From Burgundy to Barbaresco

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上星期與三位 blog 友有一場愉快的酒局,其中兩位是新認識的 Burgundy 愛好者,他們以前已經領教過 Barolo ,這次一心想試試 Chianti ,原因是以前喝 Chianti 的印象不算太好。我把題目稍為改了一下,請他們品試 Sangiovese ,因為 Sangiovese Chianti 以至 Tuscany 的靈魂。

我選了三瓶 1985 ﹕兩瓶來自 Chianti 地區,分別是Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico Riserva Castellare I Sodi San Niccolo,兩者都是以 Sangiovese 為主(大概  85% 或以上);另一瓶來自 Montalcino 地區的老莊 Argiano Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 。按規定,Brunello 是百分百的 Sangiovese Grosso Sangiovese 的一個 clone)。

用其中一位 Bur 友的話說﹕「今晚是一個全新的體驗」,他們想也沒想到這三瓶酒竟然達到 Premier Cru Grand Cru 的水平。我漏了跟他們說的是﹕這些酒莊在 Tuscany 大概算二、三級而已。

當然,1985 是個絕好的年份,今天已全然成熟,而且很幸運的是,三瓶酒都保存得非常好。

這三瓶酒有三種不同的性格﹕Castell’in Villa豐厚、I Sodi San Niccolo 典雅、Argiano 平衡勻稱,充分顯示了 Tuscany terroir 可以千變萬化。 Bur 友最愛I Sodi San Niccolo,那是因為三瓶酒之中,數這瓶層次最豐富,而且有足夠的酸度,令他們想起 Burgundy

兩位Bur 友的意大利戀愛原來都是從 Giacosa Red Label Barolo 而起,他們很訝異的發現意大利竟然有那麼 Burgundy feel 的好酒,而且價格只是同級 Burgundy 的三份之一左右。

我告訴他們,其實對 Burgundy 口味來說,新的 Barolo 丹寧可能太重,還有一個矛盾是﹕新酒難喝,舊酒難找而且比較昂貴。更好的選擇可能是 Barbaresco ,因為 Barbaresco finesse 為其特色,可以說比較feminine 吧,而且丹寧來得柔和一些,比較早可以喝。Barbaresco 的名氣一般沒有 Barolo 那麼響,所以價格更便宜,如果你找一些不大出名的小酒莊,花 Giacosa 三份之一的價格可能買到起碼有 Giacosa 七、八成那麼好的酒。

我最近喝過的兩瓶 Barbaresco 便是上佳的例子。

第一瓶是 Roagna 2003  Barbaresco Paje ,另一瓶是 Cantina del Pino 2005 Barbaresco Albesani

兩個都不是最好的年份,2003 最糟糕,其熱無比,一般難以釀出好酒。 Antonio Galloni 2003 打了 89 分,給 2005 打了 93 分。但好葡萄園落在好 winemaker 的手上,結果只有一個﹕上乘的酒。

Roagna Paje Barbaresco 村的有名葡萄園,Slow Food Editore 出版的 A Wine Atlas of the Langhe 如此描述 Paje

Nebbiolo for Paje has hard tannins that lend austerity to its Barbaresco but also a finesse and elegance that are reminiscent of Asili or Rabaja.

Antonio Galloni 曾經這樣高度贊譽 Roagna :

Roagna is one of the most fascinating properties in Piedmont. The family owns small, but choice, plots in some of the region’s best vineyards. In top vintages there can be as many as three selections of Barbaresco (Barbaresco Paje, Barbaresco Riserva Paje and Barbaresco Crichet Paje) and two of Barolo (Barolo La Rocca e La Pira, Barolo Riserva La Rocca e La Pira). The wines are fermented in oak vats and remain on the skins until mid-December, after which they are aged in oak barrels for as many as a dozen years prior to being bottled … the wines are usually released later than most and can be hard to find, but they are increasingly worth the effort. Quality has never been higher here, and as I have written before, Luca Roagna is one of Piedmont’s most promising young producers.

這瓶酒我分兩天喝完。我的筆記有如下的記述﹕

 〔第一天〕A meaty, wet earth nose, black fruits and flower petals.  Fruit is so elegant, sweet and fresh … a very profound nose … the taste is so elegant!  Its floral fragrance is certainly Giacosa’s equal, if not even better at this point of its life!

 〔第二天〕Still has freshness, good fruit, very balanced.  A very elegant nose: meaty, spices and flower petals, similar to yesterday but now more subtle.  Taste is velvety, sweet, very soft fruit.  May have lost a bit of yesterday’s freshness, trading middle-age suppleness for yesterday’s adolescent vibrancy. 

Antonio Galloni 認為這瓶 Roagna 是所有2003 Barbaresco 當中最好的,比 Giacosa Asili 高出兩三分,我喝過後絕對同意。

Cantina del Pino Vacca 家族在 Barbaresco 世代務農,以前把葡萄賣給Barbaresco 最大的合作社 Produttori del Barbaresco ,從 1971 年起才自己釀酒。他們最有名的葡萄園位于 Barbaresco 村的 Ovello ,從 2005 年起推出產自 Neive Albesani 葡萄園的一瓶 Riserva 。我們喝的便是這瓶。

參看酒莊網頁﹕http://www.cantinadelpino.com/index.html

Albesani Santo Stefano 相鄰。 Santo Stefano 可以稱得上是 Barbaresco 的第一名園,原因只有一個﹕ Bruno Giacosa 1961 年起釀造了無數膾炙人口的 Santo Stefano Barbaresco ,意大利酒愛好者早已認定這是最偉大的意大利酒之一。

參見另一網誌 最偉大的 18 瓶意大利酒

我們分三天喝這瓶 Albesani ,最好喝是第二天, Giacosa 的 San Stefano 和 Gaja 的 San Lorenzo 最好的時候可能也不過如此!太精彩了!

我的筆記摘要如下﹕

〔第一天〕(first ½ hour) Very perfumed nose, lots of flowers, dense petals, menthol, some wood.  Taste: a rather big body, very delicious, full of flowers; body builds up quickly, and some tannins emerge …(1 hour later) Rhone like spicy aromas, rich flavors, a little dense and coarse, more tannins, but maintains intensity … (1 ½ hours) Quite tannic now.

〔第二天〕 (first ½ hour) Intoxicating perfumed nose, rose, petals; fruit is intoxicatingly sweet.  Super lovely!  (1 hour later) Holds up, super lovely sweet fruit, less tannic and more balanced than yesterday.  At this stage, even beats Giacosa’s ’04 Le Rocche Riserva!  (1 ½ hours) Holds up, insanely beautiful!

〔第三天〕 Lost some freshness.  A subdued nose of mainly petals and some sweet scents.  Quite supple now.  But fruit has an intensity of sweetness, but in a wet, decadent style.

Antonio Galloni 認為這瓶Cantina del Pino “a classic in the making”,評分與 Bruno Giacosa 並排,但價格是 Giacosa 的一半還不到。

後記

比較兩瓶酒, Roagna 溫婉Cantina del Pino 剛柔並濟,同是不見經傳的酒莊, Village Wine 的價錢,尋尋覓覓多年也踫不上的好酒,這次卻得來全不費功夫。

回想有朋友曾經跟我開玩笑說我是個意大利酒專家,我現在可以認真的告訴他﹕

All I know is I don’t know Italian wine, but I love her even more!

又﹕我以前寫過一篇專門介紹 Barbaresco 的網誌,可參看﹕Barbaresco!

5 則評論在 From Burgundy to Barbaresco.

  1. I am curious — where did you get the Cantina del Pino? I've met the winemakers in Hong Kong back in October and a few of them are still lying in my cellar. 
    [版主回覆08/13/2010 07:28:00]Direct from Italy.

  2. so many thanks for sharing~
    [版主回覆08/13/2010 11:16:00]Glad you like it!

  3. Now that my Burg stock is running down, maybe it's time to stock up some Italian wines….hahaha!
    [版主回覆08/15/2010 08:55:00]There are 3B's besides Burg that you might like to look at: Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello.  Good luck!

  4. Like wise to you!
    [版主回覆08/16/2010 07:54:00]Yes, need a lot of luck to get good bottles of old vintages!

  5. 師兄 , 有關 Cascina Adelaide 呢間酒莊怎樣 , 佢地有支 Cannubi Barolo 2004 http://www.wine-hut.com/chi/p2.asp?ItemClass1=Italy  , 可否給點意見參考
    [版主回覆08/18/2010 20:38:00]抱歉我對這個酒莊沒有經驗,查資料好像評價不高。2004是好年份,但新酒不容易處理。
     
    我建議你去 Altaya ( http://www.altayawines.com )找 Cavallotto 的 2000 年 Riserva 酒,原價 500 多元已經超值,現在剛好有 Sale 。這是傳統派的名莊,不過比較低調,價格也偏低。
     
    2000 , 1998 與 1995 這些次佳的年份現在都比較可以喝。 Barbaresco  更好,我介紹的 Cantina del Pino 在香港這家公司有售﹕
    http://www.amorossowines.com/index.htm

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