The story behind the bottle

Winemaker Francesco Marone Cinzano on the fine art of distinguishing between exquisite wines

November 25, 2014 07:02 pm | Updated 07:02 pm IST

THE SIGNATURE SIP: Cinzano with samples from his winery. Photo: G. Krishnaswamy

THE SIGNATURE SIP: Cinzano with samples from his winery. Photo: G. Krishnaswamy

What markers help determine whether a bottle of wine is exquisite? The instant response says: it’s all about taste. But taste is only one of the factors that separate, say, a French Bordeaux from the cheap bottle in your local market.

What, then, is the marker? History. Think of it this way — every bottle of wine tells a story, of a farmer who exploited an opportunity and created a brand that has held on to its past, despite the changes effected by the churning of history. That’s wisdom from winemaker Francesco Marone Cinzano, who presented the 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 vintages of Brunello Di Montalcino and Grappa Di Montalcino, produced at his winery, Col D’Orcia, at a recent vertical wine tasting event in Park Hyatt.

Cinzano, whose family has been producing wine for the last 500 years, inherited the title of ‘Count’ from one of his forefathers, who, he says, was appointed by the northern Italy royal family to reinvigorate the wine industry. “Earliest news of my family is that they were grape growers in the 16th Century in Turin.” Since then, the family has held onto this business.

Cinzano’s first lesson: “Wine must not be consumed as a spirit. It must be treated as a part of the food. It is an essential part of the dinner table, just like olive oil, only with some alcohol.”

This is also why it is important to consume Brunello vintages by pairing it with the right kind of food. Dinner at Hyatt was conceptually structured — different vintages of the same wine made from the same winery were served to emphasise the subtle differences. Across the room, a couple observed that a 2006 Vintage was supposedly more ‘rounded’ than a 2009 Vintage. Turns out they went by the belief that “wine tastes better and smoother on the tongue as it gets older.”

Cinzano disagrees though. “There are wines that are meant to be consumed young. Pairing is important, but taste is subjective,” he says, adding, “For instance, I am going to Beijing next, and I have always felt that Chinese food is generally not conducive for pairing with Brunello Vintages, but then the Chinese seem to pair it fine with their food.”

Cinzano offered that the specialty of a bottle is usually determined, apart from its history, by the place where the grapes are grown and the technique with which the wine is produced. Talking about the Brunello Vintages, he said, “We age our wine in Slovanian Oak barrels for a full three years and then, in a bottle for at least a year in the cellar. The aging potential of Sangiovese grapes is different from other grapes, say, Pinot Noir. Brunello Vintages are handcrafted wines, as opposed to mass-produced industrial wines. These are the crucial differences that set brands apart.” Just like Champagnes, all bottles that bear the name of ‘Brunello Di Montalcino’ are cultivated and produced in Montalcino, a medieval town on top of a hill in the Siena Province in Italy. Despite the recent scandals that rocked the world of Brunello manufacturers, who were under the scanner for flouting manufacturing laws, ‘Brunello Di Montalcino’ continues to be popular. “We supply our stock to the Royal families of Europe and the Vatican,” he says, adding that the focus of European winemakers has shifted from traditional markets — Europe and the U.S. – to the emerging markets in India and China.

Does Cinzano feel that French wines and Champagnes are more popular in South-East Asia than Italian wines? He smirks and says with his sarcasm intact, “If that is true, it means that the Roman troops have done a good job in planting vineyards in France. While Italian cuisine is popular around the world, Champagnes and French Red wines seem to have taken the lead.”

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