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Soldera 的繆斯 Giulio Gambelli曾說過 Soldera 的1983 是有史以來最偉大的Brunello 之一，而他剛試過的 2006 也是出類拔萃之作，所以我相信 1983 和 2006 是Soldera 三十個年份中最出色的兩個。

去年戰戰兢兢的試了1983以後，我有如此感受﹕「我不知道這是不是有史以來最好的 Brunello，但 Soldera 的變化萬端，我今天有更深的體會了」。在我的經驗中，這是只有 Monfortino 可堪比擬的奇酒（見前文﹕The Unbearable Intensity of Emotion: Soldera），所以我們很期待 2006。我心想1983少年時的風采，或許可以在今天的2006 看到一點影子？

 

 

 

 

與 1983 Riserva 一樣，我們和這瓶 2006 Riserva 也纏綿了 6 天之久。

我曾以 port 和中草藥來形容1983 Riserva 的濃艷；2006 Riserva 今天的表現卻正好相反，我 6 天的筆記常用花露水和蟬翼來形狀他的輕盈。

2006 Riserva 頭一天的香氣馬上把我帶回兩年多以前初試 2004 的 Giacosa Asili Riserva 的奇景（A Night in Birdland），他的氣味，是一種我名之為 “young Giacosa Asili” 的花香、香水和糖果混合在一起的奇香，酒體輕盈，如跳芭蕾舞，如蟬翼，輕得像一種無重狀態，也幾乎感覺不到丹寧的存在，入口太甜了，連綿不斷的清甜把我們帶到長長的收結。閉起眼來，這哪裏像是酒？這簡直太像我小時候流行的花露水了！

我突然想起兩年前試的 2004 Riserva 在頭一天也有很類似的感覺，所以心裏想﹕或許多放他幾天他會從嬌滴滴的 Stella di Campalto 變為雄赳赳的 Salvioni （見前文﹕2004 Brunello 的驚與喜）。

在其後的 5 天，我們天天與小仙子見面，每天他都好像長大了一點，第三天甚至長了點胡鬚（丹寧、礦物味），但總的感覺還是輕盈無比，而且那股花露水般的香氣依然，就好像是他生而有之的本質，仍然有著清純的極甜的味道，也伴隨著一點點酸，有一陣子我突然覺得他很像我小時候喝的一種本地出產的甚麼汽水，很簡單但很好喝 — 小時候連最簡單的東西都是最好的。2006 Riserva 勾起了我最美麗的兒時回憶！

這位仙子有小孩的無比精力，到第 6 天我喝下最後一滴的時候，他仍然沒有絲毫倦意（沒有一丁點氧化的跡象），從始到終他都像 2005 Pegasos 多於兩年前的2004 Riserva（關於2005 Pegasos 可參看前文﹕2005 Pegasos IGT ﹕Soldera 的上品 Brunello），就是說他今天好像只有優雅，沒有力量，像 Burgundy 多於 Brunello！

與 1983 Soldera 或 Monfortino 一樣，2006 Riserva 似乎不是傳統意義的「好酒」，但肯定是奇酒。我不禁要問﹕奇酒便是好酒嗎？

我的另一個疑問是﹕2006 Riserva 再過 20 年後會變得像今天的 1983 嗎？但這是以後的事，今天能做的，是開一瓶 2004，看看他兩年以來出現了甚麼變化？既然 2006 的第一天那麼像2004 在兩年前的第一天，這多少會帶來點啟示吧？

 

令我驚奇的是，2004 在兩年之間來了個大變身！他長了筋骨肌肉，也添了複雜性。如果兩年前他像 Barbaresco，今天他更像 Barolo！

第1 天的氣味很泥土，我的筆記在不同時間用了這些描述﹕樹林、樹皮、花泥、檀香、松茸、蘑菇、煙草、dark tea、Tuscan herbs、肥田料。口感濃濃的像 cherry paste、巧克力、黑果多於紅果。閉起眼來，我覺得他很像 Il Paradiso di Manfredi 那種滿是地裏的礦物與松茸、蘑菇、香草等的感覺，分別是今天的 Soldera 有股 Barolo 的狂野和力氣（他有很凶的丹寧），而 Il Paradiso di Manfredi 更平衡、優雅、更 Sangiovese。

無非 Soldera 今天放假到Piedmont 遊蕩去了？

到了第2 天，他有所整合，仍然非常複雜，以礦物為主的氣味與丹寧猶存，但整體比較平衡，雖然丹寧仍然凶猛。

第4 天再試，好像從Piedmont 回到 Montalcino 了，酒體變得柔順，丹寧也好像融合了，前幾天的繃緊和松茸等泥土氣味也跑掉了，現在紅果多於黑果，我起碼認得出這是 Brunello。

第 5 天開始有些氧化跡象，更溫柔；第 6 天變得有點鬆散，前兩天的勇猛已煙消雲散了，一場緊張的搏鬥終於落幕了。

 

從輕如蟬翼的 2006，到狂野如 Barolo 的 2004，兩年之間，一個天真爛漫的小孩已經變成一個憤怒的少年。Sangiovese 的成長用的是加法，這裏是另一個例子。

跨越 Barolo 和 Brunello 的 2004 Soldera是好酒嗎？兩年前我可以絕對肯定的說「是」，但今天的他奇則奇矣，不過很難說是傳統意義的「好酒」。再等兩年又當如何？

少年Soldera 可能如酒標上的神獸一樣，是變易之獸！（有關這頭神獸，請參看下文）

Soldera 像迷藥，一旦開始了又怎能停下來？我索性把 2002 和2000 也搬出來，很想知道一冷一熱的年份，又會帶來甚麼驚與喜？

且聽下回分解。

一個小疑問

自 2000 年始，Soldera 只推出一款 Riserva（2005 Pegasos IGT 是唯一的例外），但酒標右下角的一行小字往往會注明來自那一批酒（lot），已知的是 2004 年的Lot F.77來自比較有結構的 Intistieti 葡萄園，但我們這次試的2006 年的Lot E.85 會否來自比較陰柔的 Case Basse？我們只能猜。兩年前我的意大利好友曾問過 Gianfranco 這方面的問題，他得到的回答是﹕Il mio vino è tutto uguale（翻譯為﹕ “My wine is all the same”）。有奇人才會有奇酒。

 

 

 

酒神的海豚

Soldera 酒標上狀如 S 的動物是一種海豚（dolphin），據Soldera 在網站上說，這是傳說中希臘酒神 Dionysus 的神獸，也代表了茫茫生命之海中的救世主。

茲引原文如下﹕

（來源﹕http://www.casebasse.it/en/conversando3.htm）

 

The symbol of the Case Basse Soldera trademark (both registered) is an ancient Greek dolphin. The choice was Piero Leddi’s idea, an Italian contemporary artist, who also designed the Soldera wine label. In ancient Greek culture, the dolphin was the sacred animal of the god Dionysus (known to the Romans as Bacchus), the god of happiness who taught man how to grow vines, the god of wine. In mythology, Dionysus was captured by pirates who tied him to the ship’s mast: at this point the god avenged himself on them by transforming them into dolphins and, to earn forgiveness they always showed pity towards those who were shipwrecked. Legend also tells us how the dolphins helped Dionysus save his beloved Ariadne, who had been abandoned on an island by Theseus. The dolphin is also associated with fertility and life. In Christian symbolism the dolphin represents Christ the Saviour of men in the ocean of life, an important image in a culture where wine has an extraordinary symbolic significance:

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread…this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (The book of Matthew, chapter 26)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit…

As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”  (The book of John, chapter 15)

“And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine…And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.” (The book of John, chapter 2)

The image designed by Piero Leddi is a trademark owned by Gianfranco Soldera and comes from a Greek plate dating back a number of centuries before Christ, that the artist was liberally inspired by and which also symbolises the “S” of the Soldera brand.