"Wine is the most civilized thing in the world." Ernest Hemingway
After days of intense heat and cloudless skies, finally there was a break in the weather. And it came just in time because on this pleasantly cool Friday evening, we would be having our aperitivo at the Colonnara winery along with representatives from the Slow Food movement, wine journalists, and a number of sommeliers . The event, sponsored by Slow Food, was a special tasting of select vintages of methodo classico sparkling wines from Colonnara. When I read the lineup of wines, there was not a moment's hesitation, no contemplation, just an instantaneous desire to be there. And that is how my husband, Jim, and I found ourselves navigating the windy road to Cupramontana to spend an evening at the winery. Being a fan of the Colonnara methodo classico wines, I was sure that this evening would not disappoint, and, of course, it was beyond expectations, inspirational, educational, and for me quite challenging to the three relevant senses.
The room, all dressed up and awaiting the participants
As the 30 participants took their seats, I looked around and realized that I was suffering from a bout of intimidation. Here I was surrounded by a group of serious looking wine professionals ready to experience the wines. I had every intention of being just as serious, so I wiped the smile off of my face, got out the note pad to take down insights, and mentally walked myself through a little wine tasting 101 exercise - no physical activity required except bending the elbow. And then, I waited expectantly for the first pour.
The sommeliers awaiting the first pour
There was no shot to signal the start, no popping of the cork with a sword, just that sudden quiet that periodically descends upon a crowd followed by the sound of the Colonnara Cuvee Tradition pouring into the glass. This first wine was the only wine on the tasting line up produced by the charmat method. It was kind of the amuse bouche to tempt the palate. Cuvee Tradition is the first sparkling wine that Colonnara made back in 1970. To call it a charmat (martinotti in Italian) does not do it justice, for it is a longer aged wine that takes on some of the characteristics of a methodo classico. In the glass the color is straw yellow with an active and fine perlage. When I inhale this wine I think of summer stone fruits and almonds, and I think about a spring day with the scent of acacia flowers. In the mouth, the wine is delicate and fresh with a finish of almond. I like to keep several bottles on hand to celebrate every occasion like dinner time, beautiful sunsets, or just because it's Tuesday.
The line up of things to come - 5 methodo classico wines
Next began the vertical tasting of Ubaldo Rosi Brut Methodo Classico Riserva vintages 2008, 2006, 2005, and 2002. Ubaldo Rosi is Colonnara's award winning methodo classico made from the Verdicchio grape. It is aged on the lees for 60 months. Ubaldo Rosi has been named the third best sparkling wine in Italy and the best south of the Po river. While it continues to garner accolades from the wine press, my friend Marty upon opening the bottle of 2008 that he took home to CA after his visit here summed up the experience clearly and succinctly, "It was excellent. An incredible value." Although I had tasted the 2008 vintage on several occasions, I was very curious to experience it in comparison to the same wine aged for longer periods of time. So, here are my reflections upon these exceptional wines.
Ubaldo Rosi, 2008 is a wine for special occasions, such as today when we are celebrating the birth of our second grandson. But, it is affordable and can be the star of any dinner. I love the beautiful straw yellow color and the nose of caramelized sugar and almond with an underlying potential of bread crust. The nose maintains a bit of freshness and perhaps a bit of the sweetness of fruit. It has none of the woodiness of many champagnes. In the glass the perlage is quite active and persistent, but in the mouth the wine is incredibly soft and smooth. As I took a sip, I turned to Jim and asked, "So what do you taste?" He replied, " something out of the ordinary. I taste quality." I remember once asking that question of our friend, Michele, a broker of wines from France and Italy, when we were drinking a prosecco. His reply, "sombrero". I must admit that I was stunned by the answer and confused. What did that mean? Well, as I taste more wines and begin to see them as more than a party in a pretty glass with a stem, I am starting to understand this. Think about those English classes where you learned about connotation. With that context in mind, I thought about how I would sum up Ubaldo Rosi 2008 in one word. My answer, "Michelangelo" - artistry in a glass. So, I wonder can any of the older wines top this experience?
Ubaldo Rosi, 2008 is a wine for special occasions, such as today when we are celebrating the birth of our second grandson. But, it is affordable and can be the star of any dinner. I love the beautiful straw yellow color and the nose of caramelized sugar and almond with an underlying potential of bread crust. The nose maintains a bit of freshness and perhaps a bit of the sweetness of fruit. It has none of the woodiness of many champagnes. In the glass the perlage is quite active and persistent, but in the mouth the wine is incredibly soft and smooth. As I took a sip, I turned to Jim and asked, "So what do you taste?" He replied, " something out of the ordinary. I taste quality." I remember once asking that question of our friend, Michele, a broker of wines from France and Italy, when we were drinking a prosecco. His reply, "sombrero". I must admit that I was stunned by the answer and confused. What did that mean? Well, as I taste more wines and begin to see them as more than a party in a pretty glass with a stem, I am starting to understand this. Think about those English classes where you learned about connotation. With that context in mind, I thought about how I would sum up Ubaldo Rosi 2008 in one word. My answer, "Michelangelo" - artistry in a glass. So, I wonder can any of the older wines top this experience?
Winemaker, Agostino, setting the stage and introducing Ubaldo Rosi 2008
I am so enthralled with the 2008 that I am still sniffing and tasting as the Ubaldo Rosi 2006 is poured into the second glass. I sit and watch it for a while as I continue to explore the nuance of the 2008. What I notice is that the straw yellow color has taken on the slight greenish tint often associated with the verdicchio grape. Finally, I pick up the glass and inhale. There is more subtlety in the nose. I try to discern what it is I am smelling and inhale again. As I do this I hear someone say panettone, and I think, yes. That is a good way to describe it. On the palate, there is more complexity. It is a somewhat more mature and refined wine than the 2008. And while it has lost a little of the freshness of the 2008, that is not a bad thing because it makes up for it in depth of character.
The Ubaldo Rosi 2005 was a very interesting wine that probably created more comment at my table than any of the others. In the glass it looked quite similar to the 2006 with a light straw yellow color with a slight green highlight. As I sipped it, I heard comments that it had an unusual nose, not as open as the previous wines. Quite a discussion ensued trying to discern that the unique element of the nose was, but, alas, there was never a resolution of this question. For my part, I thought this vintage had more of the bread crust and almond scents, but the bouquet was much more subtle than the 2008. On the palate it had a very well balanced acidity and smoothness. By the end of the evening, it was clear that the 2005 had divided the participants. Some thought this was the top of the Ubaldo Rosi selections; others rated it at or near the bottom. For me, after tasting these three very similar wines, my senses were on overload, and it was getting very difficult to distinguish one from the other, particularly as the differences were becoming more subtle.
The Ubaldo Rosi 2005 was a very interesting wine that probably created more comment at my table than any of the others. In the glass it looked quite similar to the 2006 with a light straw yellow color with a slight green highlight. As I sipped it, I heard comments that it had an unusual nose, not as open as the previous wines. Quite a discussion ensued trying to discern that the unique element of the nose was, but, alas, there was never a resolution of this question. For my part, I thought this vintage had more of the bread crust and almond scents, but the bouquet was much more subtle than the 2008. On the palate it had a very well balanced acidity and smoothness. By the end of the evening, it was clear that the 2005 had divided the participants. Some thought this was the top of the Ubaldo Rosi selections; others rated it at or near the bottom. For me, after tasting these three very similar wines, my senses were on overload, and it was getting very difficult to distinguish one from the other, particularly as the differences were becoming more subtle.
Discussing the 2005 Ubaldo Rosi with Emiliano, an executive of Colonnara
The final tasting of the Ubaldo Rosi vintages was the 2002. This wine had taken on a more golden color than the prior vintages. In the glass it looked more like a champagne. When I lifted the glass to breathe in the bouquet, I raised my eyebrows in surprise. I sniffed again to make sure of what I was smelling. And on my third inhale, I said cheese. "But which cheese is it," asked the gentleman across the table? At first I thought it might be a very, very subtle Gorgonzola scent. But, he shook his head as he inhaled deeply. And after a few minutes he looked up at me and said, "crusts of brie". Now this was a person with a very refined nose, and I was impressed. He identified the perfect descriptor. While the nose was quite unusual, the palate was not. It was more complex with a very lingering finish, but it still exhibited qualities of the verdicchio grape - almond, honey with an overlay of bread crust.
While I asked others what was their favorite of the Ubaldo Rosi wines, I find it very difficult to pick one. They were all similar and distinct at the same time. I truly appreciated the freshness of the 2008 which emitted a more fruity nose than the other vintages. But I also appreciated the increasingly greater complexity of the wines over time. I would gladly call every one Michelangelo.
While I asked others what was their favorite of the Ubaldo Rosi wines, I find it very difficult to pick one. They were all similar and distinct at the same time. I truly appreciated the freshness of the 2008 which emitted a more fruity nose than the other vintages. But I also appreciated the increasingly greater complexity of the wines over time. I would gladly call every one Michelangelo.
The Ubaldo Rosi vintages in the glass
Following the four Ubaldo Rosi vintages, it was time to taste a 1993 Luigi Ghislieri, a second methodo classico made by the Colonnara winery bottle aged for no less than 30 months. This is the wine that I coveted as it was presented to the top of the class at the sommelier graduation (see my prior post of July 5, 2015). Looking at the bottle, I am not certain that I have ever had a wine that is over twenty years old before. So, now I am looking for a context to relate this wine to. 1993 was the year that my son turned 11, I was working on the 27th floor of an office building in Oakland, CA, we had 2 dogs, 4 cats, 28 rabbits, and boarded two horses who lived on our hillside. And, I was just discovering Bon Jovi. My drink of choice was some inexpensive California champagne. As I think back to these events, I am more appreciative of how long this wine has been in the bottle. And I wonder if I rub that bottle three times what magic will pour out. Well, I was soon to learn that rubbing the bottle was not a prerequisite to unleashing the magic of this vintage. In the glass, the color was as soft and straw yellow as the younger Ubaldo Rosi wines. And, the perlage danced the tango as the fine bubbles rose in the glass. The wine has maintained its very characteristic nose of almonds, fruits, and a freshness I was surprised to find in a wine of this age. On the palate it was soft, complex, and beautiful with some notes of licorice on the finish. I never expected a 20 year old wine to maintain so much of the character of a much younger wine while acquiring additional structure and balance. This wine gave me a totally different view of older wines and a much greater appreciation for the effects of aging. Oh, if we could all age with this much grace and elegance. So, I asked myself, what one word would describe this wine. Venice, I think, because after the first taste, I have the same feeling that I had on that first trip to Venice 15 years ago - awe, amazement, amore.
1993 Luigi Ghislieri, amazing!!
When the tasting concluded, I asked our friend, Giovanni, a delegate of FISAR, the Federation of Italian Hotel and Restaurant Sommeliers, what his favorite wines were. Without hesitation, he told me the Ubaldo Rosi 2005 and the Luigi Ghislieri 1993. I found his response interesting as the 2005 Ubaldo Rosi was the wine that sparked the most controversy. So in spite of all of the attempts to provide structure and standardization to the rating of wines, there is no way to standardize taste. The old saying, "that's why there is chocolate and vanilla" still applies.
And here are the wines - four vintages of Ubaldo Rosi and Luigi Ghislieri 1993 (in the magnum).
