Ep. 1991 Montepulciano, Nascetta by Pablo Fernandez | Italian Grape Geek

The Italian wine podcast is the community driven platform for Italian wine Geeks around the world. Support the show by donating at italian wine podcast dot com. Donate five or more Euros, and we'll send you a copy of our latest book, my Italian GrapeGeek journal. Absolutely free. To get your free copy of my Italian GreatGeek journal, click support us at italian wine podcast dot com, or wherever you get your pods. Welcome to the Italian GreatGeek Podcast. Join us as we explore personal stories of travel and tasting with Italy's must know grape for idols. Chart your own course with my Italian GreatGeek journal, your personal tasting companion to accompany the series. Available now on Amazon with thanks to Cleangeline partners for their generous support with this project. Hello, guys. I'm Pablo Fernandez. I'm Italian wine Ambassador. I'm from Feranopales Brazil. The next grape I'll talk about is Monica from the beautiful island of Sardinia. Monica, which is Sardinia's third most planted grape, has an origin story shrouded in a bit of mystery. It's believed to have been brought to the island by either the Spanish or the French but today it thrives almost exclusively in Sardinia. Interestingly, Monica may not be a single variety. It could encompass several unrelated grapes that share the same name as it happens in other regions in Italy, right? This grape can be found in both monovarietal wines and blends with other varieties like Canal and Boave. While traditionally blended, monovariety bottlings of monica are on the rise. In the vineyard, monica is known for being vigorous high yielding and dependable making it a favorite among farmers. However, it's crucial to manage this great carefully as it can easily become overwrought leading to wines with excessive alcohol levels. In the glass, Monica offers an approachable and pleasant wine with a hoebe hoe softy tannins and flavors of red fruits. It's a wine meant to be enjoyed young, often with as lights, chill. You can expect additional aromas and flavors of mid to ring and herbs horrend wind and tobacco. Monica's wines are typically dry and stew through Frisanti, slightly sparkling versions are becoming more popular. I remember the first time I tried Monica because I didn't have Monica in my national academy tastings, but it wasn't, great that I didn't know too much about before the course. I had a lunch with colleagues from Via just before the Pining ceremony, and they just took the exam. And was one of them brought a bottle of Monica for us to taste blindly. And I believe that no one was able to notify the grade because it's not a No. Great. And it's really a wine that we don't taste daily here in Brazil, especially for those who are not Sardinean actually. So this is the memory that I have from this wine, having it blindly with other Via students. What fascinated me most about Monica was its ability produce a light refreshing wine that it still had that and complexity. And learning about its history and the challenges of motivating it on Sardinia deepened my appreciation for this versatile break. Here in Brazil, we can easily find monica wines. And after this blind tasting that we had, bottle of Monica, which is a Tiqua Monica from Cantina, San Adi, which is one of the benchmark produce. And for those interested in exploring more Monica, I recommend benchmark producers like Cardettu, Paala, and Argiolas. And about food parries, Monica's versatility shines. Appears wonderfully with Frigula Sarda, which is a type of pasta, very similar to a cusco's, oh, and chilled with most seafood cheese juice. That's a good mediterranean wine. Right? It's softening tendons and fresh flavors makes an excellent companion for a variety of Mediterranean dishes enhancing the overall dining experience. So that's how about Monica. Hello, guys. Pablo here, I'm back, and I'm back to talk about a grape called Nashita or Nasheta. I don't know how to say properly in Italy, but I think it's Nachetta. And we are going to the region of Piamonte to explore this local grape. Nachetta, Native to the language territory was once nearly forgotten, but is now experiencing a renaissance. Thanks to passionate producers like Elvio Conio and Lestrette. This grape was traditionally found exclusively in Novelo, a common better known for Barolo production. And today, more winemakers are championing Nacheta. Expanding its recognition and planting it in other parts of the landscape. In the vineyards, Nacheta presents several challenges. It has a vigorous canopy, but its maturation is irregular and yields are low. Tight bunches make it susceptible to gray rot in humid years. While it doesn't fare well with too much sun, it requires warmth and a significant urinal temperature swings to fry it. Despite these difficulties, it continues to be primarily grown around novello with increasing plantings in other laying areas. In the glass, Nacheta displays a pale lemon hue with greenish y reflection. It boasts higher aromatic intensity with no dosage, rosemary, mint star fruit, and ginger. On the palette, it is decidled Saline offering a savory quality and an impression of a higher acid than in actually process. Remarkably, Mashita ages well, developing honey and vanilla notes while retaining its freshness. And our personal notes about Mashita, my experience with Mashita. And my first encounter actually was, Elvio Konyo, Anashita. And I was really blown away by this grape because usually when you think about Piamante, you think about, where or nays or Cortezi, and this initiative really caught my attention because it was a mix of flavors of a Casa honey grape fruit, sage, and also desalinity, which some other Italian white wines had. It was unlike any other PMontis white wine that I had tasted until that time, and I was instantly intrigued by its potential because after reading about it, you see that, it has really age worthy foundation. And what fascinated me most about Nashita was its near extinction, a subsequent revival, which is a history that really repeats in other regions. Yeah. So this grapes journey from obscurity to the spotlight, thanks to this dedicated passionate witness like us. We are passionate about the Italian, but just because this witness that we really have this grape around and is a testament to the passion and resilience involved in the world of wine. We can find it here in Brazil, as I said before, in the elvio. And for those interested in exploring this grape, benchmark producers like elvio cogno, Estrete, Ettore germano, and Danieli Conterno, are excellent starting point. And also, Elvio Conio in particular has been a pivotal figure in a shit as resurgence producing it since nineteen ninety four with the support of Novelo's older citizens who understood the grip's potential and really supported Elvio in the the renaissance of this grip. And when it comes to food pairings, Nashita Salin notes makes it an excellent match for shellfish, arugula salads, and tricky green vegetables like asparagus. It's savory quality and moderate acidity, complement these dishes perfectly. Creating a harmonious binding experience. And my last grape from my episode is my beloved Montepulciano, a grape that holds a significant place in the Viticulture landscape of Central Italy. Monteepulciano is predominantly found in the eastern regions of Central Italy as it stands as the country's fifty most planted grape and second most planted red grape. This grape accounts for at least fifty percent of vineyard plants in in Abruzzo, and is also the most important red variety in market with a considerable presence in Melissa. Despite the name, there is no connection between the grape Montepulciano and the town of Monteepulciano in Tuscany. Which produces the SanJovese based vino nobility de Montepulciano. Interestingly, until the early twentieth century Montepulciano was often confused with San Giovanni, which might explain the name in confusion. In the vineyard, Montepulciano presents several challenges. It's not disease resistant and suffers for uneven ripening, even within the same bunch. This late ripening variety needs a long growing season to fully mature its seeds. Leading to high sugar accumulation and consequently high alcohol potting. The grape is adaptable, thriving in both mountainous inland areas and coastal environments and performs best on clay soils due to its sensitivity to water stress. In the glass, multiple channels is reaching them to sign in. It's giving it a deep ruby or a purple hue. It's characterized by a ripe red cherry, spicy buck, black plum, blackberry, Brebonberry, Woodsey Earth, oregano, and licorice. It has a medium plus acidity and tenons balancing the often generous fruit flavors. When not well managed, a synchronous ripening can lead to a greater tenons and harsh vegetable notes. Multiple Chiano wines range from light and easy drink to full body it and fruit forward, often with velvety tannins. More than versions may be aged in milk, add in complexity. This grape also produces rosato wine's nose as cera swallow. Which range from pale pink to pale ruby and are noted for the fleshier, multi, and more tenons compared to typical Rosier wines. In fact, I have a very interesting personal connection with this grape because long before thinking about becoming an particularly. I already had contact with the grape since many local wine producers here near my city here in South of Brazil have multiple channels as the as the main grape of their red wine production. So my journey with Monte Pocciano started long before I even knew about the advanced progress of Vineital International Academy. And also another personal connection has to do with the week. I did the tases and the via exam in London back in two thousand thirty two. I went with, diploma, double CT colleague, took the sixty seven Palmao in London, which is a famous private club with an excellent wine list. And then I came across with, Monteputiano da Brutson two thousand from the Hennawans an extortical and medial pepe. And it was a beautiful experience, a sensational wine with a complexity that really are those kind of wines that stays in your memory in your palette. And I'm pretty sure that this was the wine that inspired me a lot to pass on the exam. So thanks Emil Peppy and Montipulciano, right? Getting back to the grape. What intrigued me most about multiple channel after my studies was its versatility and the variety of styles that you can produce with it. So you can have robo threads, refreshing rosatos, which are my favorites. I love Charasuolo, and multiple channels offer something to every kind of palettes. So and additionally, it's adaptability to different areas and its role in both addition and modern one making practice added to its allure. Talking about, market wise, here in Brazil, we find a lot of Montepulciano. So they are very fairly accessible, especially those from the Montepulciano D' Abruzzo collection and really help many people enter in the wine world. And to drink a good wine for its price because it's really affordable here in Brazil. Benchmark producers to look for include a medium pepe, Valentini, Macharelli, Girelli, Tiberio, the firmo, zacchini, and catal dimadona. Also, I cannot forgot Fantini. Fantini is a good producer. These producers are known for their commitment to quality and their ability to showcase the unique characteristics of multiple channels. When it comes to food pairings, multiple channels shines with classic Italian dishes. It's rubbles, rads pair beautifully with braised meats, rich ragu's, and strong cheeses. Characuolo, which is the Rosier wine from Montepociano, on the other hand. It's excellent with curried meats like mortadella di campo to and grilled or barbecue meat. For lighter, fruit, cera, saguaro, wine. It also complements very well with spicy dishes, right? Because we are Central of Italy. So the spices starts to appear in the dishes. So, is a great worth story. Next time you come across a bottle of Montepulciano, don't hesitate to give it a try. And that's it. That's a wrap. Thank you very much for listening to me, and I hope you like it. Listen to the Italian wine podcast. Wherever you get your podcasts. We're on SoundCloud, Apple podcasts, Spotify, AMLIFM, and more. Don't forget to subscribe and rate the show. If you enjoy listening, please consider donating through alliantwine podcast dot com. Any amount helps cover equipment, production, and publication costs. Until next time. Chichi.