Kære Vinvenner,

I behøver hverken at være flove over det eller at skjule det: jeg har det på samme måde som jer. Jeg modtager en del mails: nogle sluger jeg med det samme, andre skimter jeg for at vende tilbage til dem, senere, når jeg får tid, hvilket typisk betyder næsten aldrig. Af den grund har jeg placeret en lang og udførlig tekst om pinot nero i webshoppen, så følg linket til scoop'et her med ét af de bedste tilbud I har fået fra mig - siden jeg startede denne mailservice anno dengang. Hvis jeg kan komme med en varm anbefaling: sørg for at sikre jer mindst et sæt af denne vin:

LANGHE ROSSO 2014, 2015 og 2016

Efterårsferien nærmer sig og der er mange af jer, der rejser sydpå, mange til Piemonte. Piero Rossi Cairo, hvis familie ejer både Tenuta Cucco i Serralunga og den biodynamiske gård La Raia, driver også en landevejskro af den bedre slags i Gavi. http://www.locandalaraia.it/ Stedet ser ideelt ud for en afslappende ferie midt i vinmarkerne. På La Raias vingård produceres den hvide Gavi, som jeg ikke fører p.t.: den vender vi tilbage til engang i april-maj. Lige nu har jeg brugt hele min pensionsopsparing på en vin, I bliver ved med at foretrække og som jeg ikke skal løbe tør af, har jeg fået at vide:

CLAUDIO PLESSI: NATURVINENES KONGE

Kender I det? At tit er der noget eller nogen I tager for givet? Sådan sker det for mig med visse vine. Enten fordi der er andre vine, der presser sig på, eller fordi....ja, det er svært at sige hvorfor, men sådan er det. Når "de forsømte" er de fine og sjældne vine, som jeg har fra Claudio Plessi, så er det ligefrem dårlig samvittighed, der melder sig.

Nu kan det også være, at den gennemsnitlige alder på min kunde- og vinvennekreds er så høj, at de fleste ikke føler nogen trang endsige lyst til at binde an med vine, der går under den praktiske etiket "naturvine".

Og dog: hvis der er vine I skal smage for at blive forelsket i typen, så er det netop Claudio Plessis vine. Det ville ikke være forkert at sige, at Claudio Plessi er naturvinenes Angelo Gaja. Samme stringente forhold til dyrkning og fremstilling, samme kvalitet af vinen i flasken. Desuden dyrker Claudio Plessi druer, som af forskellige årsager var næsten uddøde som fx den røde stille Sgavata (druen: sgavetta), en af mine favoritter sammen med den perlende hvide Terbjanein (trebbiano di spagna):

Måske også på grund af den lille for ikke at sige mikroproduktion, er der ikke mange steder, hvor man kan læse om Claudio Plessis fremragende arbejde. Vi skal faktisk over åen for...vinene. Her er Alleah Frederiks (Bliss Wine, San Francisco) beskrivelse af Claudios virke:

"Claudio Plessi
Claudio is a mentor and teacher to the new generations of winemakers in Modena. The land the Azienda sits on has been cultivated by the Plessi family for centuries. In 1958 the family decided to buy the farmland and work for themselves. The vineyard was planted in Modena the same year with the vines trained to elm trees. Lambrusco as well as white grapes were produced in the cellar with wooden equipment. Over the years, they moved from using animals for fieldwork to machinery but not much else has changed. Since 1986, Claudio has been running the farm organically, with certification since 1993. The vineyard has been planted to only indigenous varieties since 2000; it is not irrigated and the harvest is manual. Historical and geographical features on the territory: flat land located at 50 m asl with soil rich in limestone, of alluvial origin (Rio dei Gamberi and Torrente Tiepido) with historic irrigation system of medieval origin (San Pietro canal). Environmental conditions of the area subject the vineyards to spring frost, so that the productive range of the vineyard is kept at a bit higher elevation.

Philosophy: Claudio is a member of the VAN (Vignaioli Artigiani Naturali), a group of winemakers that make their wines to the following standards: grapes are grown organically or biodynamically and hand harvested. Only spontaneous fermentation is used. All wines have a maximum of 40 ppm of SO2 added. The wines are made without any additions of chemicals, specially designed yeasts, or any other oenological coadjutant. Wines are made without any invasive physical techniques such as reverse osmosis, cross-flow filtration, pasteurization, or sterile filtration.

Lidt mere om Claudio finder vi hos Owen Kotler (drinkOKwines), en kollega fra Seattle, Washington State:

Claudio Plessi, his vineyards & his mission

In 1958, Claudio's parents bought a vineyard (Belussi) and he began his life as a winemaker by wading in wine grapes up to his chest and stamping his feet. At the time, most of the grapes were sold to a cooperative in Settecani but some where kept for the household wine.

As he got older, he decided to study agriculture and so at the age of 18, he went off to school - first in Region Emilia and then Parma & Piacenza. His studies were wine grapes & wine but also old olive tree species and indigenous cherries in Emilia as well as chicken breeds of the area.

In 1986, he took over the vines of Belussi - those same ones that were planted in 1958; the following year, he was one of the founding fathers of Il Salto - a consortium of organic and biodynamic farmers. As a professor of agriculture and biologique believer, he continues as a pioneer & champion of the biological movement in Emilia.

When in 2004, he planted 3.5 hectares around his parents' home, it was with indigenous varietals: this has become the foundation for his unique sparkling and still wines today. All vines stand in the plain, on a mixture of clay and lime, over which a fine layer of sand has settled. He allows whatever wants to grow between the rows and harvested late by Emilian standards but he knows his grapes and he knows what he can coax from them. Claudio's mission to educate and to return the indigenous varietals to this place continues as he plants more ancient varietals including Grappello & Sgavetta.

In the cellar, single varietal production is practiced to allow the distinct characteristics to shine. All wines are natural & organic. Claudio is also a member of the Vignaioli Artigiani Naturali (association of natural wine-makers), whose objective is producing integral and vital wines using hand-picked grapes from one's own vineyard.

All wines ferment on indigenous yeasts, sulfur dioxide levels are low and other additives or enological adjuvants are not employed in the wine-making process. Sparkling wines are once again fermented in bottles without sboccatura (process of disgorging the yeast – lees), according to local traditions.

Det må være nok for denne onsdagsmail, hvad? Nej ikke helt fordi der er et lille lækkert tilbud til alle de af os, der ønsker at nyde Barolo både til frikadeller og til ....cornflaskes. Årgang 2014 er ret skældt ud men tiden er retfærdig:

"Bare til info. Nyder lige tenuta Cucco, Barolo di Serralungo 2014. Lige en time på karaffel, fordi jeg bestemte mig lidt sent. Godt nok dejlig at drikke. Balance, masser af frugt/kirsebær, marcipan og lille kernebitterhed..og sikkert noget andet også.....spot on til go pris..." (J.O.F. 27. september 2019)

Ciao, Carlo

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