenze...
Cosa dire??

[Wilson]

Ma come simile al sangiovese e Merlot?
Lo forma della foglia e' completamente differente e anche i grappoli. Non c'e' dubbio che il foglia tonda sia una varieta' geneticamente differente e soprattutto appartenente alla toscana e all'italia.
Se l'uomo viticoltore moderno fosse piu furbo, anche dal punto di vista economico, lascerebbe il merlot in Francia per dedicarsi alle migliaia di varieta' italiane ormai in estinzione

[irrigation systems]

Foglia tonda? I think is a lot similar to merlot!! On I am agree with Michael that is it is always good to have a wine from time to time.