Ep. 1370 Antonio Arrighi | Wine, Food & Travel With Marc Millon

Hey, guys. Check out Italian wine unplugged two point o brought to you by Mama jumbo shrimp, a fully updated second edition, reviewed and revised by an expert panel of certified Italian wine ambassadors from across the globe. The book also includes an addition by professoria Atilushienza. Italy's leading vine geneticist. To pick up a copy today, just head to Amazon dot com or visit us at mama jumbo shrimp dot com. Welcome to wine food and travel. With me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Listen in as we journey to some of Italy's most beautiful places in the company of those who know them best. The families who grow grapes and make fabulous wines. Through their stories, we all learn not just about their wines, but also about their ways of life, the local and regional foods and specialities that pair naturally with their wines. And the most beautiful places to visit. We have a wonderful journey of discovery ahead of us, and I hope you will join me. Welcome to wine, food, and travel with me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Today, I'm at Vin Italy, Italy's most important wine gathering where wine producers and wine buyers and wine lovers come together to really discover the wealth of wine from each of Italy's twenty regions. I guess today, joins me from the island of Elba Antonio Arighi of Asienda Agricola Arighi. Welcome, Antonio. Thank you very much for being my guest today. It's a real pleasure to have you here, and it's so nice to see you and Vineet today. Thank you. Thank you too. Very interesting to to speak about, wine. Good. Now, Antonio, before, let's first of all begin on the island of Elba. Can you describe Elba? It's a beautiful island, isn't it? Yes. We are in, in is, it's a part of a national, park. And, we are the distance, the distance is seven, seven kilometer from the coast, Tuscany Tuscany coast. Oh, it's very close. I didn't realize it was that that close. Now to arrive at Elba from where do you take the Tregeto, the ferry? The ferry from Pionino. Pumino. Yes. Pumino is a one hour by boat. One hour. A ferry boat. Yeah. And, nearby is the third third island after to big island, after Sardinia, and head by the terrorists. Okay. So it's a it's a big island. Yes. Not not very big, very good for change. King Coast. You can go in a few time, North Sood East harvest. You can try the the sea, white sea. Because it's very easy to change the coast. Okay. Okay. Yeah. For the wind. Sure. Yeah. And it's a it's an island that attracts tourists, but it's also an island where people live and work. Yes. Yes. The the the the the first work is, forecast activity is tourism. Many people come from Melbourne in the in the in the in the year. Some And, we arrive, two hundred and eight two million to eight hundred people. Oh my goodness. Present. Present. Wow. That's a huge tourist. But where did they come from, Antonio? Italy, and then, Germany, Holland, Austria, Switzerland. Okay. Sometime, from USA. But before, when I am sixty, years. In nineteen, nineteen, and then sixty. Mhmm. Many people come from England. Okay. Yes. Okay. Many people will come from England. Not now. No. Not. I wonder why why not? We should rediscover Elba. I've not been to Elba, but I look forward to visiting. Yes. So we have a very different place because we are to only two hundred kind of mineral rocks. Oh my. Change every time, every place change every place. And for the for the mineral, for the, mine, from from etruscan, Trushan, and Greece, and Rome, everybody use the island for the, for the iron. Okay. Oh, that's really important. So we're talking about an island that was on a thoroughfare up to Terrain Sea, and the Greeks, see etruscans, the Romans, mining iron there, and exploiting the island to get out natural, natural elements. Yes. Six years ago, the University of Siena, archaeology, found a factory, farm, Roman farm, one hundred before Christ Okay. With the amphora. With amphora? Yes. Big amphora. One thousand five hundred liter. Oh my goodness. It's huge. You drove for us. Yes. So a long tradition of making wine on Alba. Yes. In, eighteenth century, We are the most important, producer, white wine producer in the Tuscany. Oh my. The white grape. Okay. So five thousand five thousand hectares. Wow. Yes. The the the sea view is only vineyard. And how long have you been making wine? My age, my I am the fourth generation. Okay. My daughter, the fifth generation is a white maker. We produce, one one century. Okay. And, how many hectares of vineyards do you have? The the farm now is twenty two hectares, but the vineyard are nine eight nine hectares. I really continue to because the wine finished over here. So I'm imagining vineyards overlooking the seaside. Yes. We see the tuscany coast. We are in east part of the island. Okay. So very beautiful place. Yes. With the terrace, it's like an amphitheatreat. Okay. So, difficult manual work. Yes. It's a hard work. Okay. Now, we're going to be talking about a very special wine that you're producing, the vino marino, but first of all, let's talk about other wines that you produce. What has been the style of elba wine that you've been producing? You are producing before the Vino marino. Hey, before the Vino marino is the the the octoton, grapes, the wine is Ansonica. Ansonica is from Elba, Gilio Island, a sicily. Sicily, the name in sicily is, in Zolia. Is, it's important for the the wine, for tifir, the wine, Marcella. For the Marcella. Marcella. Yeah. And, it's white, white, it's a white, grape, white wine, and, brocanyiko is the the family from, Trebiano, toscano. Okay. And, Moscato, Bianco. Escato, and Vermentino. Vermentino, and this The name, I don't understand the reason I the name was, rimini. Rimini. I don't know why. Uh-huh. Do you mean these other things? Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that's interesting. Vermentino, which is also grown in nigeria in Tuscany Yeah. On the coast and in San Bernardino likes to any other city. Yeah. Yeah. It's a one. Sebu. Yes. And the red wine is, Sangiovese. Okay. A kind of the big family of Saniovese, brunel Ocanti, Moreno, Novile, but this is a sangiovese piccolo, a small sangiovese. The grapes, more Piccoli. It's smaller. Smaller. Smaller. And, most farmers from Elba is in a sweet natural natural sweet wine. It's Raleighatic greeps. Oh, on the article from Elba. Yes. Yes. Yeah. It's it's the the the family is the wine, for the in Elbon family. For Christmas. Uh-huh. Is that a passeto. Casseto. Yes. Okay. These grapes stay one or two weeks, for the sun. In the sun. So not not out. You don't have to put them inside. Just directly in the sun. Don't stay, more time in a in a vineyard, but when it's good, we cut the grapes and put in a on the sun. Okay. That to run. Sweet wine. Wonderful. Yes. Wonderful. That's fantastic. Very sweet, many a long smell and the many fluids. Uh-huh. And then, proforma is, they know it's a smell. Yeah. The smell is fantastic. Uh-huh. Wonder flower, red flower. It's more important because when they arrive, a family person in Elba, the people offer Alayati. Okay. Okay. That's okay. I arrive in Elba, drink. Of course, Napoleon, exile. Gladayati. Yes. Of course. Good. Well, that sounds wonderful. Now, and Sonica is a very important grape for you, and it's an important grape for the wine we're going to be talking about. And Sonica is a white wine that perhaps listeners aren't so well acquainted to. But it makes beautiful, full white wines. It's a very important white grape. Yes. It's important about the the in the in the eighteenth century. Many people from Elba sell sell the wine, outside the Elba. Okay. Because it's very, resistant. Okay. Because the the skin is hard. Oh, I see. You you can use for a long way. Okay. Without track with the Sure. You can travel and it wouldn't break open and oxidize. Yeah. Interesting. Now you mentioned, the etruscans, the Romans, the Greeks, on elba. Have you always had an interest in archaeology and in the ancient past? Yes. But around the island, under the sea in a deep, there are many boats. Shaver enemies. German with the for inside. Okay. But, also now, fifty, fifty, fifty, fifty meters, one hundred meters with a bigger amphora. Right. One thousand and fifty liters. Very big. Okay. So it's really an indication of when the Mediterranean was a great trading networks of ships traveling up and down, and sometimes in storms, perishing, and the boats sinking Yes. With their wine and oil Yes. Coming to the bottom of the sea. And, yes, and, many recent with, commercial, business, with, south of French. Okay. When, they come back, stop in Elba for for the iron. Oh, okay. It's a business with intrusion. Right. Right. They would trade up to France and then come back and collect Yes. Collect the iron. Yes. Because the etruscans were very good at metal work. Yes. Yes. You know, they sell wine in, in, France, and, cell mineral of iron from, in Elba. Yes. Now, let's talk about this very special wine that you are now making Nesos, Avino merino, this wine, that it really is a link to the ancient past. It's a link to the Romans. Can you tell us how you learned about the wine and what made you decide to do this extraordinary project? Yes. Yes. But, he's the professor Sienza. Okay. Professor Sienza, who we all know well. He's here at the Vineetili Academy, and, is, much loved by us as a great authority on on the DNA of grapes, but also on the history of wine. Yes. He he wrote many books about the the the original the wine, the grapes from, cao, and yes. Speak about, particular wine. Why he said that why the greece call the wine from kiosk, the the wine of the good. One for the gods. For the gods. One for the gods. Why Julia Shielle write, a perennial vacuum, used for the party, the wine from Kio. Hios. Why? Italian wine podcast. If you think you love wine as much as we do, then give us a like and a follow anywhere you get your pods. It's very different to the other wine because, a, the separate was, put the grapes under the sea for the salt. The salt for the wine, for defender, the wine from the herb, oxygen. Okay. So So, Antonio, you were talking about harvesting fresh grapes and Sonica, right? And Sonica. And putting them in baskets as the Romans did. Basket. Baskets. How many kilos? But a quantity. Twenty, twenty five. Okay. So a big full big basket. And and then it it goes underneath the sea into the pure clean waters that surround elba. For the the the the the the current. Okay. So the current is passing through. How many baskets do you put underwater? Twelve fifteen. Fifteen. And, the basket is is Vimini in Italian. It's Vimini. The the the material. Is it a straw basket? Yes. Okay. And, stay five days at ten minutes of sleep. Okay. So we're quite deep. The baskets are submerged from the grape. So you stay five days because the other grapes, one, two days finish. Oh, really? They would break apart. They don't and that's where that thick skin of ansonica is so important. Yes. We need the salt going south, inside into the the Okay. So that salt water actually penetrates the skin Yes. Without breaking it through osmosis without breaking the skin. Yes. Without breaking. Okay. Extraordinary. Is it the the We work about the University of Pisa. Okay. Agraria. Okay. It's all the the the control analysis. What an interesting project Yes. And that was born out of a desire to really see how we could rep you could replicate this fabulous ancient wine that everybody wrote about. The wine from Keels. Yes. But for me, it was only for curiosity. Okay. I I would like to understand what they drink. Yes. Yes. Yes. And in Mars, we I I met, I met, Chienza and drink the first glass together. Oh, oh, that's wonderful. And, very emotional. Yeah. I can understand. It would be very emotional and, important experience to to actually feel like you were tasting wine from the ancient past. But, we are the first, before two thousand years. Okay. To try this experience, experience. Amazing. So, This method of winemaking had been lost, but for two thousand years, and now it's being done again. So the grapes are underwater five days, ten meters deep in these conical shaped baskets. The grapes come up? Yes. And what happens then? They two days on the sun. Okay. For dry. Okay. Still in the full grappalo. Yes. So they're still in the bunch. One of is this important, the the the grape is, sano. Okay. So healthy grapes. Yes. No. No. No. Not broken. Not broken because very dangerous. Yeah. And, delicate delicate. Yes. Yes. We put in the place, near the vineyard at the sun. Okay. Every years, we cover. Cover for the humidity. Yes. And the morning open. And then open to get the sun. And so just two days of Apaximeta. Yes. So they're only lightly dried, not Not really overpass it. No. No. No. No. Okay. No. Only today's bus is, in the skin of the grape, everything, part of the name is, pooina. It's defender for the sun. Oh, okay. The grape. In the sun in the sea, finish. No. No. It's not present. Okay. And the the sun go inside more quickly. More quickly. You know, yes, because that would have been washed off by the sea water. Yes. Yes. Yes. And then we we put the the the the grips into the the amphora. Okay. Into amphora. How many liter amphora? This is very small. Twenty five liters. Oh my goodness. Very small. Yes. So We use more this, it's like the the umbrella for transport for. Okay. The ones that we see pictures of or Yes. That we think of as the the the pointed. Yes. Yes. Wow. Where did you have those made? Where is it easy to get them made? Do people still make, do people? Sorry? Dovesy drove across the amphora? I'm near Florence, from this place for the terracotta. Okay. For the amphora. It's in Pruneta. In Pruneta. Yes. Next where they made the big orchi for the olive oil. Handmade. Handmade handmade handmade is incredible. Okay. Be good for until one thousand liter and smaller. Okay. Why did you decide to use the small amp for that? Because we we we like to to do more similar, more possible, similar at the duration. As the as the Romans would have done. Yes. Yes. Okay. So the grapes are in on the skins in the amphora and the fermentation. Yes. And stay all, after the fermentation for six months. Six months. Okay. In the amphora. Yes. Before after, we we we leave the grapes no, no, without without without, without, pressing them. Pressing, without pressing. And, we leave to the the counter. Mhmm. And then in the bottle. So it just decants by gravity. Yes. Yes. Without filter filter filtration. Okay. Without sulfide, without, I yeah, but it's a lot of people. So without without selected yeast. Yeast. Yeast. Like at least not Just the natural yeast. That's only salt I'm afraid. Just that salt that's come in through osmosis Yes. From five days in the sea. Yes. Incredible. And so the wine emerges. This is about as pure a wine making as you can imagine, really, undergoing this natural process in the sea, the natural process of two days of drying under the hot sun of the summer. Yes. Fermentation, natural fermentation without adding any yeast or anything in small amphora, and then letting the wine decant without filtration and bottling it. Yes. Yes. And what is the what does the wine taste like? You, you know, explain to you is, different for all wines. Yes. No. You, you can when you notice, you can't remember other wine. It's very, very different taste of the the sea. Yes. That's extraordinary. Yes. Freshness as well. If you work, in the river of the beach, after the big whales. Mhmm. And you taste the smell, the sea. That's saltiness. I remember this. Yeah. That's a pity to have that. Yes. Yes. And the salt in the smoke and the, when you taste, the salt go stay and go away and come back. Okay. And it's very long. Yes. Yes. An extraordinary wine. A real. Yes. Yes. Yes. I don't like it, with with food or anything. Yes. This is a special special one. And they're very Not very cold. And very few bottles make. How many do you make of the vino of nesos? How many bottles? Two hundred and forty. Two hundred and forty. Yes. Oh my goodness. It's The first time, four hundred. Okay. Only and, drink all only journalist in Florence. Uh-huh. I'm I'm show the film about this. I don't believe many people. I don't understand because all born for my curiosity. Yes. Not for for for business. Not only for one to understand what they drink. That's absolutely fascinating that this this desire to to discover an ancient wine became a project for you. You looked at it very seriously and and replicated methods that would have been used. You're making very small quantity. Yes. But it's a wine that excites the world people are very excited to read about this to hear the story of this extraordinary one. See? So you created a great thing. Yes. We arrived with the the n h k the the television, Japanese television, the Chinese television, the best for television, the world. Yeah. The tip of France, TF one, from France, old Italian television, and, white spectator, national geographic. They can't, and, the the wine, the wine newspaper from India, Polonia. The the big, press agency from Russian, Maria. Many people speak about, about, this, the experience. Well, I'm I'm glad I'm glad people are recognizing the work you did. As you say, you didn't do the project to get publicity or to do. You did it out of curiosity and out of love for the ancient pastor. You've made a great contribution to the world of wine. Yes. Yes. My husband, I understand from Shansa, why in, many years my body found people who try the the the experience. Yes. Yes. You ask about other island. What do you like to try this, how? I just that's interesting. It's, hard work. Yes. A men's hard work for a small amount, small quantity of boys. Now I think, remember, why it is saying no. That's that's why they don't do it. Yeah. Well, it's it's it's a fascinating story, and I'm so glad you shared it with us. And, I can only say comp complimenti and congratulations for your vision in thinking of the idea. And when you drink the wine with professoria Pilyushin's, the two of you, What did what did it feel like then? What did he what did professor Shansa think of the wine? He said that it's, incredible, for for the different, the evolution, the wine, when you, taste very different for for anything else. It's the first time that I I taste a line like like this. And perhaps we can all understand why Julius Caesar, it was supposed to be his favorite line. Yes. Yes. Or why pliny the Elder also. Yes. Because the It's very difficult to understand because the, Julo Chiencari has the the wine in a company, a very the crew, very important. Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay. Well, it's a fascinating story. I know you have a busy time at Vin Italy, but thank you so much for coming here to share the story with us. I wish you a very good Vin Italy. I hope it's very successful. And thank you for the work you've done, and thank you for being my guest today. We hope you enjoyed today's episode of wine, food, and travel with me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Please remember to like, share, and subscribe right here. Or wherever you get your pods. Likewise, you can visit us at Italian wine podcast dot com. Until next time.