Arnt Egil Nordlien
Arnt Egil Nordlien
”Non, Sire, c’est une révolution”, this quote is what people mostly associate with the dukes of Rochefoucauld. This was the liberal Francois Alexandre Frederic, Duke of Rochefoucauld’s answer to the french king Louis XVI on his question July 12th 1789 if there was a revolt going on.
A couple of generations later, in 1847, shall the Duke of Rochefoucauld again create upheaval this time in the small area Cerignola in Apulia in south of Italy. The duke has bought most of the land in the area and is building a huge winery. 3000 hectars of land is planted with vines. The variety was important to the Duke. He personally wanted the winery planted with his favorite the Malbec-grape. Vines were cut and sent from France. Rails were laid all the way to the winery and makes it possible to send the wines back to France. The locals name the winery becomes Quarto ducale the dukes quarter as it makes up a quarter of the total Cerignola-district. When the winery is finished it is said to have been the largest single unit ever for agricultural production.
But times are a changing. And with the time the French influence disappears in Italy. And with the changing of leadership, the Quarto ducale decays. But the influence of the malbec-grape remains. Later it becomes part of the local appellation of Rosso di Cerignola.
In 1930 the Cirillo-Farrusi-family buys parts of the old winery and restores it. The winery gets the name Torre quarto after the tower on the old farm. 60 hectars of vines are brought back into production. Still most of these vines are from the malbec-variety. The red wines from Torre quarto is made by a blend of around three quarters malbec and the rest is the local grape of pride - Uva di Troia. As first producer in the area, Torre quarto starts bottling their own wine and exporting it. Production is about 18000 cases annually. In the best years a riserva is made, but never more than 2000 cases. Torre quarto fast gets a very good reputation. Especially for the ability to age well, even 20-30 years. During this period from the 30’s and up to around 1970 Torre quarto gets known as one of southern Italy’s best red wines.
According to Burton Anderson regional authorities was involved as owners during the 80’s. But according to Torre quartos homepage the winery is today owned by the Cirillo-Farrusi-family. But the quality of the wines seems to have faded during this period. Another thing to notice is that the malbec-grape is no longer used at Torre quarto. It has been replaced by cabernet, merlot, sangiovese, montepulciano, primitive and negroamaro. Some time ago I was lucky enough to buy some older wines from Torre quarto. Here are the notes:
Torre Quarto 1974
Fine bottle, A-level fill. Deep brown-red colour. Deep, but badly browning. The nose shows some oxidation. But also earth, tobacco, chocolate, light floral notes. Fullbodied and still lots of fruit in the mouth. Slightly rustic, earthy style with too much oxidation in the fruit. Medium acidity. Some tannins on the finish. Hope for better bottles out there.
Torre Quarto riserva 1968
Fine bottle, A-level fill. Deep brown-red colour. Quite weird nose, but not unpleasant. Confected liquorice, paint (not VA). Complex, lots of high notes. Fullbodied and tight wine in the mouth. Full of life with lots of fruit. A bit warm with confected liquorice, blueberries, floral high-notes. A bit soft in the middle with low acids. Some tannins in the back. A slight metallic note on the finish. Good wine, although a peculiar one. Still lots of life.
Torre Quarto riserva speciale 1953
Fine bottle, level B. Onion-skin colour. Light and quite a lot of brown. Very pretty and complex nose. Dust, citrus, anise and fine floral high-notes. Intense and very pretty. Mature, but intense wine in the mouth. Very pretty taste-curve with sweetness from the fruit all the way through. Complex tertiary flavours. Dust, citrus, anise, lots of florality. Very transparent almost like a very old nebbiolo. Fine acidity and some tannins still fighting in the back giving the wine a long taste. Roses on the finish. Great great wine. Drink now.
Don Marcello 2006, Torre quarto
As an afterthough I also bought a bottle of one of the wines made today at Torre quarto. This cuvee is made from 25% Uva di Troia, 20% each sangiovese/cabernet/merlot and 15% montepulciano. Deep red colour. Typical sunwarm fruit on the nose. Cherries, anise and tobacco-notes. Fullbodied and very soft wine in the mouth. Warm and sweetish fruit. Anise, tobacco-notes and a touch of oak. Medium concentration. Very little structure. Too soft style. Low acids and short taste. Boring wine and very modest quality. Browsing the web-site of Torre quarto it looks like none of the wines made today contains any malbec. They do grow cabernet, merlot and chardonnay though. It is very sad considering the glorious past of this estate that they have replaced a wine with such a distinguished personality with something as totally boring as this.
A couple of generations later, in 1847, shall the Duke of Rochefoucauld again create upheaval this time in the small area Cerignola in Apulia in south of Italy. The duke has bought most of the land in the area and is building a huge winery. 3000 hectars of land is planted with vines. The variety was important to the Duke. He personally wanted the winery planted with his favorite the Malbec-grape. Vines were cut and sent from France. Rails were laid all the way to the winery and makes it possible to send the wines back to France. The locals name the winery becomes Quarto ducale the dukes quarter as it makes up a quarter of the total Cerignola-district. When the winery is finished it is said to have been the largest single unit ever for agricultural production.
But times are a changing. And with the time the French influence disappears in Italy. And with the changing of leadership, the Quarto ducale decays. But the influence of the malbec-grape remains. Later it becomes part of the local appellation of Rosso di Cerignola.
In 1930 the Cirillo-Farrusi-family buys parts of the old winery and restores it. The winery gets the name Torre quarto after the tower on the old farm. 60 hectars of vines are brought back into production. Still most of these vines are from the malbec-variety. The red wines from Torre quarto is made by a blend of around three quarters malbec and the rest is the local grape of pride - Uva di Troia. As first producer in the area, Torre quarto starts bottling their own wine and exporting it. Production is about 18000 cases annually. In the best years a riserva is made, but never more than 2000 cases. Torre quarto fast gets a very good reputation. Especially for the ability to age well, even 20-30 years. During this period from the 30’s and up to around 1970 Torre quarto gets known as one of southern Italy’s best red wines.
According to Burton Anderson regional authorities was involved as owners during the 80’s. But according to Torre quartos homepage the winery is today owned by the Cirillo-Farrusi-family. But the quality of the wines seems to have faded during this period. Another thing to notice is that the malbec-grape is no longer used at Torre quarto. It has been replaced by cabernet, merlot, sangiovese, montepulciano, primitive and negroamaro. Some time ago I was lucky enough to buy some older wines from Torre quarto. Here are the notes:
Torre Quarto 1974
Fine bottle, A-level fill. Deep brown-red colour. Deep, but badly browning. The nose shows some oxidation. But also earth, tobacco, chocolate, light floral notes. Fullbodied and still lots of fruit in the mouth. Slightly rustic, earthy style with too much oxidation in the fruit. Medium acidity. Some tannins on the finish. Hope for better bottles out there.
Torre Quarto riserva 1968
Fine bottle, A-level fill. Deep brown-red colour. Quite weird nose, but not unpleasant. Confected liquorice, paint (not VA). Complex, lots of high notes. Fullbodied and tight wine in the mouth. Full of life with lots of fruit. A bit warm with confected liquorice, blueberries, floral high-notes. A bit soft in the middle with low acids. Some tannins in the back. A slight metallic note on the finish. Good wine, although a peculiar one. Still lots of life.
Torre Quarto riserva speciale 1953
Fine bottle, level B. Onion-skin colour. Light and quite a lot of brown. Very pretty and complex nose. Dust, citrus, anise and fine floral high-notes. Intense and very pretty. Mature, but intense wine in the mouth. Very pretty taste-curve with sweetness from the fruit all the way through. Complex tertiary flavours. Dust, citrus, anise, lots of florality. Very transparent almost like a very old nebbiolo. Fine acidity and some tannins still fighting in the back giving the wine a long taste. Roses on the finish. Great great wine. Drink now.
Don Marcello 2006, Torre quarto
As an afterthough I also bought a bottle of one of the wines made today at Torre quarto. This cuvee is made from 25% Uva di Troia, 20% each sangiovese/cabernet/merlot and 15% montepulciano. Deep red colour. Typical sunwarm fruit on the nose. Cherries, anise and tobacco-notes. Fullbodied and very soft wine in the mouth. Warm and sweetish fruit. Anise, tobacco-notes and a touch of oak. Medium concentration. Very little structure. Too soft style. Low acids and short taste. Boring wine and very modest quality. Browsing the web-site of Torre quarto it looks like none of the wines made today contains any malbec. They do grow cabernet, merlot and chardonnay though. It is very sad considering the glorious past of this estate that they have replaced a wine with such a distinguished personality with something as totally boring as this.