WINEMAKER VISITS OFFER BENEFITS OF FIRST HAND ACCESS
For a wine devotee, Colorado is a blessed place. We have particularly savvy wine consumers and good distribution of a wide variety of wines. Thus, we are graced with countless visits from wineries eager to tap into our sophisticated market.
One of the more enjoyable aspects of being a wine writer is the opportunity to meet and taste with winery personnel and winemakers. Though, I usually don’t write about these visits because of the loss of objectivity given the circumstances.
Occasionally, this is balanced by the knowledge and perspective gained meeting these creative, dedicated individuals. At three recent visits, I tasted wines that I would have recommended under any circumstances.
One such visit was with Theresa Heredia, winemaker at Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery. Founded in 1982, the winery has grown in acclaim for its artisan Russian River Valley Chardonnay’s and Pinot Noirs.
Now Theresa, who joined the winery in 2012 from Joseph Phelps’ Freestone Vineyards, carries on the tradition. She told me she prefers wines with fresh fruit, natural acidity, structure, and earthiness that reflect site specificity.
She feels her emphasis on picking at lower sugar levels, whole cluster fermentation, extended maceration, and judicious use of oak, including fermentation in large puncheons, yield wines that emphasize primary fruit characteristics but develop more interesting and complex, savory qualities.
And it showed in the wines I tasted: impressive single vineyard Pinots from Bacigalupi and Hallberg vineyards and a Chardonnay from Rochioli, as well as eminently drinkable Russian River Valley designated wines.
My other visits of note were from Italians. Talking with Alfredo Falvo it became clear Masseria LiVeli in Puglia is a labor of love for the Falvo family. Alfredo’s father, Alberto built Avignonesi Winery in Montepulciano, Tuscany into a worldwide force while the family owned it from 1974 to 2009. Now, the family is solely focused on LiVeli.
Alfredo shared the interesting history of this property as a “masseria.” The Salento area of Puglia is fascinating for the concentration of these ancient land estates having their roots in the period of the Norman conquest of the South.
And I find it really cool (that’s a technical wine term) that Li Veli focuses its production on traditional varieties. I enjoyed white wines from fiano and verdeca and red wines from negroamoro (Salice Salentino) and primitivo.
Finally, I visited with Giorgia Casadio of Villa Trasqua, named for the high plateau in the Castellina sub-region of Chianti Classico, just north of Siena. Giorgia explained that Villa Trasqua is new to the U.S. and based on my experience these sangiovese-based, mostly organic wines are well worth you seeking out.
Of course, Villa Trasqua produces estate Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva, including a remarkable single vineyard Riserva, “Nerento.” As Giorgia pointed out, I found Villa Trasqua’s wines to balance deftly the traditional savory, high acid Tuscan style with more modern upfront fruit.
But their winemaker, Franco Bernabei, one of the most respected in Italy, also fashions fine “Super Tuscan wines. In addition to the Chiantis, I enjoyed the entry level Traluna but was really impressed with the 2008 Trasgaia, made of 50% sangiovese, 40% cabernet sauvignon and 10% cabernet franc.
I came away from each of these winery visits with a better understanding of the winemaking craft, as well as a better appreciation for the challenges and satisfactions of making world-class wine.