In an effort to promote more than wine, the Vinitaly wine fair included an entire pavilion dedicated to technical innovation. The Enolitech pavilion may not have been as alluring for many visitors as the winery exhibits, but the final product so eagerly tasted, would not be possible without the contribution of the technology to produce it.

This exhibit of new and cutting-edge technologies and products covered concepts from the vineyard through to the winery and even extended to the bottle and wine glass. So, from the field to the table, there is potential for change and improvement. In a country where wine plays such an important part of the national culture and economy, progress is constant. Wineries small and large are doing what they can to improve conditions in the vineyard to grow and harvest the highest-quality grapes. Rocco Pasetti, who owns and operates the Contesa winery in Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and who won a bronze medal this year for his Cerasuolo rosé, is one example.

Rather than interfere with the natural balance of the vineyard by using pesticides, he is employing the use of pheromones to target and control a specific pest on his property. This "surgical" approach can be both effective and respectful of the environment.

On the other hand, a larger property can also improve upon the raw materials with which they work and sometimes contribute to the region where they operate. At Castello Banfi in Montalcino, they have found sangiovese to be a much broader family than typical French varietals and with great variability within the population, necessitating a process for clonal research. Through extensive planting across the region starting in 1982, they subdivided some 650 sangiovese clones into five fundamental types. They then isolated 15 that represent the greater part of the grape’s inherent variables

According to Banfi, Maurizio Marmugi their Chief Agronomist described the work as a "weak selection" with the purpose of preserving sangiovese’s genetic inheritance of variability, but managing it for better winemaking results. "We are not looking for a super clone," he said. "Because sangiovese, compared to other varieties, has such a high variability among its clones for sensitivity to weather conditions and other variables, it is what we call a ‘population vine.’

"It produces the best and most consistent results when cultivated from vineyards that contain a limited variety of individual clones that thrive under different conditions, especially weather, which we have the least control over. Those clones must be complementary in their quality and production characteristics."

Banfi’s work began with the planting of vineyards with two rows each of several clones. The individual rows were monitored and individually harvested for separate microvinification in the Banfi winery, while paying attention to the effects of the soil type in which they were planted, position of the vineyard, and the weather conditions on each clone.

The result of this vineyard observation and analysis of the resulting wine is a ten-pointed chart that graphs the wine, which was vinified separately from each clone, demonstrating the strengths of its principal characteristics. The theory is to overlay each of these charts, as on acetate sheets, to arrive at the nearly perfect decagon touching on all the key characteristics of Sangiovese Brunello.

Over the past three years, Banfi has been planting new sangiovese vineyards on selected sites with the final selection of six clones in proportions determined to result in a consistently superior wine. They are named Janus 10, Janus 20, Tin 10, Tin 50, BF 30 and BF 10. The Banfi clones were registered in 1996 and are among the 45 nationally approved clones for sangiovese, and the only ones to be researched and submitted by an individual producer, as opposed to a nursery, region or university.

THE CLONES AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS
BF 10—medium-big clusters and berry, high yield, high concentration of phenols and anthocyanins. Good for wines of medium aging or immediate consumption.

BF 30—medium clusters, medium-big berry, average yield. Aroma of redfruits, phenol and tobacco, with good alcohol content.

JANUS 10—medium-small clusters and berries, average yield, with a higher than average sugar content. Mixed with other clones, it helps emphasize the organoleptic characteristics of the final product.

JANUS 20—medium-small cluster and berries, lower than average yield. When mixed with other clones in a proper percentage, it can give a higher aromatic complexity and guarantee high typicity.

TIN 10—large cluster, medium berry, average yield, with high polyphenolic content. It is recommended to be mixed with other clones for the production of wines with medium to long aging potential.

TIN 50—medium-large cluster and berries, with high yield and polyphenolic content. A good base for producing high-quality wines of long and medium aging.

For other producers, it is the constant attention to detail that provides for success in the marketplace. At Zonin, which produces high-quality wines throughout Italy, Dr. Franco Giacosa, their chief oenologist, insists upon the highest standards in the vineyard to bring the best possible fruit to the winery. In addition to constantly supervising the vineyard, the transportation technique of bringing the grapes to the winery is considered. Constant monitoring of the temperature, not only during fermentation, but also through the aging and bottling process is employed. Knowing that every adjustment made to the must and wine will alter more than one aspect is a concept learned both through time and education.

Several exhibitors were showing new equipment for the winery itself. Items such as temperature controlled stainless steel fermenters have been in use for some time, but some innovations were evident, as the one tank that used a slowly moving blade at the bottom to allow for stirring of the lees.

The Gimar Tecno Company of Occimato showed this and other innovative pieces of equipment. The process is programmed to be automatic, resulting in less time and labor to supervise it. The process allows for the production of fuller bodied, richer wines. Something the modern consumer prefers.

In an effort to improve upon one of the "classics," Gimar has applied modern technology to the foudre as well. If one prefers to ferment in wood, you can still have the advantage of temperature control and apply microxygenation, should you so choose. This can provide the best of both worlds for the modernist who also believes in classic techniques.

After the viticultural and vinification techniques have been employed, other choices still need to be made. A lot has been written and said about alternative closures, but in many markets resistance to the new and belief in the traditional still exist. With this in mind, the "cleancork" has been produced. Believing that the cork closure is still viable, and indeed superior to other methods this product has been introduced.

Using a silicone layer at each end of the cork, a barrier is constructed that prevents the possibility of transmission of TCA from the cork into the bottled wine. The silicone is formulated to be inert, yet form a permanent bond on the end of the cork. It also allows for the passage of smaller air molecules, while completely blocking those of the larger TCA compound.

Innovation did not stop at the production side. Indeed, some new products were aimed directly at the consumer. Many stemware companies for years have driven home the point that the size and the shape of a wine glass can determine the smell and taste of the wine poured into it. What has not dramatically changed is the material usedto produce the glass. Now one company is hoping to improve upon the wine drinking experience.

The German company Glashütte Valentin Eisch has developed what they are calling their "Breathable Glass." The concept follows the traditional shaping of the bowl, but by using a lead-free, proprietary compound, the process of the wine "opening up" is accelerated. Rather than the hour or more long wait for the wine to blossom in a decanter, it should now reach that state in a matter of a few minutes within the glass.

The history and tradition of wine are quite ancient in Italy. Vines were planted there back in the time of the Etruscans, and wine has been an integral part of Italian culture in the intervening millennia. But that does not mean that the present and indeed the future have no place here. In a highly international competitive arena as the production and sales of wine, the Italians refuse to be stagnant. Their dedication to quality and the innovations that can be used to increase these aspects has been clearly demonstrated.

With the creation in 1963 of the controlled wine appellation system, known in Italian as Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) Italian wines joined the French in emphasizing location as a concept and the strict enforcement of standards to ensure the level of quality expected. Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Morellino di Scansano, and of course, Brunello di Montalcino. If you think of Tuscany, these are some of the regions and appellations that come to mind. Well, you would be remiss if you limited your consideration to these areas alone.

In March 2000, a new DOC region was created by the Italian Agricultural Ministry. Lying between the towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano sits the Orcia region. With a climate and geographical conditions nearly identical to its better known neighbors, Orcia is a high-quality wine-producing zone looking for a market.

Using traditional grape varieties and proven, methods the relatively small producers sprinkled throughout this area are working to expand their exposure. The region is well-known for its contribution to the history of Tuscany, with traces of human habitation going back to prehistoric times. This has led Orcia to be listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

For the Orcia Rosso wines, sangiovese is the required variety, albeit with a minimum of only 60% of the blend. This allows for the inclusion of other local and "international" varieties, with winemakers using cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and even petit verdot to create wines with body and complexity. Trebbiano Toscana is the chief variety (With a minimum of 50%) in the production of Orcia Bianco, as well as Orcia Vin Santo, which requires a minimum of three years of aging before release.

The geology of the region is extremely varied, with the inclusion of clay, gypsum, marl, limestone, and sandstone types of soils. This contributes to the many styles of wines throughout the region, as well as a good reason for the inclusion of so many different varieties that can be used. This inhomogeneous geological nature, as well as the lack of a set of rigid regulations for production, allows for so many subtle variations on the Orcia theme.

During a recent tasting I was able to sample Orcia Rosso wines from several producers, including Sante Marie di Vignoni, Capitoni, Poggio al Vento, Trequanda, La Canonica, Tenuta Montechiaro, and Podere Forte. The wines ranged in their composition from using the minimum amount of sangiovese, blended with other varieties, through a pure sangiovese bottling. If there was a common thread that ran through the wines it was a purity of fruit and supple character on the palate.

Without any regulation stipulating the use of extended barrel aging, these wines were drinking beautifully two and a half years after harvest, without aggressive tannins. They had, for the most part, the structure to age gracefully and develop over time. And without the high profile of the surrounding communities they were very fairly priced, with projected retail prices of less than fifteen dollars at the entry level wines, up to the high twenties for the top wines presented. With the current escalation of wine prices, they were tremendous values.

As you have the opportunity to look through the shelves of wine merchants you visit, or the wine list of a restaurant, I would recommend seeking out these wines. If you are looking for a well-crafted, food-friendly example of what the vineyards of Tuscany can produce, and want to explore a wine region which is for now less wellknown, look for the wines of Orcia. This is your chance to be at the leading edge of the curve.

THE SHOWDOWN IN VERONA
Music from Sergio Leone’s "Il Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, " (The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly) was playing in the background. Tension was high. Was this a gunfight? Perhaps an athletic contest? No, this was the International Wine and Spirit Competition, which is held in conjunction with Vinitaly, one of the largest gatherings of wine professionals in the world. This year over 144,000 people attended Vinitaly, and the Concorso Enologico Internazionale was a wine competition on a similar grand scale.

Over 3,500 wines were submitted for judgment, from more than thirty countries. The international group of wine judges was brought together from over twenty nations, with 105 judges in total. Twenty-one panels, or commissions, were created, with five individuals on each panel. Each of these panels was composed of two journalists from outside of Italy, as well as a foreign enologist. To complete each panel, two Italian enologists were also included. Over the course of five days, each commission sat through nine different rounds of wines.

The first seven rounds were to separate the best wines from all wines submitted. The final two rounds were used to judge for a second time those wines that were superior and thought to be of high enough quality to be considered for medals. From the original samples of over 3,500 wines, only 90 were to be awarded medals. Other wines of distinction were awarded certificates of Special Mention. Each panel sampled and judged and average of 250 wines.

I have been fortunate to have been invited to judge wines in many parts of the country, but this was my first experience being invited to judge wines in Europe. For nearly each and every competition where I have judged, we also sit on commissions. However, for the most part, the rules are very much different. In Verona, each commission had five members. Each member had their own table, each of the judges was an enological island and was instructed not to discuss the wines with any other member. This led to a very quiet judging for the most part, as there was the occasional judge who felt it was their duty to share their opinion with the neighboring judges.

Each judge had a score sheet to complete, to give their judgment on the appearance, smell, and taste of each wine. These sheets were filled out for each wine by each judge, so that over 21,000 forms were submitted. The forms provided for a range of points for aspects of the wine’s appearance, smell, and taste. Comments were allowed, but not necessarily encouraged, as the pace of the wines being presented and poured kept us busy enough. Our job was to work on a 100 point system, to score the wines. We listed the category of the sample and the vintage. We scored the wine, and then signed off on our result. And woe to the judge who forgot to sign their form. If you forgot, you were directed into the office to correct that omission.

In most of the competitions where I have judged we also judge the wines by ourselves, and complete a scoring sheet. However, before these sheets are submitted the panel gathers together and discusses the wines. Sometimes all of the judges are in consensus, and we all have very similar thoughts on the merits of an individual wine. Other times there may be a wide disagreement on the quality level of a wine, and that wine then is discussed, and perhaps tasted for a second time.

It can be important that the panel presents a result that is more or less united in the score attained. It does not need to be identical for each person, but the range should not be too wide. It would not appear as if each member were qualified to sit in judgment if one member believes the wine deserves a gold medal and another feels it should not even be released into the marketplace.

Additionally, in most of these competitions, it is our task to taste similar wines together. We may be presented with a group of wines; perhaps ten chardonnays in a single flight. It is not our task to judge them against each other; we are not to rank them within that grouping. No, it is felt that by tasting similar wines together we can more readily recognize the strengths and weaknesses in each. In Verona, it was very different. Each wine was brought to us one at a time and with a great deal of style and class.

Over the course of the five days, a group of sommeliers, with their formal garb, carried out, presented, and poured each of the wines. They would march out with military precision, turn to their right and hold aloft the covered bottles for the room to see. They were then invited to pour and pour each row in unison. At the completion of their work they would return to the front of the room to await the command to return to the back room that held the wines, to start the cycle again. These dedicated wine professionals would pour the wine at our table as we were about to taste and judge it.

The information provided to us for each wine allowed us to know the vintage, if it was a dated wine, the color, if the wine was dry or sweet, and whether the wine was produced in a region governed by EU high-quality wine regulations or from outside one of these regions. We were not informed of the grape variety or the country of origin. Our task was to examine each wine on its own, without any preconceived thought as to what it should be. We judged it upon what it was. This allowed each wine to be distinctive, to receive our full attention. This was a different method of judging wine for me; but a wonderful way to concentrate on the qualities and character of the glass in front of us.

For me, this event was the opportunity of a lifetime. To meet enthusiasts from all over the globe was an experience I will always carry with me. People who share a passion for wine. We all shared a passion for the production of high-quality wine, as well as how food and wine combine to create so much pleasure. Good wine should stimulate discussion. Great food and wine pairing should create a sense of delight beyond what each component contributes on its own. And where better to do this than in Italy? When wine and food are combined as they can be, there is no "bad," no "ugly." There is only good, better, and best!

About the Author:
Michael A. Schaefer CWE was most recently the Northeastern Regional Manager for the King Estate winery in Eugene, Oregon. Michael joined King Estate’s Regional Sales Management Team after working as the Fine Wine Manager for Gallo Wine Sales, as well as positions with Riedel Crystal and Parducci Wine Estates. Michael, a graduate of the University of Oregon, holds both the Certifed Specialist of Wine and the Certified Wine Educator designation from the Society of Wine Educators, where he sits on the Board of Directors.