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今年喝過很精彩的 Barolo,迷人的 Brunello 也不少,但最令我驚喜的是四瓶 Rosso di Montalcino。
Rosso di Montalcino 有點像 Bordeaux 的 second wine。Brunello di Montalcino 一般是酒莊的正印,有的酒莊在這之上還有 Riserva,有時更加上一瓶 single vineyard Brunello 。Rosso 的葡萄是在這幾種精品酒的葡萄都選好以後的「剩餘物資」,一般來自酒莊比較年青的葡萄樹或位置比較差的田。
我過去喝過的 Rosso 其實並不多,印象中一般的 Rosso 年青的時候既沒有基本 Chianti 那麼開放,又欠缺Brunello 的複雜性,但價錢卻常常是 Chianti 的Riserva 或 single vineyard 的水平,所以我常常棄Rosso 而求Chianti。
但這四瓶是例外。
我第一次被Rosso 完全征服的是一瓶Poggio Antico 的 1990。一般人把Rosso 當作 daily drinking wine,所以像 Barbera 或 Dolcetto 一樣,是不會放二十年才喝的。我們今年年中到意大利旅遊,好友 Carlo 讓我們試的這瓶高齡daily drinking wine 是我們全程試過的近 50 瓶酒中最難忘的一瓶。(見前文 Terra di Emozione (遨遊意大利之二))。
我當時這樣寫﹕
一瓶 second wine 放了二十年才怒放,所有 Sangiovese 最可愛之處全在此,一盤熟透的 red cherries 端在我們面前,令我整個晚上杯不離手,又驚又嘆,嘆氣的是我真的沒有懂得欣賞 Sangiovese 的萬一。如果 Nebbiolo 是智慧,是腦袋的,那麼 Sangiovese 肯定是仁愛,是來自內心的。要講 emozione ,大概 Sangiovese 比 Nebbiolo 更接近吧?這是此行不大不小的新發現。
1990 是Brunello 的真正 vintage of the century,所以好的 Rosso 放他二十年能有此表現其實也不算奇怪,只怪我孤陋寡聞。但生于平凡的 1980 年,再放了三十年而仍然色香味俱佳的1980 Soldera Rosso,怎不教人佩服得五體投地?這瓶酒令我幾乎喜極而泣,我喝後好幾個月一直未能忘懷。
我當時如此說﹕
開瓶兩個小時以後已經很開放﹕乾花、皮革的氣味很快便變成鮮花、櫻桃和成熟的果味。入口是甜甜的果味,活潑的酸度,豐富的味道和如絲似的質感。完全沒有老酒的感覺!晚上我們先後倒了兩杯,幾個小時內不斷變化,到第二杯我覺得已經有幾分今天 Soldera Brunello 的影子,我的筆記﹕
The 2nd glass is as good as a Brunello, and is beginning to suggest some of the latter day Soldera, a voluminous but weightless wine, with more complex flavors and perfume, and fine tannins to give it structure. Soldera is improving every year!
我們把小量的酒留到第二天再試。我的筆記是﹕
Lost freshness and some of the sweetness of yesterday, but gained a lot in weight and depth. Surprisingly, this assumes a certain resemblance to a modern day Soldera in terms of its inner perfume and a tension between mass and structure: unbearable lightness of intensity detected, which was not in ’77 or ’78.
至此,我們簡直目瞪口呆,有一種無名的感動涌上心頭,我幾乎喜極而泣。最好的 Sangiovese 帶來的是 emotion 和 ecstasy,這一刻我們一一經歷了。
第三瓶是 Biondi-Santi 的 2007 Rosso。同一天晚上,我們也開了一瓶 1997 Salicutti Brunello 和一瓶 1995 Mastrojanni Brunello Schiena d’Asino,我們四個人一致的意見是這瓶 Rosso 最為奪目!
這瓶 Rosso 第一個晚上是一束芳香撲鼻的紫羅蘭,如青春活潑的小女孩,但極其量也只可以說是一瓶出眾的Rosso 。到了第二天,酒已變得肌體俱全,綻放的鮮花現在更像個亭亭玉立的少女,除了充足的酸度,她還具有Biondi-Santi 所少有的鮮甜果味,難怪 Galloni 讚這瓶 Rosso 是 “the equal of many a Brunello”。但這畢竟是一瓶Rosso,比年青的Brunello 開放、輕巧,也因此更可口。
如果說 Biondi-Santi 的 2007 Rosso 與很多Brunello 可以平起平坐,我想這瓶 2005 Cerbaiona Rosso 水平高于很多Brunello。我認為他最出眾的是細滑如絲絨的丹寧,讓酒有很 subtle 的結構,這是很多 Brunello 都做不到的。憑我有限的經驗,很多 Rosso(包括Biondi-Santi 在內)與同酒莊的Brunello 有截然不同的性格,像三歲小孩與 30 歲成年人之別,但Cerbaiona 這瓶 Rosso 與他的 Brunello 卻很神似,大概是個十來歲的青年,已經有幾分成年人的影子了。
Thank you, Sangiovese!
你好,閱讀你的部落已有一段時間,感覺部落內你所描述的每一枝酒都有著一份熱誠,而對於剛想走進意大利這片迷人土地的我來說是霧裡中一盞明燈,期待著你每一編新發表.
祝 新年快樂!
[版主回覆01/01/2012 17:14:31]難得有同好,謝謝了。也祝先生新年進步!
Happy 2012 !~
祝心兄身體健康, 繼續帶領我們漫遊意大利, 推介更多好酒給讀者! ^_^~
[版主回覆01/02/2012 08:02:19]祝你新年健康進步!要讀的酒多著呢,今天試 Taurasi!
There are still good Rosso di Montalcino which are comparable to many "normal" Brunello nowadays. By using the words of Antonio Galloni: "Good Rosso puts many Brunello to shame". However, people usually follow "Brunello" instead of "Good Sangiovese". This definitely hinders one's horizon in understanding the best of Sangiovese!
[版主回覆01/03/2012 17:05:13]Thanks for the comment, which I generally agree but I have to qualify by saying that the four exceedingly good Rossi I mentioned are likely to be exception to the rule. Generally, I would compare Rossi with early drinking Chainti, and I tend to think it easier to find better and more enjoyable Chianti at similar price points, not to mention a greater variety in style.
Don't need to buy any BdM from now on!
[版主回覆01/04/2012 10:52:37]No, No, and No!!! You would certainly say the same thing if people advise you not to buy a Bordeaux Grand Vin but just get the second wines. As fellow blogger Wine2Gather rightly pointed out, "good sangiovese" is what we should follow, be it BdM, RdM, Chianti or Super-Sangiovese.
I have tried Poggio di Sotto Rosso 2007 few months ago and Biondi-Santi Rosso 2004 recently. They out-pace many BdMs. I see 2007 Rosso are generally very good and impressive. Perhaps 2007 Brunello is another excellent vintage.
[版主回覆01/04/2012 16:35:21]If 2007 Chianti is any guide, this seems to be a ripe, forward vintage whereas 2006 appears to be more classical. This seems to become the norm with the warming of the earth.
Feel great to read your writings again.
[版主回覆01/05/2012 14:22:06]Ready for the Italians?
probably not, until I have a new angle.
[版主回覆01/05/2012 14:58:28]This is eagerly awaited … will fasten my seat belt.
haha, can't imagine I wrote that.