Steinberger on 'natural wine'
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Oswaldo Costa
Oswaldo Costa
Yawn. Subjectivity is an asset. Natural just means some kind of farming that encourages rich soil life and yeast/bacteria, picking by hand to minimize SO2 additions, and then some version of "lutte raisone" in the cellar; anything more, even a stricture against never ever adding yeasts, would be, I think, too prescriptive, and stifle variety even more than the concept is already accused of doing.
Oliver McCrum
Oliver McCrum
Oswaldo,
what would 'lutte raisonee in the cellar' consist of? I think of that as a type of agriculture.
When I hear the word 'natural' I reach for my revolver.
what would 'lutte raisonee in the cellar' consist of? I think of that as a type of agriculture.
When I hear the word 'natural' I reach for my revolver.
Joe Dressner
Joe Dressner
Oliver:
You should reach for your revolver. You don't like "Natural Wines." That's a fair position.
Jancis Robinson has a new article on "Natural Wine" which you might also want to look at.
ft.com/cms/s/2/435d2112-cb70-11df-95c0-00144feab49a.html
You should reach for your revolver. You don't like "Natural Wines." That's a fair position.
Jancis Robinson has a new article on "Natural Wine" which you might also want to look at.
ft.com/cms/s/2/435d2112-cb70-11df-95c0-00144feab49a.html
Oswaldo Costa
Oswaldo Costa
Indeed, I was borrowing the term. For example, violating a "tenet" only if not doing so means losing everything.
Tom Glasgow
Thomas W Glasgow
FAQ?
Oliver McCrum
Oliver McCrum
'Natural Wines' sound like a movie.
I think I like natural wines, though. It's kind of hard to say when the phrase seems to mean something different to different people. They sound a lot nicer than unnatural wines, certainly.
Steve Edmunds
Steve Edmunds
Fuck all this natural wine shit--supernatural wine is where it's at!
Tom Glasgow
Thomas W Glasgow
Heaven can wait.
Tom Glasgow
Thomas W Glasgow
but what about the hyperlink?
Morgan Harris
Morgan Harris
My Chef recently visited Guiseppe Mascarello and used the term "Organic" while speaking with him. He was promptly treated to a fairly ornery insistence that his wines were "natural" and that "organic" is a silly way to put it.
He did bring back a bottle of what I think was called "Fresia" (which I think is the grape? It was labeled Langhe Rosso). I think he said it doesn't get imported here. That shit is crazy...anyone had this wine?
Levi, do you know the story with it?
He did bring back a bottle of what I think was called "Fresia" (which I think is the grape? It was labeled Langhe Rosso). I think he said it doesn't get imported here. That shit is crazy...anyone had this wine?
Levi, do you know the story with it?
Bill Lundstrom
Bill Lundstrom
fresia is the grape. if its labeled langhe rosso it probably is a blend.
Levi Dalton
Levi Dalton
Freisa is a semi-aromatic red grape variety native to the Piemonte and rarely seen outside of it. It has a family resemblance in flavor profile to Ruche' and Brachetto, and also to Nebbiolo, the last of which I think it is a parent of.
In the non-ripasso form of Freisa, one would expect lifted rose and red fruit aromatic character, as well as some noticeable acidity and sometimes also there are grape tannins. The color of the wine can be more purplish in youth than one might expect from the flavor profile. The wines can age tremendously over 10-15 years from the good producers, and I have had life changing wines with age on them from both Vajra and Coppo (the Mondaccione bottling). Regarding the ageability thing, it is kind of like Gamay, as the wines age they lean up a bit and seem to mimic Nebbiolo more, just as Gamay can mimic Pinot Noir with some age involved.
Other producers to consider if you want to get a handle on the grape variety besides those already mentioned would be Cavallotto, and in the much different ripasso of nebbiolo skins style, Bartolo Mascarello. The version of Bartolo Mascarello is perhaps the outlier today, and is extrememly dense and deep, with dark fruit and unabated mineral character. It is not for the faint of heart, nor is it imported.
If you like Freisa I would point you also in the direction of still Brachetto, perhaps by someone like Corregia, or Ruche' by the likes of Crivelli or Luca Ferraris (specifically the Opera Prima bottling). You might also try a Pelaverga.
Supposedly there is a style of making Freisa in which the result is similar to Brachetto d'Acqui, that is to say somewhat sweet and also frizzante, but I have never encountered an example.
Freisa is blended at times. With what other grape variety tends to be related to where you are in the Piemonte. There is an appellation for Freisa and Gringolino blended together that I would like to try someday. So far, I don't think I have had the opportunity.
I would specifically like to thank Joe Salamone for introducing me to some of the benchmark Freisa bottlings.
In the non-ripasso form of Freisa, one would expect lifted rose and red fruit aromatic character, as well as some noticeable acidity and sometimes also there are grape tannins. The color of the wine can be more purplish in youth than one might expect from the flavor profile. The wines can age tremendously over 10-15 years from the good producers, and I have had life changing wines with age on them from both Vajra and Coppo (the Mondaccione bottling). Regarding the ageability thing, it is kind of like Gamay, as the wines age they lean up a bit and seem to mimic Nebbiolo more, just as Gamay can mimic Pinot Noir with some age involved.
Other producers to consider if you want to get a handle on the grape variety besides those already mentioned would be Cavallotto, and in the much different ripasso of nebbiolo skins style, Bartolo Mascarello. The version of Bartolo Mascarello is perhaps the outlier today, and is extrememly dense and deep, with dark fruit and unabated mineral character. It is not for the faint of heart, nor is it imported.
If you like Freisa I would point you also in the direction of still Brachetto, perhaps by someone like Corregia, or Ruche' by the likes of Crivelli or Luca Ferraris (specifically the Opera Prima bottling). You might also try a Pelaverga.
Supposedly there is a style of making Freisa in which the result is similar to Brachetto d'Acqui, that is to say somewhat sweet and also frizzante, but I have never encountered an example.
Freisa is blended at times. With what other grape variety tends to be related to where you are in the Piemonte. There is an appellation for Freisa and Gringolino blended together that I would like to try someday. So far, I don't think I have had the opportunity.
I would specifically like to thank Joe Salamone for introducing me to some of the benchmark Freisa bottlings.
Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
I still have one bottle of Vajra 89 Freisa. Do I recall arights that it benefitted from a long decant before serving?
Levi Dalton
Levi Dalton
I think I recall pouring without decant and being just ridicously pleased with the result, but you might try pouring some from the bottle into your glass and decanting the rest.