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最近幾個月，我們先後試了 Soldera 的三瓶早期作品﹕ 1977、1978 和 1980。我可以毫不誇張的說﹕Brunello 的現代化是從這三瓶酒開始的。

 

 

 

 

 

 

帶領世人領略 Sangiovese 的神聖責任于是落在 Soldera 身上。就在 1976 年的某一天，正當 Soldera 還在釀造他的第一個年份（1975），上天巧妙的安排他遇上了 Giulio Gambelli。

 

Soldera 自己曾寫道﹕

 

From the early 50s until 1972 I was only an educated family consumer of good eating and drinking; since 1972 I have been a wine grower, since 1975 a wine grower and maker, ageing wines made only from grapes grown in the “Case Basse” and “Institieti” vineyards on my property. However, I lack the role and experience of a grape and wine merchant, a producer of wine made from grapes not my own, a bottler of wines not produced by myself and a blender of wines.

見 Soldera 網站﹕talking Soldera – Soldera’s Column – “IL CHIANTI E LE TERRE DEL VINO” (Italy – March/April 2006) “The quality of wine”:  http://www.casebasse.it/en/conversando2.htm

 

所以在這之前，Soldera 是個飲家，而且他最喜歡的酒，是北部的酒：Barolo 和 Amarone。Jancis Robinson 在一次訪問 Soldera 時聽他說過﹕   

 

the only red wine producers he approves of are Giuseppe Rinaldi and Giacomo Conterno in Barolo and Giuseppe Quintarelli in the Veneto. Josko Gravner of Friuli also passes muster.

見 Soldera 網站﹕talking Soldera – media – Soldera Case Basse Brunellos back to 1981:  http://www.casebasse.it/en/conversando1.htm

 

從一個喜歡 Barolo 和 Amarone 的飲家，變成 Sangiovese 的啟蒙導師而非 Barolo 的另一個 great producer，只因 1976 年的一天，他遇上了 Giulio Gambelli。Soldera 自己是這麼說的﹕

 

If I had found land in Piedmont I would never have met Giulio Gambelli, who has made me discover how sweeter, deeper, longer, more elegant and harmonious Sangiovese is with respect to Nebbiolo or any other variety.

見 Soldera 網站﹕talking Soldera – media – Il Chianti e le terre del vino (Italy – Jul/Aug 07) “Soldera in the eighties: the rose of Montalcino” by Filippo Bartolotta:   http://www.casebasse.it/en/conversando1.htm

 

這裏讓我先解釋一下 Soldera 當時用的酒標。Brunello di Montalcino 在 1967 年成為 DOC 時，規定酒要在木桶陳年三年之久（從 1998 年開始縮短為兩年），所以 Soldera 的兩個葡萄園所出的酒用了不同的標簽﹕從比較貧瘠的 Intistieti 葡萄園所出的酒結構較強，可以承受較長時間在木桶陳年，所以從 1977 年起即以 Brunello 的名號釀酒；在較大的 Case Basse 葡萄園出來的酒結構較弱，年青的葡萄只宜較短的木桶陳年期，因此從 Case Basse 而來的葡萄從 1972 年栽種算起，要 18 年後即 1990 年才推出頭一年份的 Brunello。我們品試的三瓶是 Case Basse 所出，當時不叫 Brunello，只稱作 table wine （Vino da Tavola）。

 

 

 

1977 開始時有乾花、皮革的香氣，入口有很 delicate 的果味，回味長得令人吃驚。半個小時後出現像糖果似的甜味，變得很新鮮。四個小時後出很清新的香氣，乾花、泥土、然後有新割下的玫瑰花、花粉，甚至有一點 perfume 。口感多了一點重量，有很平衡的果味。大概三、四個小時後，酒逐漸走下坡。五年的葡萄樹、五年的新手能有如此成績，很令人吃驚！

 

1978 年的顏色比較深，完全沒有老態。剛開瓶時的氣味是濕泥土、乾的香草，蘑菇等。酒體結實，帶煙燻似的果味，有微苦的回味。四個小時後，出現美妙的酸度，所以感覺很新鮮。晚上正式下杯時，酒已全面開放，我的筆記是這樣的﹕

 

Unbelievably fresh and youthful, full of sweet cherries, with a smoky, earthy, woodsy and dried herbs nose and a little old-wood finish.  As good as a traditional Sangio goes.  Amazing for a 4^th vintage!

 

更難以置信的是這瓶 1980 !

 

 

 

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 2^nd 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。

 

這是 Soldera 拜 Giulio Gambelli 為師以後的第五個作品，他以後二十多年的作品中，我們又喝過 16 個年份，除了 1992 是 Soldera 也搖頭的年份以外，其他 15 個，每一粒都是 Sangiovese 珍珠。

 

至此，Soldera 可以詔告天下﹕Sangiovese 站起來了！

 

我幾個月以前曾說過﹕

 

Ultimately, all Soldera is about emotions, and there is always a sense of intimacy to a Soldera that defies words.  With so much emotion and intimacy, a Soldera is to be shared only with your loved ones.

 

今天我只想加一句﹕

 

All encounters with Soldera are religious in nature: a pilgrimage to Sangiovese,  and an ode to the beautiful Toscana that gives birth to it.

 

如果 Barolo 是 The King of Italian Wine，那麼 Sangiovese 應該是 God 嗎？要破除宗教迷信的話，就稱他為 The Essence of Italian Wine 好了！

 

附錄﹕Soldera's Wines at a Glance

 

這裏根據 Soldera 的網站與 Antonio Galloni 的一篇專著整理出多年來 Soldera 出過的各種酒。