WINERIES



We had plans of visiting more than the two wineries we got to see. But not always things go as we plan. Two wineries we was promised by our tour guide, just one we got to see. Some others we just enjoyed the sun and thought we could be back due to they are our neighbors.

The first winery we got to see was “Azienda Agricola EnzoCarmignani di Elena Carmignani”. Looks like we end up in Elena all the time, (our Russian teacher, our tour guide and now…). At Via di Cercatoia Alta 14 in Montecarlo Elena’s wine yard lays.

 

First of all about Montecarlo wines:

Montecarlo is an ancient medieval hamlet placed in the Tuscan “province” of Lucca, which together with the surrounding town councils of Altopascio, Capannori and Porcari bound the production zone of one of the oldest wines in Tuscany:

The village lies at 163 metres above sea level and overlooks both the Nievole Valley from one side and the Lucca Plain from the other one. The view is really impressive and the sight wanders idly through the charming hills all around it far away up to the rough peaks of Apuane Mountains.

The history of Montecarlo dates back to 1333; it was built to honour Charles from Boemia, King John’s son, who had helped with his soldiers the people from Lucca to chase after the Florentine people, already arrived to the Lucca walls.

Montecarlo wine is full of history; almost surely the grape-vine had already been cultivated in this zone since Etruscan and Roman times. The ancient name of Montecarlo was “Vivinaia”, and according to the learning people, this name comes from “ Vinaria Street”, the street which joined the Cassia and the Romea Street. This was a famous “Street of Wine” which went through the hill, whose slopes were already covered by Trebbiano vineyards, which gave origin to a really appreciated wine.

 

 

The wine producing tradition in Montecarlo went farther on and at the end of the 1800 the wine growing culture remarkably improved, thanks to the eagerness of a good wine grower from Lucca, Giulio Magnani, who brought to Italy some French species of vines ( White Pinot, Roussane, Sauvignon and Semillon) in order to improve the Tuscan Trebbiano; so new Montecarlo was originated from these innovations and was made according to the “ French tradition” ( French style). Subsequently other wine producers followed in his footsteps and imitated both the mixed vintage and its vinification.

In 1969 the white wine from Montecarlo obtained the official reward of controlled denomination of origin D.O.C. (awarded to wine of outstanding quality) and in 1985 even the red wine obtained the same.

As for the vineyards and wineries, a strong activity of renewal and updating in technological developments has recently taken place in order to let the small production reach the highest trade standard by now requested by the World Market.
 

Back to Elena, she has a close cooperation with the University in Pisa and their agricultural department. Her winery soil has created good quality with award winning wines. In addition she has a passion for the ecological production system that we see more and more of in this area.

We were quit lucky who got an invitation to one of her “garden” parties a few days after we had been for wine tasting at her home to enable us even more to fall in love with her wine.

Even with 15 ha with land se produce 7 types of wine. Indication she produce average 10000 bottles per type of wine. She has 3 type of White, 1 Rose, 2 Red and one desert Red.

 

We tasted it all. I.G.T. Chardonnay of Tuscany obtained from Chardonnay and White Pinot produced in a wine yard called “Verruka”. Its grapes are separately made at low temperature and later mixed up. Refined in Stainless Steel tanks before bottled, straw-yellow color, a fresh and sapid flavor and smell you can enjoy a fruity aroma. Perfect together with fish and shellfish

 

White Montecarlo is obtained from Trebbiano, Pinot Bianco, Vermentino, Sauvignon, Semillon and Roussane grapes. This also vinified in SS tanks, at low temperature this in order to keep the typical flavors belonging to these wines, full bright straw-yellow color beside its fruity and flowery bouquet, delicate and characteristic together with a dry and harmonious taste. Good match with white meat dishes.

 

 

Her last white is called URANO. This wine is the result of pure Sauvignon grapes cultivated in the coolest and airiest vineyards of the entire winery. It is a bright straw-yellow wine. From the characteristic fruity flavor rich of grapefruit and citron notes, fresh and tasty in the mouth and perfect with fish.

 

Her Rose wine “Kapogiro” is a brand new bland she did not want to tell too much about yet. Never the less it was this Rose we fell in love with this summer. It had the fruity and flowery bouquet. A medium plus pink color, and it was dry as we like it. Not a too strong after taste, but a touch into sweetness after some time that make it dangerous to leave at a table on a warm summer night. We tasted it with several fish and shellfish dishes and it was a complete match.

 

 

We also brought back to Moscow a bottle of her ALEATICO, her desert wine. Not a port, but could be enjoyed like one and I am quite pleased to have this for the winter evenings.

This professional winemaker did not have a professional area for wine tasting. It was done in a local Italian farmer’s way, both the tasting and the dinner in her garden. The food at the dinner she had invited in a chef from Viareggio with years of practice for fish and seafood dishes. And it gave us the best summer experience we could have. Get to know local wine we would not have experienced unless by coincident which is the best way to find great stuff.

 

 To compare this with the experience of the Montecarlo best wine tasting place at “Buonamico” is difficult. Wine tasting is based on what you like and not what people say. We got back bottles from Buonamico too, red and white. The Spumante we could not wait to drink so that we enjoyed already in Italy.

 

 

In order to further improve his wines, Giulio Magnani, an enlightened and passionate winemaker from Montecarlo and proprietor of the Marchi-Magnani farming estate, left for France around the year 1870 to study the grape varieties and winemaking techniques of our cousins beyond the Alps, who at that time were already producing wines that were highly valued even well beyond their borders. He ended up in the Bordeaux region and later brought Sauvignon, Semillon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes back with him to Montecarlo. He also acquired Roussanne and Syrah grapes while travelling through the Rhone region, as well as white and gray Pinot grapes from the Burgundy region.

Upon returning home, he began experimenting by adding various percentages of these new varieties to the Trebbiano wine in order to render it more elegant, smooth and fragrant.

From that time forward, the Montecarlo wine states began producing high quality wines, which are recognized as such both nationally and internationally.

 

The wines of Montecarlo soon became highly sought after by some of the most illustrious personalities of the time, to the point that they were even found at Prince Umberto of Savoy’s wedding to Maria Josè at the Quirinal Palace in 1930. At that time, the wines produced by the Marchi Magnani estate, as well as those of other producers, including the Pucci, Carrara, Pardocchi, De Dominicis estates, won numerous awards in Italy as well as abroad. Back then, the wine was known by everyone as “The Chablis of Montecarlo”.

Significant investments were immediately made to further improve the quality of the wines produced on the new property, which belongs to the Fontana family.

The property extends over 40 hectares, 26 of which are employed in the production of red and white grapes. With a three-year program of planting on the vacant land, which began in the spring of 2009 and ended in the spring of 2011, the total wine growing area has reached a total of 38 hectares.

 

During this time frame, a number of the older and less productive vineyards were replaced with new plantations of higher density per hectare. The new grapevines are exclusively derived from noble strains, including white grapes such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Vermentino and Viogner, and red grape varieties such as Sangiovese Syrah and Canaiolo. An experimental vineyard of the Canaiolo Rosa and Buonamico varieties has been created in order to monitor the development of the vines over time and to maintain a heritage of these two types of grape varieties, which has almost entirely disappeared on a national level, with the ultimate goal of using them for the Estate’s rosé wine.

The latest development in the cellar, on the other hand, is the presence of winemaker Alberto Antonini, with whom a multi-year development program is shared, aimed at improving the quality of the wines already present, while keeping a keen eye on the trends expected from the market.

The estate’s new look is being coordinated by architect Paolo Riani, who is following the entire process of its restructuring.

 

In addition to a brand new wine-tasting room for hosting the increasing number of visitors interested in finding out more about the wines produced upon the estate, the charming and historic wine cellar known as “l’inferno” has also been renovated, where guests can enjoy our winery’s rich history of winemaking, from the first bottle dating back to 1964, to the latest vintage. For those who are interested in discovering the place behind this intriguing name, the wine cellar is even equipped with a number of interesting vertical display cases.

 

 

In order to be able to accommodate all the grapes that will be grown using the new plantations, with the new plantations and the old re-planted terrains reaching a total of nearly 12 hectares, the winery’s production facilities will undergo a significant structural expansion of 500 square meters, while leaving the current layout, surrounded by lush greenery, unaltered.

What’s more, the winery will also be equipped with the best winemaking, bottling and storage equipment.

 

Since the volume of the reserves will also increase over the years, the “barriccia” will also be expanded and will be built in an ad hoc environment, where the wines can rest undisturbed, save for the occasional visitors.

An area has even been dedicated to the aging of the reserve wines, with a special temperature-controlled and thoroughly dehumidified environment.

With the investments that have already been made and those which are foreseen for the near future, the company’s objective is to quickly obtain wines of the utmost quality, with maximum respect for the land and with an open mind to any new developments in wine-making techniques. 

 

I have already mentioned that we fall in love with the Spumante Particolare as we were served this wine the first Sunday in Montecarlo with our first dinner there. Rosé and sparkling wine vinification according to the Charmat method: the sparkling wine vinification process is carried out in an autoclave at a constantly monitored temperature, where the select yeasts provide for optimal fermentation. Once the fermentation time of approximately 120 days has been completed, the product is immediate filtered in order to preserve its natural freshness. The final bottling stage is carried out after the product has been left to age for several weeks in an autoclave. The wine is then left to age in the bottle for an additional 4 months. The result I know will be more bottles at our home next year. The dry wine made from Sangiovese and Syrah grapes is complete and could give a change to our love for Prosecco.

 

 

We brought home two other wines, one was the Il Fortino Syrah. In 2009 Wine Spectator gave it 94 points and I can understand. What we tasted was maybe a bit younger wine, but very enjoyable. It is a 100% SYRAH, Fermentation in stainless steel and ageing in French Oak barrels for about 18 months. Intense, full-bodied, with red fruits mixed with vanilla and spices (pepper and liquorice).  Very full-bodied, fruity, balanced, with a great structure. It fit Grilled red and white meat with or without sauces, delicate roast meat.

The other was a white, VASARIO 100% White Pinot. Yellow with golden reflexes, very intense, complex, with flowers and fruits mixed with spices, wide, well structured, very balanced, with a soft and persistent end, shellfishes with light sauce, roast fishes or baked in foil, white meat, light sauce.

 

It has to be said that Buonamico is a professional wine tasting wine yard. If you pass by between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. you will be taken care of for tasting of either 4 white, 4 red or both alternatives. If you would like a tour at the facility as well you should give them a call in advance. I know they have a great guide with great stories to tell. In addition make a lunch, it gives you more time for wine tasting and time to think of what to bring back home or shipped.

 

I can just say we had some great time visit these two wine yards. Look forward to find out more about the other in our neighborhood.