Arnt Egil Nordlien
Arnt Egil Nordlien
Frecciarossa was founded by Mario Odero, an italitan that for several years worked in England. But he missed Italy too much, returned and settled in small town Casteggio in the Oltrepo Pavese in the region of Lombardy. His son Giorgio Odero was born in Lombardy and naturally went to the university in Milan. But later his family sent him to France and to Montpellier where he took his degree as an enologist. After this he worked in Bordeaux as winemaker. Especially his time at Lafite-Rothschild made an impact on young Giorgio. So when he returned he decided to build the winery to have exactly the same dimensions and capacities of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild. New vines were planted, but Giorgio Odero did not find it necessary to import the grapes of Bordeaux, the local grapes were better suited for the area and more than good enough to make the Italian Lafite. For the reds the main grape should be Croatina with uva rara and barbera playing the minor roles. He made two wines from these grapes. The “chateau-wine” Frecciarossa grand cru and the Vino St.Georges, that sometimes was sold as rose, sometimes as a light red wine. There was also a dry white made from a blend of riesling (both italico and renano) and pinot nero. And a demi-sec white from mostly pinot nero. Frecciarossa wrote their labels in English and most of their wines were exported. England and US was the largest markets. Frecciarossa was from the 30’s described as one of the top Italian red wines. Later they lost much of the fame. When the appellation-system was built, Frecciarossa requested a DOC for that name. But it was denied as Frecciarossa applied to a single property only. Giorgio Odero died in 1983 and the estate passed on to his daughter Margherita. The Frecciarossa-estate still makes wine today under the Oltrepo Pavese DOC. Some time ago I found three old well-stored bottles of Frecciarossa. The white demi-sec Ambrato Sillery from the ’57-vintage was unfortunately oxidized and gone. Here are the notes from the two others:
Frecciarossa Vino St.George 1961
This is bottled as rose-wine. A fine bottle with high fill and a quality-cork. Onionskin colour. Red core. Pretty nose that starts off a bit shy. But after two hours it shows a lot more intensity. Floral notes, cherries, leather, earth. Highly evolved and complex. With more air it becomes more mushroomy with hints of tobacco. After three hours the notes turn to broth, dust and slight oxidation starts to emerge. I thought the wine would completely fall apart, but it remains in this state for the five hours the bottle lasts. In the mouth it is a light and delicate wine. Pure and acidic at first. Fine florality and complex mushroomy/forest floor-notes. This is a very delicate wine with fine very interesting fruit. With air it shows a bit more tightness and structure. Drier on the finish. After three hours it turns more rustic and the colour is badly browning. The red core is gone. This wine lived through a whole “wine-life” in three hours. On top (after about two hours) it was a very good wine.
Frecciarossa Grand cru 1969
So this is the grand vin of the estate. This was also a splendid bottle with high fill and a good cork. In the glass the wine has a deep red colour. Some bricking and a light browning rim. Pretty nose. Hints of dark berries (mostly blueberries), anise, floral notes. Tobacco and tar. This shows the croatina-grape. Fine, complex and evolved. Perhaps not the most intense. Fullbodied wine in the mouth. A little acidic taste. Fine fruit. Anise, dark berries, some floral notes. Also minerality. A transparent style with fine high notes. High acidity and some tannins in the back. Croatina is a grape that has pretty much of everything, except grace. It can be a rather rustic affair. This is one of the finer Croatinas I have tasted and it has aged gracefully. Good wine, that perhaps is most impressing on the nose. Should be drunk now.
Frecciarossa Vino St.George 1961
This is bottled as rose-wine. A fine bottle with high fill and a quality-cork. Onionskin colour. Red core. Pretty nose that starts off a bit shy. But after two hours it shows a lot more intensity. Floral notes, cherries, leather, earth. Highly evolved and complex. With more air it becomes more mushroomy with hints of tobacco. After three hours the notes turn to broth, dust and slight oxidation starts to emerge. I thought the wine would completely fall apart, but it remains in this state for the five hours the bottle lasts. In the mouth it is a light and delicate wine. Pure and acidic at first. Fine florality and complex mushroomy/forest floor-notes. This is a very delicate wine with fine very interesting fruit. With air it shows a bit more tightness and structure. Drier on the finish. After three hours it turns more rustic and the colour is badly browning. The red core is gone. This wine lived through a whole “wine-life” in three hours. On top (after about two hours) it was a very good wine.
Frecciarossa Grand cru 1969
So this is the grand vin of the estate. This was also a splendid bottle with high fill and a good cork. In the glass the wine has a deep red colour. Some bricking and a light browning rim. Pretty nose. Hints of dark berries (mostly blueberries), anise, floral notes. Tobacco and tar. This shows the croatina-grape. Fine, complex and evolved. Perhaps not the most intense. Fullbodied wine in the mouth. A little acidic taste. Fine fruit. Anise, dark berries, some floral notes. Also minerality. A transparent style with fine high notes. High acidity and some tannins in the back. Croatina is a grape that has pretty much of everything, except grace. It can be a rather rustic affair. This is one of the finer Croatinas I have tasted and it has aged gracefully. Good wine, that perhaps is most impressing on the nose. Should be drunk now.