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Antonio Galloni 說他曾經聽過Barolo 巨匠 Giuseppe Rinaldi 跟他說﹕“I hate fruit!”
這番話一直令我百思不得其解。幾經艱難，最近才找到 Giuseppe Rinaldi 的一瓶 1990 Brunate Riserva ，與他相處一天後，對這句話才開始有點似懂非懂的啟悟。
Brunate 是 La Morra 村的名園，而 La Morra 在 Barolo 產區素來是以陰柔、芳香取勝的；與 Serralunga d’Alba 的重丹寧、結構，形成一陰一陽的對比。
Brunate 以果味見勝，但問題是如何表現果味？這可說是個 “million dollar question”。
這瓶酒我是原瓶透氣的。頭四個小時香氣最誘人﹕開始是鮮花、玫瑰花瓣，過了兩三個小時是乾果、香草、泥土，到第五個小時開始收斂，是一種高貴、典雅的果味。
但最令我開眼界的是他的味道。果味大概從第五、六小時開始開始爆發，從很細緻的、輕舞似的鮮果，慢慢膨脹，又膨脹，到了第八小時左右，變成好像融化了的果子，只有體積但沒有重量。
這種經驗我從未有過，後來翻查資料，發現有一位美國的 Barolo 愛好者對這瓶酒有類似的描述﹕
With time in the glass the momentum of the bouquet increased, the cru Brunate perfume could be smelled halfway across the room. The intensity of the bouquet suggested a more powerful Barolo in the palate, but the delivery dances in the mouth with an almost silky weightlessness, caressing with every sip, the finish seamless and tannins completely resolved.
見﹕http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/showthread.php?t=110575
這用文字很難表達。如果用音樂打比喻，那就是 Debussy 的印象派音樂。拋棄了調性，他是靠音色來建立樂曲的架構的。
從概念上講， Giuseppe Rinaldi 的 Brunate 是一座摸不著邊際的大山。
如果與 La Morra 另兩個大師比較，我覺得 Elio Altare 是一片平原，Roberto Voerzio 則是一座大廈。
他們的建築材料都是果﹕ La Morra 的鮮果。同樣是果，但有三種不同的演繹。
廣義的說，葡萄酒不過是對「果」作出的不同演繹。究竟何為果，是不可知的，而我們觸覺所及的，只有千萬種演繹，而沒有果。
我知道我講得似明非明，那是因為我仍然是似懂非懂。
Barolo 這本書，不易讀。
所以才那麼有趣。
有關 Giuseppe Rinaldi 的介紹見﹕
http://www.barolodibarolo.com/inglese/scheda.asp?id_azienda=62&tipo=caratteristiche
Brilliant !
[版主回覆12/22/2009 14:19:00]施主有禮！
I dont mean to be rude by just leaving a single word but it was busy at work this afternoon and I only have a few seconds to surf about in the virtual wine world. I do want to tell you what I feel about your admirable passion of Italian wines! Just by reading it, I am already attracted to it. In a way, it is great to live in the age of globalization when we can share and access wine resources and able to purchase wines from every corner of the world. But at the same time, it is so sad that wines are being crafted to taste the same to suit the global consumer's palate. This oneness makes the once great Bordeaux taste like California Cabs. It is this oneness that is suffocating the wine world, not that any of these wines are no good. (I still enjoy a good claret every now and then ) It is just that you just have to drink one and you have drunk them all because they taste the same. But it is so different in the world of Italian wine! I dont "hate" fruit, but I do share your feeling when fruit becomes homogenized, it becomes gross at the same time! Each wine should have its own way to express the fruit, not the fruit to express the wine! It is the wine that makes the fruit interesting and not the other way round! To learn to appreciate Italian wines is still a long way for me….. Keep writing.
[版主回覆12/23/2009 08:22:00]You see a monk in the desert and when he greets you "施主有禮！", he's being respectful. I just imagine to be this monk in the world of wine!
"Each wine should have its own way to express the fruit, not the fruit to express the wine! It is the wine that makes the fruit interesting and not the other way round!" You put it so well, and with your permission, I'd love to quote it some time!
I told a friend two days ago that I'm fast becoming a mystic, as the more you drink, the less you seem to understand wine, like good Socrates once said: All I know is I know nothing. That perhaps is the narrow path to seeing beauty.
施主有禮！
Wish you and your family a nice Christmas and excellent 2010.
[版主回覆12/27/2009 12:01:00]How nice of you, Maria. May your every dream come true!