and more:
• The Epitome of Obscurity
• Ribolla Gialla to Sangiovese
• Italy's Iconoclast Six-Pack

The Reclusive Masters of the Boot

Gravner, Mascarello, Soldera, Radikon, Valentini, Quintarelli, Bea - these are a few the iconoclastic names in Italian winemaking. Each has produced a wine that allows the individuality of the artist to show through, leaving a difficult comparison to any another wine. They disregard the status quo and market demand, paradoxically joining the avant-garde by reverting to time-honored methods or to Nature's own auspices. Their guidelines often include low yields, choice grape selection, open vat fermentation, extended maceration, long maturation, and respect for tradition, releasing wines when they themselves deem it appropriate, not when the media or consorzio does.

As a follow-up to last week's e-Letter, which focused on the artisanal producers of Italy, we are pleased to showcase some of these avant garde and most difficult-to-obtain handcrafted wines of Italy. Each wine demonstrates the unique style of the producer, from the powerful and complex whites of the reclusive Josko Gravner to the signature sediment trademark of Paolo Bea. We also take a trip to the dean of Italian cult wines, Eduardo Valentini, revisit Gravner’s protégé Damijan Podversic and his funky Ribolla, pay homage to a unique single varietal Sangiovese, and finally include a white from the unconventional Grand Master of the Veneto Giuseppe Quintarelli.

Read on below to learn more about Josko Gravner, Paolo Bea's 2000 release, and Italy's true iconoclasts. Please contact Perry Porricelli at 212.473.2323 should you have any questions or to place your order.

Click for Additional Producers from IWM!

Gravner: The Reborn Naturalist

Clay amphorae are believed by many to be the first tanks ever to hold wine – historians have traced back more than 4,000 years with documents from Georgia (formerly in the USSR) that reveal this ancient practice. In contrast, today's Friulian winemakers have embraced words like stainless steel, temperature control, and barrique. Ironically, it was Josko Gravner who helped pioneer the use of these tools. However, the iconoclastic and ever-changing Gravner has taken on a new “old” approach. Contradiction? No. Experimentation? Yes. The relentless passion for perfection through experimentation changed his philosophy, as Gravner was among the first to combine bio-dynamic winemaking with a more traditional, unintrusive style in this white wine epicenter.

Gravner is a proponent of the use of open-top wood vats, extended maceration on the grape skins, no added yeasts, no sulphur dioxide, and no temperature control - purely natural winemaking. This is Josko's current position, and he employs of both amphorae and large oak barrels to make his three wines; "Collio Breg," "Ribolla Gialla," and "Rosso Gravner." The grapes for these wines come from his 18 hectares of vineyards in Gorizia (Oslavia) that straddle the Italian-Slovenian border. It is here that he exercises his current approach to wine: "I am convinced that wine is a product of Nature, not of Man, whose role therefore is to accompany its maturation process while avoiding any artificial intervention."

Gravner 1998 ‘Breg’ $89.87
A blend of Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Riesling Italico grapes are manually pressed and then fermented separately on their skins in large, open oak barrels for an extended maceration period. The pomace is then removed and juice is placed in large oak casks for a maturation period of three years. Josko Gravner recommends drinking this white wine at room temperature to capture its full expression. The golden hue of the wine is speckled with hints of orange. Once the wine has time to breathe, aromas of vanilla and apricot are embraced on the palate by candied fruit and caramel. This unique and powerful wine can be consumed today but has the ability to age.

*If you enjoy the wines of Gravner, be sure to revisit Damijan Podversic (read below), who was once apprenticed to Josko and ascribes to the natural style of winemaking.

Click here for more Friulian whites in this style!

The Sediment Trademark of Bea

Although there are just 250 acres of Sagrantino vines in total, this relatively unknown wine is receiving much attention thanks to the relentless work and investment of Arnaldo Caprai and, of course, to Sagrantino’s full-bodied, lush blackberry personality. This variety, which is indigenous to and found only in Umbria, has captured the attention of collectors in recent years and taken its rightful place as a cellar piece.

Today we revisit Paolo Bea, a quintessential artisanal producer whose tiny estate is the classic Italian fattoria. Bea is buried in Montefalco’s traditions that date back to the early part of the 12th century. Driven by a sheer labor of love, he still hand-crafts his wines. Absent here are the industrial revolution and media prowess; more evident are the roots in the land that the Bea family established in the early 1500s.

The 74-year-old Paolo Bea is still the guiding force behind the powerhouse wines of the estate. He shares his traditional approach with his two sons, Giuseppe, who farms the vineyards, and Giampiero, who assists in the vinification. Each bottle is numbered with an indication of the total produced that year, and within every bottle there is a slight sediment, which demonstrates the entirely natural and organic methods of production.

2000 Sagrantino di Montefalco Secco "Pagliaro" $78.26
The jewel in the crown of Umbria, composed exclusively of Sagrantino grapes left to macerate for an incredible 39 days. This signature wine from Bea has a deep, dark purple hue with a full, powerful nose of slightly raisined dark berries and smoke. Spicy notes adorn a lively palate of blackberry, currants, cinnamon and clove. Mouth-filling yet warm and dense, this is a wonderfully smooth wine with tannins that are at once subtle and strong. The 2000 vintage in Montefalco produced unusually well-balanced wines that will remain so as they age and grow more complex.

Click for more Sagrantino di Montefalco!

The Epitome of Obscurity

EDUARDO VALENTINI
A resolute old-timer, Eduardo Valentini disregards all modern conventions. Little is known about his operations. Rumors insist Eduardo is the sole proprietor of a particularly brilliant clone of the local Trebbiano, which here defies its long-held reputation for producing dreary, watery whites. Furthermore, he fervently guards his production techniques from outsiders. Valentini’s wines display a startling naturalness, their individual quirks only enhancing their profound charm. Taking years to develop their full profile, the wines often need plenty of aeration to blow off the occasional hint of reduction. This all falls perfectly in step with one of Valentini’s favorite lines, “Natura non facit saltus” or “Nature doesn’t leap.”

Valentini 1998 Trebbiano $76.08
Valentini 1999 Trebbiano $76.08
Bright and warm yellow in the glass, the Trebbiano nose exudes honeyed fruit and mineral tones, and the palate flaunts remarkable fullness and elegance. Almost fat, yet magically equipped with underlying acidity to ensure long-term aging. Decant these to allow the compact layers to open up.

GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI
He needs no introduction. He is the epitome of a true Italian artisanal and reclusive winemaker. “The Master of the Veneto,” Giuseppe Quintarelli makes some of the world’s most sought-after wines. His limited production Amarones, Reciotos, and Valpolicellas are the benchmark for excellence. While reds are his calling card, he also makes exceptional whites; from the sweet Bandito made in the appassimento method to the dry Bianco Secco ‘Ca del Merlo.’ Their greatness stems from the inherent quality of the terroir and natural talent of this master, whose concept of vintage approval and strict grape selection rival the great Chateau of Sauternes. Like Gravner and Valentini, he is the ultimate believer in letting Nature do her thing. Giuseppe puts his wines on the market when he deems them ready, often keeping them in the cellar for decades until the right moment arrives.

Quintarelli 2003 Bianco Secco ‘Ca del Merlo’ $34.00
This master of red makes a stunning white blend from Garganega and Trebbiano. Deft balance on the floral nose and in the brisk but silky, full palate. Finishes with a seductive hint of honey.

Click here for more Quintarelli!

Ribolla Gialla to Sangiovese

DAMIJAN PODVERSIC
Damijan Podversic's small plot in the Collio Goriziano represents the future of winemaking in Friuli. Breaking the confines of tradition and shunning modern practices like the use of stainless steel, Damijan pursues natural winemaking, which he learned from the great Friulian producer Josko Gravner. His Collio Biancos are both fermented on the skins with natural yeasts; he never bottles or releases a wine unless it has had ample time to develop; he even insists on bottling certain wines in December while the moon is waning.

Damijan 2001 Ribolla Gialla $38.50
Ribolla Gialla. Deep gold. A bouquet of honey, nuts, and sweet spices with bitter undertones. The same flavors continue on the palate joined by apples and cantaloupes. Large, powerful, elegant.

CASTELL'IN VILLA
Located in Castelnuovo Berardenga, in the southernmost part of Chianti Classico, Castell’in Villa is one of the oldest estates in the appellation. Owner-operator Leonessa Coralia Pignatelli crafts intelligent wines here – wines to reflect upon that age for an extremely long time. Fruit is carefully hand selected at the height of ripeness. Leonessa prefers to make her wines in a traditional style and releases older vintages of the riservas only when they are showing particularly well. Even for current vintages, the winery usually releases wines two years after most producers do.

Castell’in Villa 1998 Poggio delle Rose $70.80
Made with grapes from the estate’s best vineyard site, Poggio delle Rose, and aged in oak for more than 18 months. The nose presents aromas of mineral and smoky tobacco while chunky black cherry fruit dominates the palate. The full body and dense tannins sufficiently support the robust flavors on this super concentrated collector’s Chianti Classico Riserva. A blockbuster wine!

Give the perfect gift, an IWM wine club. Click to explore!

Italy's Iconoclast Six-Pack

They respect tradition. They adhere to strict control of their vineyards. They refuse to fine or filter their wines. They release wines as they feel fit, ignoring the demands of the market. Take this opportunity to discover all the qualities that make Italy’s iconoclast producers unique and wonderful with a six pack (1 of each) or case sampler (2 of each). Today’s featured wines come from tiny estates throughout Italy where the owners and vintners march to the beat of their own drum, and these bottles will convince you that their ‘eccentricity’ is a valuable contribution to Italian wine.

Gravner 1998 ‘Breg’
Paolo Bea 2000 Sagrantino Secco ‘Pagliaro’
Damijan 2001 Ribolla Gialla
Quintarelli 1996 Rosso del Bepi
Valentini 1998 Trebbiano
Castell’in Villa 1998 ‘Poggio delle Rose’

IWM Artisan Six-Pack (6) $468.89*
IWM Artisan Case Sampler (12) $881.22*
*Free delivery to NYC residents

Click here to order Italy's Iconoclastic Six-Pack by fax!