Ep. 1406 Elena & Eleonora Charrère | 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, we are traveling to one of the most stunningly beautiful wine lands in the world. The validosta to meet my guests, Elena, and Elianora Sherreo, of Lecut winery located just outside of Aosta. Good morning, Eleanor, and Elianora. How are you today? I hope it's a beautiful day, but I wonder if you've been suffering the really severe weather that's been passing through Northern Italy? Yeah. It's a beautiful day. Actually, it's not so good, whatever. It's raining, it's rainy, but we have a good weather in the last period. So we are happy to see the rain because the vineyard really need water in this period. Since we have passed a long period without any water from the sky, now we are happy. We are definitely here in Mada. We have a specific geographic situation, which is different from the rest of Italy. And and so we are lucky because we're, at the arraignment during the spring. But not so much. And it was really good for our land. Since we are a leading a disaster, right now in Manila, Florida. For traffic here is a total different version. Okay. Well, that's very good to hear. I knew that the Jiro Ditania has been passing through or is due to pass through heading up towards the Grand San Bernardo Coley. And the rate is going through, but I think that they had to cut that short because of the snow. Is there still snow in the high mountains around you? Can you describe the beauty of where you are? Because it's so different from wine country that we consider. We're in the high Alps with Monte Bianco behind you, the snow covered Alps, and we're really at some of the highest vineyards in Italy, describe the valley doctor and the Viticulture. And by the last time there is a very specific geographic situation. We are surrounded by the other. And especially, we see, which is the highest up in Europe, and we are really close to France and Switzerland. And as I was saying before, We are surrounded by the alto and the weather is different from the weather of the rest of Italy. We are here in Mandosta, and I'm a really few of, rain usually and during the year. We talk about a an average of six hundred millimeters per year. If you think, but also you can compare it to Brazilikata for concerning the rain, which is, really in the south of Italy. That's when mom pay for back from the cultivation coming from north of Europe. That's a really good for agriculture because we had a lot of wind and that's good for the great causes like medium and pavilion cannot really grow that much. We'll use weather. And talking about size, we're a great grow. We have very big matter, and our winner grows on Malaysian tips and in some areas also on our media fence, and that characterizes the production of the wine, of course, we'll return to the the conditions in just a minute, but I just want to touch on some of the historical influences. Now your name is a French name, Shahier, and I think your family originally came from France. But, of course, in the eighteenth century, Ot du Swat savoir was part of the Kingdom of Sardinia, I guess, under the savoia. So we didn't have the frontiers that we have today. Tell us a little bit about your family story and about this area historically. Valdosta is, located along the via French regional, which is a strategic way for the connection between Italy will be between Rome and the North Bureau. That's why here in Bangladesh. We can find a lot of great coming from abroad. We are rich in both autonomous grades, but also international and traditional grades. And that's really interesting because in the past, we had a lot of exchanges concerning the grape varieties. For example, with Michelin, with French, with the French, with the depending on different historical materials. For example, our our agriculture here in Italy came from the Roman Empire. So, we talk about two thousand years ago. But it is really interesting to see, how do you remove the ladies, there was a really preservation of, vegeta materials for grapes. And, it is really important also to see, along the the Afran Chigiana. We imported, for example, the D intervene, which is traditional grape in animal dosa, and it is, an interesting grape, to quantify today, in different ways. 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. That's interesting because the French legion of this pilgrims went from Canterbury in England across Northern Europe entering into Italy and descending down to Aosta was a great thoroughfare, exchange of ideas, as well as products. So you're saying that some of these great varieties such as Petit Arvin that's grown quite widely in Switzerland, and isn't it? Yeah. The ticket will take that he has already in Switzerland in, close to Sionna, in the area that we call we know that, recent studies about their DNA and demonstrated that, rotatorvina has not any other brother like a grape. So is, pacific, a grape, warmer in Switzerland. And it is also interesting, to see how how that the great was able to adapt to his himself to the valet which is similar to Valdosta for some way concerning the the weather. I I was reading about the particular green origin. It is also interesting to see the domain of Arvina came from the Latino Adena, which means came from abroad. That means that, that kind of traditional grade is Switzerland, are rather from abroad, maybe who knows? But we have some description of the grape, during Philippines Century. So we we know that it was already activated in that period. We support also in Valdosta. The ticketing was important in the first to send the first new land, new, after price. That's why we consider it a traditional grade here in Malosta. Okay. So it's been there for a thousand years almost. Incredible. But I it's also important to point out as you have done that Viticulture was brought to the Validosta by the Romans alosta, being a Roman city. I guess it would have been a city that was a gateway to Northern Europe as it still is now. It was more before, maybe now, but yet is kind of crossing, there are we can consider it like a a heart of Europe because we are a transition connecting to point the south and the north of Europe. And that's why we are so rich Surney. I I told you about the agriculture, of course, and that's why we have a a lot of richer different authorities here in that small era. And you have to take into consideration that the Oscar valley is the smallest region of Italy. So, you know, we are talking about being a center funeral, but we are the smallest region existing in Italy. We have produced five hundred which means, like, about one thousand and two hundred acres of Venus in whole. Okay. So it's a tiny, tiny wine region. And I think that's why it can be difficult for people to find the wines of Valle Dosta unless they visit the area because there just is not that much wine. Is there? I mean, it's kind of great and protected by the mountains. You know, you have to imagine a rally like a niche. We are lucky today if we talk about the market because what market is looking for is push products. So we can just niche wines And in some way, even if we are smart, we can say we are request and, we produce hair quality and trusted ones that are well known in Italy and abroad in some way, even if the production is really small. Of course. Well, I think you're right, that consumers today are looking for for wines that are unique and have unique flavors that you just don't find anywhere else. And this alpine situation of Validosta with quite a fierce sun by day and large range of temperature between day and night does produce lines that have a really alpine unique personality and character Let's talk about a few of your most important wines because you produce sparkling white, rose, and red wines. Now it's a full range of wines. Let's just talk about perhaps One more white. I think your chardonnay has won many award, and perhaps also mentioned some of the typical red wines. Yes. I let you know, I have talked, about the chardonnay, and, somehow, we produced. Just, I would like to introduce Alstavani Tarara's amount in Dhruar, which means, greatest practicing hair activity culture, which is characterized by extreme condition as we were saying before. So just some points to consider being us in height altitude. So all the being as we go deviate start from about one thousand and six hundred feet and reach the maximum altitude up to about four thousand feet which is very high. Which means that we have to afford permanent structural difficulties like steep slopes with more than twenty percent gradient, terraces, steps, and, living yard in general, I give a are divided in the leading parcels. These logs are are not easily accessible. That means, leading mechanization. So all the work is done by hand. And, if you if you're going to do that forty per hour, the level hours per hectare in your range, between one thousand and two hundred and one thousand and six hundred dollars per hectare. Which is a drywall bandit garden halo. With very long it does become off of the condition, the climate condition, and with the seasonal weather changes, we got the latter of influences on hands because we have reviews and, they are no constant. So we have a very viable production, ranges between, ten thousand cases and twenty five over cases more. It's rated difficult. We'll bring you sail and cultivate it in this area. Okay. I think that's a really important point, for our listeners to understand heroic Viticulture. Really cultivating vines at extreme conditions that are incredibly labor intensive. And yet the work, the dedication and the passion to continue to do this results in some wonderful wines. Let's hear about some of those wines. Our most important line that's important because it's a part of the story all the character is our shadow making that one. So it's a one hundred percent is our work on this election. It means a French gua, okay, because, this wine is, unified an age in in three hundred liters, Valikka. So there is a strict contact with with yoke for one year. And after that, there is still one more year of aging importance. That means that the result is really important. But the important thing to say is that is, well, advanced, there is a other type combination between the fruit, the grape, and a deal. So the work side of the and the fresh side of a great grow in the mountains. And I guess is the one that, even if it is agent milk can really express the amount of origin. I had a chance to sample this beautiful wine at Vin Italy, and it's exactly how you're describing it Elianora. This it's a powerful wine, but yet it has the delicacy and the precision and the freshness of the high mountains. It's a beautiful expression of chardonnay quite like, unlike Chardonnay, produced anywhere else in Italy. I really appreciate that you're enjoying it. I'd like to talk about anecdotal grade because liquorice was born at the beginning working on a botoxo news varieties that our father, cosantino, which is the founder of Lecredo, and the chance that you select on plans of Humemain that was a, extension, risk yeah. Okay. Father for my English and my father and all the vehicles, my brothers were able to say that it public station. That's why for me is really important. Finan is a red wine. One hundred percent from that variety, which is formatted in a stainless steel and then agent in a book for nine miles to one year. It's really interesting because, it's an expression of a personality that cannot be compared with with any other wine. We have spices. We have a good chart there. You can feel a Jewish and and on the ballet soft pennies. You can find joy that grows in the house. And it is really interesting. Yeah. If you want to taste something really connected to the Yes. A wine that really is expressing the uniqueness of the wines of Valle Dosta. Speaking of these wines, Can you say something, tell us something about the gastronomy of Vanadosta and how your wine fit hair naturally so well with the local foods? And I'm also a one in food blogger. So it is important. Yeah. Yes. Of course. I'll come. Valleine food is really characterized by having a a lot of butter of fat coming from cheese because cow farming is, important for the the local economy. So we can talk about the fontina cheese. It's a a geographic population cheese. This is good to pay, for example, one of my favorite dish during winter time during winter season is from Duta from Alta, which is from Tinachi's method, and maybe with some truffle on the top and add a glass of maybe close to a fire. This is a a nice image in the situation. We're concerning, for example, the the red one document. I think about the thing, with gamer, which is common for our region. So it's still an area where people are hunting in the mountains and in the woods. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. You'll have to hang up. Now finally, I just would like to talk about wine hospitality at Le Crat, and I'd also like to learn about this wonderful refujo de Vino that you have created, this wonderful place where wine lovers can discover the wines of Lakeat and really enjoy being in the mountains. Will be a very suitable deal that knows one half. That is, our base here in one of two thousand and sixteen, and close to the rest of the historic winery, our historic winery. It is connected to the winery. To the old winery. And we did very fragile, the one half. Because we wanted to welcome people and we found that the best way to do it and to show our philosophy and sound, and so who has to remove to make people discover who we are. We made it the best to the right after in looking, the structural architecture of the mountains. So as we said before, we are in a crowded protected by the marauders, and we are talking about the ideal digits. And, we wanted to do in some way to build the architecture and wanted to protect the rhyme as a food and a heritage of the moment there are. And at the same time, a structure that will be able to welcome people and to show people our in some way. The one after as a profile that reminds the local chains because we call the grads that the infringement in these quests. So the rest of the mountains, and the rest of the mountains became the same of of our wire brand. Also, for sure, we were identified about brand and who we are in this new car. It looks so beautiful from the pictures. It looks stunningly modern yet so perfectly in keeping with where you are in the mountains. As you say, the shape reflecting the mountains, the glass giving such a beautiful view point over the valley. So, it's somewhere You're welcome. Please call me sitting. We are on Oh, I can't wait to visit. Do you get visitors still walking along the French region? I wonder? Yeah. Sometimes. Yeah. And we have a lot of people visiting from, actually from everywhere because they come from Italy, they come from France, from Switzerland. We are glad to to work with them, a very food you. I would say as well for visitors from the UK, perhaps, when I've driven to Italy, I normally drive through the Mont Blanc Tunnel and descend down through a hosta. So we're really passing right by the Rifuja when we drive down or drive back up returning to Northern Italy. So it's actually very well situated on this historic route, this route that dates back to the Romans and certainly through the middle ages. Along the French region. The next time I'm driving into Italy, I will without doubt stop and, look forward to visiting the wine hut and meeting you both and exploring your wines further, which I love. But in the meantime, I'd just like to thank you both for being my guest today. It's been really fascinating learning about Viticulture, heroic Viticulture in the Valle Dosta, and the wines, the wonderful wines of La Cret and your family stories. So thank you so much for joining me today. Thank you all for the patience. And for anything I love your name, please. Not at all. Your English is perfect. Thank you very much. Thank you. Bye bye for now. Bye. 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 Italianwine podcast dot com. Until next time.