
Ep. 1879 Marco Gandini Narrates Pt. 64 | Italian Wine Unplugged 2.0
Italian Wine Unplugged 2.0
Episode Summary
Content Analysis Key Themes and Main Ideas 1. Detailed descriptions of specific Italian native grape varieties: Piedirosso, Pignolo, and Prie Blanc. 2. Exploration of grape origin, historical significance, and regional associations within Italy. 3. Insights into vineyard characteristics and cultivation challenges unique to each varietal. 4. Discussion of winemaking techniques and cellar practices for specific grapes. 5. Sensory profiles and recommended food pairings for wines produced from these grapes. Summary This segment of the Italian Wine Podcast provides in-depth descriptions of three distinct Italian native grape varieties: Piedirosso, Pignolo, and Prie Blanc. The episode begins with a brief introduction to the podcast's community-driven nature and a call for donations. It then transitions into detailed profiles of each grape, highlighting their origins, such as Piedirosso from Campania, Pignolo from Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Prie Blanc from the Aosta Valley. For each grape, the description covers its historical context, viticultural challenges (e.g., Piedirosso's green characteristic, Pignolo's sensitivity to extreme temperatures, Prie Blanc's cold-resistance and high-altitude growth), and unique characteristics in the vineyard. The analysis extends to cellar practices, outlining common winemaking approaches and difficulties like color extraction for Piedirosso or tannin management for Pignolo. Finally, it details the typical sensory profiles of the wines (color, aroma, taste, acidity, tannins) and suggests suitable food pairings, along with listing associated DOCs and benchmark producers. The episode concludes with a reminder to subscribe and donate to the podcast. Takeaways - Piedirosso is a Neapolitan grape often used to soften acidity and tannins in blends, known for its reddish stalk and red fruit/floral notes. - Pignolo, once nearly extinct, was resurrected by Walter Filippchi and is characterized by high tannins, deep ruby color, and dark fruit/earthy notes, favoring warm climates. - Prie Blanc is a rare Aosta Valley grape grown in some of Europe's highest vineyards (900-1200m), often ungrafted due to phylloxera resistance in cold environments, producing pale, acidic, and fresh white wines. - Italian wine varietals often have names and historical contexts linked to local dialects or unique characteristics. - Successful cultivation of native grapes often involves overcoming specific viticultural challenges related to climate, soil, and vine physiology. - Winemaking for certain Italian grapes requires particular cellar strategies to optimize color, tannin, and sensory profiles. Notable Quotes - ""Its usual role is to help soften the acidity and tenants of Ayanical."" (Referring to Piedirosso) - ""Its name derives from the Italian word for Pincon, piña."" (Referring to Pignolo) - ""Its name derives from the French Prier meaning to pray."" (Referring to Prie Blanc) - ""Grown in some of the highest vineyards in Europe, nine hundred to twelve hundred meters above sea level."" (Referring to Prie Blanc) Related Topics or Follow-up Questions 1. What are some other lesser-known, resurrected Italian native grape varieties and their stories? 2. How do specific soil types (e.g., volcanic, alpine) impact the characteristics of Italian wines made from native grapes? 3. What are the economic and cultural challenges of cultivating and marketing highly localized Italian grape varieties? 4. Beyond the described methods, what innovative winemaking techniques are being applied to manage challenging grape characteristics like high tannins or low color stability? 5. How is climate change specifically affecting high-altitude vineyards in Italy, and what adaptations are producers making?
About This Episode
The transcript discusses the Italian wine podcast and its community-led community-driven platform. The podcast offers a free book and a chance to receive a copy of the latest book. The segment also discusses new series and a presentation of Italian wine unplugged two point o, a new series on the Italian wine industry, and a presentation of a traditional Italian wine pepper pepper, lime, lime, herbs, and minerals.
Transcript
The Italian wine podcast is the community driven platform for Italian winegeeks 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 Great Geek 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 pots. For all the super wine geeks out there, we have a special new series dedicated to you. We are reading excerpts from our new addition of Italian wine unplugged two point o. Wine lovers tune in for your weekly fix. Only on Italian wine podcast. If you want to own a copy of this new must read Italian wine textbook, just go to amazon dot com or visit us at mama jumbo shrimp dot com. This is part sixty four. Description found in Compania with plantings concentrated in the provinces of Naples. Its usual role is to help soften the acidity and tenants of Ayanical. In reference to the neapolitan dialect, the grape is often locally known as Pere palumo, Palumbina, palomina, or even streperosa. Its name and its synonyms allude to a red foot or pigeons foot as references to its red stalk and stem. And the vineyard, well suited to warm climates and volcanic soils, It is vigorous vine and its main challenge in the vineyard is to avoid a green characteristic that can emerge in less ripe grapes. The extraction and stabilization of color is a challenge in the cellar. And the glass. Medium ruby, red cherries, red plum, violet, geranium, lavender, and a hint of tart. Vegan notes appear when less ripe. Wine have medium plus acidity, medium range level of tenants with its spellings leaning towards soft. Specific styles usually dry still wines. Some rosato and passito wines are also made. At the table, good with mushroom tostada, Nepal, frita, herb sausages, and calsona. Associated regions and DOPs, Compania, Capi flagre, DOC, Capri DOC, Chilinto, DOC, Costa, Faller, Nascico, DOC, ElPinia DOC, Penisola Sorentina, DOC, Sanio, DOC. Benchmark producers. Contina Federiciana, Doctor. Description found mainly in and was almost extinct in the nineteen fifties Resurrected by Walter Filippchi, who took carex from a few remaining old vines located at the historic Abazia de Rosatsu to revive its cultivations. Its name derives from the Italian word for Pincon, piña. Endoviner needs heat to ripen hits high level of tenons, but is also sensitive to extreme temperatures. It's a small compact bunches are sensitive to oedium. Thus sites with plenty of sunshine help reduce diseases while also promoting phenolic ripening. In the seller, winemakers employ oak, bottle aging, and other strategies for tanning management. In the glass, deep Ruby with hints of purple notes of Blackberry, blueberry, herbs, and minerals. An earthy characteristic develops with bottle h, fuller bodied with higher acidity and a high level of dense stannets. Specific styles usually dry still wines. At the table, roast lamb, grill rebuy with grana padano, walnut and truffle pesto, Reach potato Gritan with Bincera. Associated regions and DOPs. Frioli and Eze Julia, Frioli call your entire DOC, Subzone, or Pignolodirozatz, or DOC, Friulizonso is also the Friuli DOC. Benchmark producers, castello di butrio, Dorico, Ermacora, gigante, Mosquión, Petroco, Rodaro, Tore rosazza. Prier. Description native to the Alta Valle of Aosta Valley, its name derives from the French Prier meaning to pray. Also relevant due to its importance during Sunday mass instead of red wines in order to avoid staining. It could also be referred to as and has complex genetic relationships that place it in a parent offspring relationship with other early raguengha, very old table, and wine grape, mayole, and Primeta, significant due to its genetic contribution to the diversity of native grapes in ElSA Valley. In the vineyard, grown in some of the highest vineyards in Europe, nine hundred to twelve hundred meters above sea level. Vines are usually ungrafted due to the cold environment and tolerable by phylloxera. Train on low pergolas, Viticulture relies on terraces built in two slopes. Very airily ripening, resistant to cold and susceptible to rats. In the glass, pay a lemon in color, fresh nose of white flowers, green apple, hint of stone fruit, thyme and mint. High acidity, light texture, either oak or still maturation, some leaves aging. Still wines are dry, fresh, and crisp. Specific styles, dry, still wines, sparkling wines, usually At the table, seafood risotto, with savoy cabbage, sage, walnuts, and brown butter, cheese fondue grilled fish. Associated regions and DOPs, Aosta valley, Valedaosta doc, Blanc de Margier ed de la salle sub zone, mostly planted near the tails of Lassalle, Val pelon, and Allay. Benchmark producers, Vivei Martiano. Listen to the Italian wine podcast wherever you get your podcasts. We're on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, ImLIFM, and more. Don't forget to subscribe and rate the show. If you enjoy listening, please consider donating through Italian wine podcast dot com. Any amount helps cover equipment, production, and publication costs. Until next time, teaching.
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