Slave to Fashion?
by Seema Tikare
When some new fashion or anything comes along - a new show on TV, a new food trend - there are always questions. Should I try it? Is it worth trying? What if I don’t like it? What if I do? Does that make me a slave to fashion?
Wines have all these same issues. There are trends in every decade for wine makers. For consumers, the trends come through every few years. There are trends begun by a movie for example. The movie, “Sideways,” devastated the market for Merlot even though at the end, the Cheval Blanc the main character savors as he rethinks his life is a Merlot dominant wine. Sometimes the trends are driven by wine critics like Robert Parker who essentially made everyone question the quality and centuries-old traditions of Bordeaux and drove profound changes in the way people view wine. Most recently, sommeliers or “somms” have been the agents of change - encouraging people to broaden their horizons by taking the comforting favorites off of wine lists and challenging customers to try obscure varietals, new regions and interesting pairings.
This week, we are exploring one of these trends: volcanic wines. As the world grows smaller and people become more curious about different cuisines, so do they become curious about what wines go with these cuisines. I have been to several restaurants now, beginning in Paris, where the appetizer is literally a fancy tin of fish, served on a platter like a delicacy with bread and chutney. Some of these tins are from volcanic areas like Sicily – and strongly suggest that wines like Carricante from Mount Etna go well with this snack. Soave Classico and Fiano d’Avellino are two other white wines that also show the beautiful character of volcanic soils.
Among red volcanic wines, Sicily’s Mt. Etna provides wonderful choices. The grape, Nerello Mascalese, is a dark-skinned grape that makes rather light wines. One reason is that it is often grown at altitudes of up to 1000 meters, which allows the soils and vines to cool down at night to promote aromatic intensity and acidity to form. Another choice is Oregon – where the Willamette valley sits at the foot of Mt. St. Helens. Volcanic eruptions have provided this wine area with their dark, intriguing soils and produce wonderful, intensely flavored Pinot Noir.
And thirdly, we can return to the tragically historic slopes of Mt. Vesuvius for a wine made from the extremely underappreciated grape, Aglianico from the Taurasi appellation. It is called the Barolo of the southern Italy as a compliment, but it does this wonderful dark, brooding wine an injustice. Where Barolo can be both tannic and ethereal, Aglianico is fruity and leathery and big and recalls a stormy night spent cozy in front of a fireplace. It is the perfect wine to finish the evening.
Saluté!
WANT TO LEARN MORE? JOIN US:
Volcanic Wines - Friday, March 5th, 6:30-8pm
