9diDANTE, Inferno, Purgatorio, and Vermouth di Torino Superiore IGP

9diDANTE comes to life as a modern liquid version of the poem (Comedìa). To us, Vermouth is a power struggle between Wormwood and all the other botanicals, told in a language that everyone can understand … wine!  -- Alex Ouziel

Vermouth has been a popular topic within our community particularly after receiving samples of the Dante inspired 9diDANTE. The brand was created by Alex Ouziel in collaboration with Mario Baralis (ex-Carpano -- the father distillery of Italian vermouth). Their vermouth is produced at the historic Dr. M. Montanaro Distillery (1885) in Piedmont and they are one of a few producers in the Turin region to use 100% DOC Piedmontese wines, made entirely from native grapes -- Dolcetto/Cortese for the red Inferno and Arneis for the extra dry Purgatorio. Each vermouth contains 27 botanicals with the major contributors aligning to Dante's classical interpretation of the nine levels within each of the three cantiche – Inferno (Hell), Purgatorio (Purgatory), and Paradiso (Paradise)*.  Thus three cantiche multiplied by nine levels = 27 botanicals. 

The vermouth is produced within the Vermouth di Torino Superiore IGP -  a classification created in 2019 to guarantee the quality of its origin and process.  According to the Consortium, "World-renowned for the tradition and historicity of its production, Vermouth di Torino is an aromatized wine born in the 18th century at the foot of the Alps and enjoyed at the court of the Savoy kings. Vermouth di Torino is known worldwide for the tradition and history of production. The fame of Vermouth di Torino PGI is inextricably linked to Piedmont producers and Turin. In the 1800s, Turin was home to the aristocracy of vermouth makers, thanks to whom, in different ways and to different degrees, Vermouth di Torino achieved international standing and became appreciated worldwide. Over the years, techniques and processes have evolved: new ideas went hand in hand with the older practices, and they continue to coexist today, preserving and valorizing Vermouth di Torino's traditional production. Vermouth di Torino is classified according to the color (White, Amber, Rosé or Red) and the amount of sugar used in its preparation".  

As one of only a few Vermouths crafted and bottled under the Superiore classification, 9diDANTE goes well beyond the consortium's regulations. Whereas a Superiore vermouth must use at least 50% Piedmont wines, 9diDANTE uses 100%. Whereas Superiore vermouth must be produced and packaged locally, 9diDANTE sources the actual packaging locally. And whereas Superiore vermouth must be at least 75% wine content, 9diDANTE  has 84% wine content. 

The Inferno Rosso Vermouth di Torino Superiore IGP ($32) blend of  Dolcetto and Cortese contrasts with most other red vermouths in that the red Dolcetto provides coloring whereas most vermouths color using caramel. In the 9diDANTE Circles of  Hell, Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) resides in Limbo - home to the unbaptized and virtuous pagans such as Hippocrates and Aristotle. Cardamon appears as Lust, Bitter Orange Peel as Glutony, Cumin as Greed, Basil as Anger, Nettle as Heresy, Tansy as Violence, Fennel as Fraud, and poor Caraway as the lowest and coldest level of hell -- Treachery.  I enjoyed the Inferno chilled - basically neat - loads of complex herbaceous and citrus flavors. I can envision using in a Negroni - but save that for an inferior vermouth. 

The Purgatorio Extra Dry Vermouth di Torino Superiore IGP ($35) is comprised of 100% Arneis -- a noble Piedmont grape rescued from the verge of extinction in the 1960s and thanks to the efforts of one winemaker: the late Alfredo Currado of Vietti.  And this is the very first vermouth to be blended exclusively from 100% Arneis DOC wine. This vermouth also contains 27 botanicals. In the 9diDANTE steps to Peter's Gate and Levels of Purgatory, souls  move upwards to be purified of sins in order to enter the heavenly kingdom. Woodruff as Stubborness and Thyme as Repentance are cleansed before passing through Peter's Gate. Sage as Pride begins the lowest level of Purgatory, and moving upwards, Mint as Envy, Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) as Wrath, Melissa as Sloth, Lemon Peel as Avarice, Bitter Orange Peel as Gluttony, and Coridander as Lust. I'm not a Martini fan, which is the recommended cocktail, but I did imbibe the Purgatorio over ice with a twist of lime and orange. The pear notes of the Arneis are not lost in translation. 

* For those who would like to learn about the epic poem I recommend the Hillsdale College course or the Word On Fire seminar. 

Doctor Wine's The Ultimate Guide to Italian Wine 2018

To understand Italian wine you must study the regions -- Daniele Cernilli, aka DoctorWine

Daniele Cernilli stressed this point at a luncheon at Maxwell Park in Washington D.C. celebrating the release of The Ultimate Guide to Italian Wine 2017 - his comprehensive guide book devoted exclusively to Italian wine. That's a huge undertaking as Italy is arguably the most diverse wine country in the world. You could say this quote also explains the rational behind such a comprehensive undertaking as it is delineated by region and also includes descriptions of hundreds of wines, most under $20 in the U.S. market.

But why must you study the regions in order to understand Italian wine? "Because the same grape variety is made in completely different styles depending on those wine regions". This was evident during our lunch as Cernilli poured Sangiovese wines from four wineries representing four different wine regions.

Torre San Martino is located in the Emilia-Romagna DOC, more specifically their 10 hectares vineyard is located in Tosco-Romagnola. The owners restored a Sangiovese vineyard appropriately named Vigna 2 and replanted ungrafted Sangiovese vines and the resulting Romagna Sangiovese Vigna 1922 Reserva DOC 2013 was excellent with multiple spicy sensations and noticeable tannins in it's lengthy finish. However, for our sample they poured the Romagna Sangiovese Superiore Gemme DOC 2013 which possesses dusty soft fruit and abundant acids. According to Cernilli, the acids are much more important to this wine than the tannins.

The second Sangiovese in our sample was from Fattoria Le Pupille, a second generation family winery operating 12 hectares of vineyard in Morellino along the southern Tuscany coast of La Maremma. The family is mostly known for their Super-Tuscan Saffredi wine but don't overlook their Poggio Valente IGT Toscana Rosso 2015. This 100% Sangiovese wine comes from the Poggio Valente vineyard located 900 feet above sea level. Although the region is generally warmer than Chianti, constant breezes help prevent disease pressure. This is an elegant wine, predominately cherry with more tannin structure to augment the balanced acidity.

Moving to Chianti, Querciabella is located in the historical demarcation of that region in Chianti Classico. The winery started farming organically in 1988 and was certified biodynamic in 2000. The estate vineyards are located 1,300 to 1,650 feet above sea level so the vineyards are even cooler than expected. The Querciabella Chianti Classico DOCG 2015 is aged in barrique casks for a year and the result is brighter fruit, slightly more spice, and lingering finesse.

The final Sangiovese was the Le Macioche Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2010 from Famiglia Cotarella. The Cotarella is also known for their 100% Merlot Montiano Lazio, other wines from Lazio and Umbria, as well as the recently acquired Azienda Agricola Le Macioche estate in Brunello di Montalcino.  This Sangiovese holds a couple advantages over its companions starting with the obvious difference in age. Then there's the Brunello -- a strain of Sangiovese grown only on the slopes around Montalcino – the classic hilltop village in Tuscany that is located 20 miles south of Siena.  This is a magnificent wine - intense and powerful - spices and juicy tannins.


Besides the above mentioned wines, there are a few others I'd like to highlight. First, my favorite of the afternoon was the Bertani Amrone della Valpolicella Classico DOC 2008 a blend of 80% Corvina Veronese and 20% Rondinella. Once again the wine was blessed by several years aging in barrel. This wine is intense, yet elegant; wild, yet restrained. An instant classic. The Vincho Vaglia Serra I Tre Vescovi Barbera d'Asti Superiore DOCG 2015 was another wine that wanted to be heard with it's zinging acidity, dirty texture, and fresh red fruit. Finally there were two other excellent wines from Querciabella, their feminine Mongrana 2013 ( 50% Sangiovese, 25% Merlot, & 25%  Cabernet Sauvignon) and more powerful yet sophisticated Turpino - an unexpected blend of Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Merlot.

The tasting also including several sparkling and white wines. The former were well represented by Lombardy's Ca'del Bosco Franciacorta cuvées. The Franciacorta Cuvée Annamaria Clementi 2007 is named after Annamaria Clementi, who along with her husband Albano founded the winery in 1962. This sparkling wine spent over eight years on its lees resulting in a creamy textured wine - but with surprisingly zest. The Franciacorta Vintage Collection Brut shared a somewhat similar blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, and Pinot Nero and exhibits considerable finesse.

 Moving to still wines, the Vincho Vaglia Serra Il Griso Roero Arneis DOCG 2016 is an oddity in the since that the grape almost went extinct in the 1960s.  The wine's floral aromas leads to a soft stone fruit center and and slightly acidic tail. Very nice. Finally I was able to revisit the Fattoria Le Pupille Poggio Argentato 2016 ($21), a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Mensang, and Traminer fermented in neutral oak. This is a luscious wine: floral and silky with balanced acids.

Cheers to Italian wine and Doctor Wine's The Ultimate Guide to Italian Wine.

Tasting White Wines from Santa Barbara County

On July 17th, I was fortunate enough to be included in a #winechat tasting of several white wines courtesy of the Santa Barbara County Vintners' Association. The county consists of more than 21,000 acres of vineyards with most of these within Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. There are over 100 wineries and vineyards in the county all benefiting from the micro-climates associated with the valleys and Pacific Ocean. This evening we sampled six wines which displayed the diversity of the regions

This diversity included two Sauvignon Blancs, the Fontes & Phillips Santa Ynez Sauvignon Blanc  ($18.00) and Baehner-Fournier Vineyards Vogelzang Vineyard Happy Canyon of Santa Barabara 2012 Sauvignon Blanc ($20). That's a mouthful. The first is said to be made in the New Zealand style and possesses that lemony flavor and layered texture associated with this style. Plus the finish is clean and refreshing. The latter is quite different which I described as "creamy apricot flavors - no lemon grass - instead sea salt". And yes, the Pacific seemed to contribute some extra nuances to this wine - one of my favorites of the evening. Plus, apparently Happy Canyon is the warmest area in Santa Barabara County - so perfect climate for Sauvignon Blanc.

Like the Sauvignon Blanc, there was also a pair of Chardonnay - Brewer-Clifton Winery Gnesa 2010 Rita Hills Chardonnay ($48) & Summerland Winery 2012 Sierra Madre Vineyard Chardonnay ($35). The Gnesa Vineyard is a four acre site on a north faving slope in the Ste. Rita Hills AVA and according to the owners "Sta. Rita Hills (AVA in SB county) provides such great conditions for naturally-hi acidity & balanced wines!". This is a fruit forward wine, no ML, with loads of lemon-lime flavor followed by a nice salty minerality and refreshing acidic finish. Nicely done. The Summerland is sourced from the famed Sierra Madre Vineyardin which the proximity to the Pacific instigates a large diurnal temperature variation in the evening. In other words the grapes cook during the hot days and cool dramatically in the cool evenings.  This is an elegant wine in the classic Chablis style - displaying a creamy mid-palette from ten months in mostly neutral oak. The flavor profile wavered between green apples and grapefruit with another refreshing finish.

The final two wines of the evening really demonstrated the vineyard diversification of Santa Barbara County: Imagine Wine 2010 Viognier Santa Barbara County ($24) & Palmina Honea Vineyards Santa Ynez Valley 2011 Arneis ($20). The Viognier is far from the Virginia Viognier we are accustomed to. It has a characteristic floral aroma, but diverges with a more peachy flavor instead of the Virginia apricot and possesses a creamy butterscotch mid based on 10-12 weeks in new or neutral oak.  Another nice wine. We finished off the evening with the Palmina Arneis in which the winery is probably one of a half dozen to produce wine from this Italian grape. The best part of the is wine was its spicy character with its orange tinted finish. This one paired well with clams - giving life to the salty mollusk. A very intriguing wine - as was the entire evening. Cheers.