Another Friulian winemaker speaks up

God knows, I'm not one to cause trouble or fan the flames of controversy.  However.  Whenever anyone becomes the center of a cult -- of personality or winemaking or anything else -- my built-in bullshit-o-meter goes crazy.

By the way, I will provide an ad hoc definition of cult: uncritical acceptance of someone's song and dance.  Which seems to me the essence of Gravner's reception in this country.

I have been emailing back and forth with a winemaker in Friuli, Michele Ciani, who runs a family winery called Aquila del Torre.  To get another viewpoint, on the ground, I asked him for his thoughts and opinions on the cult winemaker Josko Gravner.  Michele's comments are perhaps more measured than Mario Zanusso's but still critical.  And they add an interesting new wrinkle or two to the brouhaha.

I am translating from Michele's well-considered email to me.  The original is included to assure you that I'm not taking undue liberties or slanting Michele's comments. 

To be scrupulous, I am intercalating my translation in Michele's original. 

I cosiddetti vini "dirty" o vini secondo natura sono una ennesima variabile alle mille variabili già esistenti su come produrre uva da vino e successivamente vino.

The so-called "dirty" wines, or wines according to nature, are the nth variable on the thousand ways already existing to produce wine grapes and, after that, wine.

Anche la nostra azienda sta facendo passi in avanti su questo argomento molto lentamente poichè si aggiungono imprevisti inattesi, per non parlare poi del gusto del consumatore. è un vero e proprio esperimento di anno in anno e l'azienda investe in educazione al gusto e all'approccio a questo tipo di vini.

Our winery is working through this issue quite slowly because of unexpected developments [in vinification?], not to mention the taste of the consumer.  It's really a year-to-year experiment.  We are always investing in our own education and approach to this kind of wine.

Noi facciamo parte del Gruppo Vini Veri che, anche quest'anno, organizza una bellissima degustazione a Isola della Scala in contemporanea al Vinitaly. All'interno del Gruppo Vini Veri esiste uno scambio collaborativo di esperienze e tutti i vignaioli dialogano tra di loro. Gravner non fa parte del nostro Gruppo e non è aperto al dialogo. Di solito si presenta da solo, ben supportato da una addetta all'ufficio stampa, ecc. ecc.

We belong to the Real Wine Group.  This year, as usual, we are organizing a nice tasting at Isola della Scala during Vinitaly.  The Group really does function as a clearinghouse of experience and of dialogue aomng all the winemakers who are members.  Gravner isn't a member and isn't open to dialogue.  As always he presents all on his own, assisted by a press agent and so forth.

Gravner: per alcuni produtori di Vini Veri è visto come un maestro che ha aperto la strada, per altri è soltanto un bravo viticoltore e un pessimo enologo, per altri ancora fa dei vini che snaturano il concetto vino=territorio.

Gravner: for some of the group's members he is a master who has opened new pathways, whereas for others he's a good viticulturalist and a terrible winemaker.  For some others he saps the meaning out of the concept of wine-and-territory.

Secondo il mio parere Gravner ha cambiato il suo stile di vino troppe volte in poco tempo, iniziando dall'acciaio, poi tutto in legno e ora tutto in anfora, dove andremo a finire? Rimane come esempio di un viticoltore cocciuto che non si accontenta mai, ma nel lungo periodo non è identificabile con uno stile definitivo. Inoltre penso che il suo modo di ragionare lo porti a produrre vini incardinati sulla sua persona e sul suo gusto personale. A parere il vino Gravner non esprime il territorio di Oslavia.

My opinion is that Gravner has changed his wine style too many times in too short a period, starting with steel, then everything in wood, now everything in amphora.  Where will it end? He remains an example of a very fine grower who is never contented, but over the long run he isn't identifiable with a definitive style.  I think, above all, his way of thinking leads him to make wines that are wrapped up in his personality [ego?] and his personal taste.  These wines don't express the terroir of his area, Oslavia.

Credo che il massimo per un vignaiolo sia proprio quello, dopo aver lavorato le sue vigne e travasato i suoi vini, di imbottigliare l'essenza della sua terra.  Noi stiamo cercando di imbottigliare le colline di Savorgnano del Torre.

My belief is that the best a winemaker can do, after he's worked his vines and decanted his wines, is to bottle the essence of his land.  We try to bottle the hills of Savorgnano del Torre.

Comments

[Marco]

Pergo-man is looking good!

[Dave]

"My belief is that the best a winemaker can do, after he's worked his vines and decanted his wines, is to bottle the essence of his land. We try to bottle the hills of Savorgnano del Torre."

What a memorable quote. Thanks for giving us something to live and drink wine by.
Could we make this the international anthem of winemaking?
Especially after reading Do Bianchi's memories of Bartolo Mascarello (http://dobianchi.wordpress.com/).

[Terence Dominic]

You have a good point, Dave. The simplicity and depth of Michele's comment are very compelling. Grazie!
And tell your frequent commenter Lynn to come over here sometime!