An evening with Isole e Olena, one of Tuscany's finest producers
An evening with Paolo de Marchi, winemaker and owner of Isole E Olena Tasting @ Cibo restaurant, Vancouver, BC . May 19th 2009
It's evening like this that really make me wish I was a better writer so I could really capture and relay the feeling and presence of tasting such amazing wines with one of Italy's most respected, thoughtful and intelligent winemakers.
When I first met Paolo de Marchi in Verona at VinItaly in 1989, I was struck by his charm, wit and enthusiasm. I developed a great appreciation for his from the start, but their was a catch. He didn't make much wine, and never seemed to have any to sell to me. Each year I kept coming back to Vin Italy pleading my case until one year he had a bit more production and I was able to secure some wines for my store. What I enjoyed about his wines were the purity, honesty and sense of place they convey, a rather refreshing alternative to many of the institutionally made wines many critics raved about and consumers fought over. He was then, and still is honest about his wines, perhaps too much so, but that is why every time I open a bottle of Isole e Olena I know he did his very best in whatever the vintage gave him with no manipulation or skullduggery, which is refreshing way of doing things and sadly, a bit of an anomaly in today's market.
Paolo's ascent in becoming one of Italy's most respected winemakers crafting some of Tuscany's best Chianti Classico was not easy. He arrived at the family domain in 1976 after having graduated from school in Torino. Ready to apply his knowledge and put his youthful ideology to good use, 1976 and 1977 turned out to be disastrous vintages. What compounded the issues was Italy had just come out from a medieval economy, new ideas were taking hold but the powers that be attempted to enforce polices clearly enshrined in the past. Vineyards in Tuscany had to planted with a mixture of red and white varieties, entrenching mediocrity. Unlike the French they had not recognized the value of 'terroir', and if not for a few iconoclasts that were willing to push the boundaries of what Sangiovese could offer, profound wines with a sense of origin would not have been crated.
Travelling every weekend from Tuscany to Piedmont, a 500 kilometer trip, Paolo spent a lot of time thinking about the winemaker's role in wine and his wines in particular. His personal paradigm is this; The soil, which cannot be changed, means a winemaker has to work with what they have. Weather, you can't predict or control it, but has the most profound effect on the grapes, so each year is different and will always be different, and one has to do his best to mitigate any extremes. Genetics, man has a role in this and this can affect the quality of the wine long and short term for the worse and better. Man, who makes it, Paolo has a style and his son who will one day take over has a style, and lastly, all men before and after. This closes his paradigm.
Chianti has many terroirs, hillsides, micro and meso climates and interpretations of Sangiovese. It really has been only since the mid to late 1970's that some of Tuscany's elite winemakers and thinkers started to figure out what its role is in the wine world should be. Clearly it was these producers who were pushing the authorities to allow them to have up to 40% other varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to start. The authorities in Chianti clearly do not get it, or have any idea why they should update their rules. Imagine the world with one wine, one person and one colour, what use would there be to travel, read, meet new people and discover. Fortunately we have people like Paolo de Marchi, who was crucial in shaking up, and modernizing not just Tuscan wines, but Italian wines as a whole. For what you've done Paolo, a world of wine lovers thanks you.
And now the wines:
2007 Chardonnay
This is the first time in years I have tasted his Chardonnay. Paolo first planted chardonnay to boost his Trebbiano and Malvasia; it was so good he decided to bottle it separately. His 20 year experimentation has finally paid off. A wine, and coming from a Burgundy lover is saying something, has a sense of place fresh mineral, not overly oaked, great density and balanced, fresh and long well done.
2005 Chianti Classico
A hall mark of a great winemaker is what do they do in a difficult vintage, such is the case for the 2005 CC. Beautifully translucent, a berry freshness to the wine with a mineral note, compact and rich, the acidity is in perfect balance and has a long, brilliant finish. Please note this wine is not plumped up with Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon; it has a sense of place. 85% Sangiovese, 12% Caniolo and 3% Syrah
2006 Chianti Classico
Darker and more intense, brooding and deep without being overblown, the freshness and acidity bring life to the wine. Outstanding wine now, but if you have the patience, give this a few years in the cellar.
2004 Ceparello
When Paolo first made the wine, 1980, it was a Vino da Tavloa, and one of the first 'SuperTuscans' to gain international fame. Initially the wine had a bit of a funky nose, but it blew of after fifteen minutes or so, and when it did, the wine revealed its flavour. Deep thoughtful concentration and elegance, it's wines like this that makes us remember why we love Italian wines.
2005 Ceparello
Sandwiched in-between the 2004 and 2006 is not fair to the wine as one compares all three together. The 2005 is definitely lighter but the wine has grace, elegance and a lot of charm. I realy enjoyed this wine. Their is 10% Cabernet in the wine.
2006 Ceparello
A tour de force, and awe inspiring to say the least. Dark, deep and intense, this '06 Ceparello has great purity of flavour, insane complexity and dazzeling aromatics. A truly superb wine from an excellent vintage.
The Vin Santo
Tuscany's gift to the dessert wine world. I have always looked for that second great Vin Santo but never seem to have found it. Please do not be fooled by lesser priced Vin Santos or ones in full bottles at one third the price, this is the real deal, avoid being disappointed. When I initially tasted Paolo's Vin Santo I foolishly assumed all other Vin Santos tasted the same. I spent years looking for another Vin Santo which could measure up to his. This was a monumental waste of time as I went through dozens of wines and I was unable to find another which even came close.
The method in which the wine is made is quite magical. It's made with Malvasia "Chianti", unique to Tuscany and Trebbiano, The grapes are picked and left on mats in an open barn until February, the sugars are concentrated and intense, the grapes are then pressed and the yeast or 'mother' is taken from another barrel and the fermentation then begins. The barrels are then sealed and left for seven years to ferment.
The barrels are then opened and a sample is taken from each barrel. Paolo then smells and tastes them and separates them into different categories, ones with high volatility, high or low sweetness, and high tannins. He takes what he likes and begins to blend. If he likes the outcome, great then he has a wine. If not, say it is missing some sweetness he then re-blends and adds more of the sweet reserve to the wine until he gets what he wants. It took him a number of years to come to this system but the end result is nothing less than stunning.
Thanks to Paolo for coming to Vancouver and sharing his wisdom and his wines with us. It was great evening, and I look forward to my next chance to see him, hopefully soon as I am running a bit low on his Vin Santo.
It's evening like this that really make me wish I was a better writer so I could really capture and relay the feeling and presence of tasting such amazing wines with one of Italy's most respected, thoughtful and intelligent winemakers.
When I first met Paolo de Marchi in Verona at VinItaly in 1989, I was struck by his charm, wit and enthusiasm. I developed a great appreciation for his from the start, but their was a catch. He didn't make much wine, and never seemed to have any to sell to me. Each year I kept coming back to Vin Italy pleading my case until one year he had a bit more production and I was able to secure some wines for my store. What I enjoyed about his wines were the purity, honesty and sense of place they convey, a rather refreshing alternative to many of the institutionally made wines many critics raved about and consumers fought over. He was then, and still is honest about his wines, perhaps too much so, but that is why every time I open a bottle of Isole e Olena I know he did his very best in whatever the vintage gave him with no manipulation or skullduggery, which is refreshing way of doing things and sadly, a bit of an anomaly in today's market.
Paolo's ascent in becoming one of Italy's most respected winemakers crafting some of Tuscany's best Chianti Classico was not easy. He arrived at the family domain in 1976 after having graduated from school in Torino. Ready to apply his knowledge and put his youthful ideology to good use, 1976 and 1977 turned out to be disastrous vintages. What compounded the issues was Italy had just come out from a medieval economy, new ideas were taking hold but the powers that be attempted to enforce polices clearly enshrined in the past. Vineyards in Tuscany had to planted with a mixture of red and white varieties, entrenching mediocrity. Unlike the French they had not recognized the value of 'terroir', and if not for a few iconoclasts that were willing to push the boundaries of what Sangiovese could offer, profound wines with a sense of origin would not have been crated.
Travelling every weekend from Tuscany to Piedmont, a 500 kilometer trip, Paolo spent a lot of time thinking about the winemaker's role in wine and his wines in particular. His personal paradigm is this; The soil, which cannot be changed, means a winemaker has to work with what they have. Weather, you can't predict or control it, but has the most profound effect on the grapes, so each year is different and will always be different, and one has to do his best to mitigate any extremes. Genetics, man has a role in this and this can affect the quality of the wine long and short term for the worse and better. Man, who makes it, Paolo has a style and his son who will one day take over has a style, and lastly, all men before and after. This closes his paradigm.
Chianti has many terroirs, hillsides, micro and meso climates and interpretations of Sangiovese. It really has been only since the mid to late 1970's that some of Tuscany's elite winemakers and thinkers started to figure out what its role is in the wine world should be. Clearly it was these producers who were pushing the authorities to allow them to have up to 40% other varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to start. The authorities in Chianti clearly do not get it, or have any idea why they should update their rules. Imagine the world with one wine, one person and one colour, what use would there be to travel, read, meet new people and discover. Fortunately we have people like Paolo de Marchi, who was crucial in shaking up, and modernizing not just Tuscan wines, but Italian wines as a whole. For what you've done Paolo, a world of wine lovers thanks you.
And now the wines:
2007 Chardonnay
This is the first time in years I have tasted his Chardonnay. Paolo first planted chardonnay to boost his Trebbiano and Malvasia; it was so good he decided to bottle it separately. His 20 year experimentation has finally paid off. A wine, and coming from a Burgundy lover is saying something, has a sense of place fresh mineral, not overly oaked, great density and balanced, fresh and long well done.
2005 Chianti Classico
A hall mark of a great winemaker is what do they do in a difficult vintage, such is the case for the 2005 CC. Beautifully translucent, a berry freshness to the wine with a mineral note, compact and rich, the acidity is in perfect balance and has a long, brilliant finish. Please note this wine is not plumped up with Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon; it has a sense of place. 85% Sangiovese, 12% Caniolo and 3% Syrah
2006 Chianti Classico
Darker and more intense, brooding and deep without being overblown, the freshness and acidity bring life to the wine. Outstanding wine now, but if you have the patience, give this a few years in the cellar.
2004 Ceparello
When Paolo first made the wine, 1980, it was a Vino da Tavloa, and one of the first 'SuperTuscans' to gain international fame. Initially the wine had a bit of a funky nose, but it blew of after fifteen minutes or so, and when it did, the wine revealed its flavour. Deep thoughtful concentration and elegance, it's wines like this that makes us remember why we love Italian wines.
2005 Ceparello
Sandwiched in-between the 2004 and 2006 is not fair to the wine as one compares all three together. The 2005 is definitely lighter but the wine has grace, elegance and a lot of charm. I realy enjoyed this wine. Their is 10% Cabernet in the wine.
2006 Ceparello
A tour de force, and awe inspiring to say the least. Dark, deep and intense, this '06 Ceparello has great purity of flavour, insane complexity and dazzeling aromatics. A truly superb wine from an excellent vintage.
The Vin Santo
Tuscany's gift to the dessert wine world. I have always looked for that second great Vin Santo but never seem to have found it. Please do not be fooled by lesser priced Vin Santos or ones in full bottles at one third the price, this is the real deal, avoid being disappointed. When I initially tasted Paolo's Vin Santo I foolishly assumed all other Vin Santos tasted the same. I spent years looking for another Vin Santo which could measure up to his. This was a monumental waste of time as I went through dozens of wines and I was unable to find another which even came close.
The method in which the wine is made is quite magical. It's made with Malvasia "Chianti", unique to Tuscany and Trebbiano, The grapes are picked and left on mats in an open barn until February, the sugars are concentrated and intense, the grapes are then pressed and the yeast or 'mother' is taken from another barrel and the fermentation then begins. The barrels are then sealed and left for seven years to ferment.
The barrels are then opened and a sample is taken from each barrel. Paolo then smells and tastes them and separates them into different categories, ones with high volatility, high or low sweetness, and high tannins. He takes what he likes and begins to blend. If he likes the outcome, great then he has a wine. If not, say it is missing some sweetness he then re-blends and adds more of the sweet reserve to the wine until he gets what he wants. It took him a number of years to come to this system but the end result is nothing less than stunning.
Thanks to Paolo for coming to Vancouver and sharing his wisdom and his wines with us. It was great evening, and I look forward to my next chance to see him, hopefully soon as I am running a bit low on his Vin Santo.
posted by Marquis Wines at
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