THE PINOT NOIR OF TENUTA MONTAUTO

Just as it emerged, little by little, that Tenuta Montauto was an area suited to the production of great white wines, over time it became clear that this area was also well suited to the production of the least red of the red grape varieties: we are talking about Pinot Noir, the controversial, very difficult, very elegant Pinot Noir.
The vines, which are about 15 years old, are managed with a spurred cordon, 200 metres above sea level, just 10 km as the crow flies from the sea at Capalbio. After manual harvesting and selection of the bunches, pressing is carried out on the whole bunch, without destemming. Maceration, cold for 48 hours, is followed by fermentation on the marc for 7 days, in steel casks. And here the fun begins: as 1/3 of the wine matures in new barriques, the remaining 2/3 in old French oak barrels for a duration of 14 months.
In the 2016 vintage, Tenuta Montauto's Pinot Noir has aromas reminiscent of raspberry jelly, some foxy hints and a dark, tamarind-like citrus. Then, as is often the case with Tenuta Montauto wines, there is a balsamic sensation, here as sweet as eucalyptus, and a generous floral bouquet of peony and magnolia.

AN IMPORTANT WINE

Pinot Noir yields a very delicate and structured wine that goes well with elaborate meat dishes, such as roast duck, game and, in its more evolved versions, finds its counterpart in the repertoire of more mature cheeses. As we said, however, its world is that of game, both feathered and furry, and for this reason it goes well with the hunting tradition so typical of this strip of the Maremma where it is not infrequent to come across opulent dishes based on fallow deer, wild boar, where it makes a splash in the chocolate version, deer, but also ducks, partridges and guinea fowl.

FOCUS

History and reputation

The name Pinot derives from the typical shape of the bunch of this grape, compact and tight, so much so that it resembles a pine cone.
Pinot noir is considered the noblest red grape variety on the oenological planet. Although it belongs to the group of so-called 'international' grape varieties, the origin of Pinot noir is Burgundy, where it has been cultivated for 2000 years and from where, not surprisingly, some of the world's greatest red wines come. In all likelihood, the vine was already present in the region before the invasions by the Romans, but already at that time it enjoyed a certain notoriety and authors such as Pliny the Elder and Columella also mentioned it in their works.

Dissemination and methodology

The neutral colour of its pulp also makes it particularly suitable for white vinification, resulting in a wine that is an excellent base for the production of sparkling wines, especially in blends with Chardonnay, to which it gives structure, complexity and, above all, longevity. It happens in Champagne, especially in the Montagne de Reims, where it enters all the main cuvées. In Italy, it can be found vinified in red in Trentino-Alto Adige, Oltrepò Pavese, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and even Tuscany; in white, on the other hand, it forms part of the composition of the classic method sparkling wines Franciacorta, Oltrepò Pavese and Trento DOC. Speaking of sparkling versions, Pinot noir is the most widely used red grape for the production of sparkling wines, most of which are produced with the classic method and white vinification, i.e. separating the skins from the must immediately after pressing. Pinot noir is also responsible for the fascinating colour of rosé sparkling wines, obtained either by adding red wine produced with this grape or with rosé wines produced with the "salasso" or bleeding method (saignée in French). That said, and in spite of the level of difficulty to which it subjects its proponents, Pinot noir represents an irresistible challenge, so much so that today it can be found cultivated not only in Burgundy - and in particular the Côte d'Or - where this grape manages to give its best in countless respects, but also in the Côte de Nuits, where the wines take on spicy and mineral nuances, intriguing and in the Côte de Beaune where, on the other hand, the grape variety expresses itself in all its most varietal notes.

Interesting interpretations can also be found in Switzerland - particularly in Valais and Neuchâtel, where it is known as Blauburgunder - while in Austria, good Pinot Noirs are produced in the Burgenland area. In Germany, this grape is quite widespread, known as Blauburgunder, especially in the areas of the Palatinate (Pfalz), Franconia and Ahr, and for some time now, interesting Pinot Noirs have also been coming from Transylvania, Romania. In the so-called New World, Pinot Noir can be found well acclimatised in Oregon and the cooler areas of California, such as Russian River, Carneros (mainly used for the production of classic method sparkling wines), Santa Barbara (especially the Santa Maria and Santa Ynez areas) and Monterey. Although Argentina's climate is too hot, some commendable interpretations come from Río Negro and, in South Africa, from cool Walker Bay. In Australia, the majority of Pinot Noir is produced in Victoria, particularly in the Yarra Valley and the Mornington Peninsula. New Zealand's cool climate allows the production of excellent Pinot Noir wines, particularly in the Marlborough, Martinborough and Central Otago areas.

Vinification

The red vinification of Pinot noir represents a major challenge for any winemaker, leading to variable results from vintage to vintage even in the most suitable areas. But Pinot noir is extremely sensitive, and not only to the vintage, but also to that variable that is called terroir, and depending on which one gets very different interpretations.

Agronomy

In this regard, it must be remembered that Pinot Noir takes root well in calcareous soils, loves mild climates and ripens early. Unanimously considered a difficult grape variety, both to cultivate and to vinify, its red vinification represents a real challenge for agronomists and winemakers alike. From an agronomic point of view, Pinot Noir develops well in counter-espaliers, with fairly dense planting rows. It has medium vigour and early ripening. It is rather susceptible to mould and other vine diseases, and ripens earlier than other red grape varieties. The yield is generally low. Its leaf is medium, roundish in shape and has three lobes. The bunch, on the other hand, is small, compact, elongated and cylindrical, like its berry, which, for its part, has a thin, pruinose, black-purple skin, but a modest colouring capacity, a characteristic that is clearly evident in the colour and transparency of its red wines. The tannin content is rather low but the acidity, on the other hand, is rather marked. Acidity, indeed, is precisely the critical factor in Pinot Noir: the cross and delight of every wine lover, acidity must be preserved as much as possible by the producer so as not to compromise the wine's balance. There is not exactly a method for preserving acidity, what is crucial, however, is the terroir in which the vineyard is planted: Pinot noir needs a cool climate to allow it to ripen slowly and develop its aromas to the full; in hot climate zones, on the other hand, it tends to ripen too quickly and lose its acidity, developing rather ordinary aromas. Due to the low extract content of its thin skin, wines made from Pinot Noir are relatively delicate and, again due to the composition of its berries, unlike other varieties this does not allow for a wide range of styles to be developed, although one exception should be noted in this regard that, on closer inspection, preferably concerns Pinot Noir: namely that in particular conditions Burgundy producers add some of the stalks to the must in order to compensate for the reduced amount of tannins. As mentioned, the vinification styles of Pinot Noir can essentially be summarised in two categories: red wines and sparkling wines. In the production of red wines, Pinot Noir is in most cases vinified alone and rather rarely blended with other grapes. Although red wines made from Pinot noir are often fermented or matured in barrels, the contribution of wood must be very balanced.

Genetics

From a genetic point of view, Pinot Noir is considered a genetically unstable variety, i.e. one that can mutate very easily, giving rise to other varieties. It is believed that there are more than 1,000 different clonal varieties belonging to the Pinot family, the most famous of which are Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Meunier, which are now considered specific varieties. The ease with which Pinot Noir can mutate is a critical factor in its cultivation, coupled with the need for a cool climate that allows for slow ripening.