On the Road with the Grape Guy

Visit to ... Ca' di Sopra – Romagna

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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

(February 2024) ... It has been some time since I visited the Romagna area of Italy, and much has changed in that time. When I was last there, they were just introducing the concept of sub-appellations; now they have added a few more. In fact, they started with 12 and have expanded to 16.

Marzano is the smallest of these sub-appellations. They are located south of Faenza and during the terrible floods of 2023, they found themselves in the fortunate position of not being affected as much as other regions. Marzano also has a higher density of vineyards than other sub-appellations ... But they also only have three producers within its borders; Ca' di Sopra being one of them. We were toured and tasted around by one of the principal's, Giacomo Montanari (pictured above).

Established in 1967, Ca' di Sopra is a 52 hectare winery with 28 hectares of planted vines; 17 hectares of which are dedicated to Sangiovese with plantings of Cabernet, Merlot, Albana, Chardonnay, Trebbiano and Pinot Bianco. Their oldest vines were planted in 1989.

Up until 2004, they sold their grapes; then in 2005 they began making wine. At full capacity, they can make upwards of 150,000 bottles - but they are not ready for such a commitment - they still sell a majority of their grapes; holding back enough of the good stuff to create 40,000 bottles of wine under their own label.

In the cellar they use both small and tonneau barrels, along with concrete and stainless steel ... In 2015 they brought in a concrete tank, thinking it would work best with their white wine program; shockingly, it turned out that the reds benefited more from this technology.

The Wines ... (scores out of five stars)

2022 Trebbiano
Spends 6 months in steel and 6 months in concrete. This version of Trebbiano is salty, but with a richness of flavour: grapefruit zest, and a medium length finish all held together with a good acid backbone.  (3.5+)

2022 Crepes, Romagna Sangiovese Superiore
This is their flagship wine. It is a blend of all their Sangiovese vineyards. The wine spends 6 months in concrete, keeping its fruit character intact. Dark aromas of cassis and black cherry – palate has good acidity, but also good fruit. It's a gentle, easy drinking wine with cranberry, cherry, and strawberry fruit, along with some pencil shavings and graphite notes that swing in-between the punchy acidity. Quick finish and very sippable. This wine makes up half of the production: 20,000 bottles.  (3.5+)

2021 Marzano Romagna
A 100% Sangiovese mixing three vineyards, three soil types, and the best plots. Soil types are calcarous, plus red and blue clay - and each type brings a little something to the wine. The fruit is delayed on the palate as the acidity seems to take charge from sip one. The wine spends 12 months in tonneau and another 12 in bottle before release. That delay pays off as the fruit sidles in, mainly red in nature, and sticks around for a long finish.  (4)

2019 Marzano Romagna Riserva, Vigna Ca'del Rosso
A single vineyard wine from 40-year-old vines sitting at 120 to 160 m above sea level. First made in 2016, and quite possibly the best wine on the table today. Lovely dark fruit that delivers a delicious taste explosion in the mouth. It makes you want to sip and sip again. Silky tannins meet a smoky character, before the acidity slips in to balance the whole deal. Very supple. Hints of anise wrap their way around the palate - dipping and diving between the fruit, spice and even a subtle herbaceous note. Long luxurious finish. Gorgeous. 2,500 bottles produced.  (4.5)

2019 Marzano Romagna Riserva, Vigna Montale
This vineyard is located at 250 m above sea level and is a new addition to the Ca' di Sopra lineup; so new in fact, this is the first vintage the wine has seen a commercial bottling. The higher elevation results in less intensity of fruit, higher acidity and more elegance than it’s Ca' del Rosso counterpart ... That translates into cherry and floral notes with a nice length - this one took a little longer to express itself, maybe an hour in the glass; then the fruits of cranberry and cherry intermingled with the floral. Pleasant.  (4+)

Chinon : Impressed or Not Impressed

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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

OCTOBER 2023 ... The excitement for this tasting was palpable; but then it started … but first a little Chinon by the numbers.

A breakdown of vintages, based on wines we will be tasting.
2017 - riper than 2016
2018 - standard vintage
2019 - no wines appeared in our tasting from this vintage
2020 - drought, late rain
2021 - rainier than 2020, but still dry, harvest time had sun saviour of season
2022 - hail storm destroy much of the crop; but the rest of grapes were beautiful

The soils of Chinon are made up of flint, clay, limestone (tuffeau)

Up to 5% Cabernet Sauvignon allowed in the wines; but it is rarely used. It is also one of the regions of the Loire with the highest temperatures, which confuses me because of the weakness of these wines and the unripe flavours ranging from green pepper to herbal. There are 170 winemakers on this piece of land in the Loire – and yet they seem not to be taking “ripe” fruit off their vines – what gives?

Of the 37 wines, only 12 made the grade - this is a sad state of affairs for what is much considered the #1 region in France for Loire valley wines (and Cabernet Franc in particular). Until they get the vegetal and stalkiness out of the wines, I will be putting them on the back-burner when looking for Loire Cabernet Franc - there are much better regions for Cabernet Franc in the Loire Valley. This was eye-opening and highly disappointing.

The Wines That Performed …

Domaine de la Marinière 2022 La Peau de l'Ours 
Lovely nose and taste. Ripe fruit, nice silky tannins with a pretty floral note. Juicy beginning to end.

Domaine de l'R  2022 Le Canal des Grands Pièces
Juicy and appealing - a little lean on the finish, but still good. There is also a chalky finish.

Domaine de Noiré 2022 Soif de Tendresse
Dark fruit with a smoky notes and a dusty finish.

Domaine de la Marinière 2021 Arbre Mort
Raspberry and cherry - chewy and delightfully pleasing. Light across the palate. Nice complexity and a good fruit core.

Manoir de la Bellonnière 2021 Les Battereaux
Nice juiciness with plenty of ripe fruit. There are some vegetal notes that sit on the finish - but in the end the fruit shines through.

Bernard Baudry 2021 Le Clos Guillot  
OK. But I wonder about the pyrazine. This one is bistro-esque and drinkable for sure.

Domaine du Saut au Loup 2021 Clos du Saut au Loup 
Drinkable … very friendly and easy to drink.

Domaine Nicolas Paget 2020 Les Quinquenays
Drinkable … Tasty and easy to drink.

Baudry Dutour 2020 Château de la Grille
Juicy and dark fruited: strawberry meets black cherry.

Domaine Grosbois 2020 Clos du Noyer
Nice fruit core: black cherry, strawberry, earthy; juicy and fresh.

Lambert Pascal et Béatrice 2018 Les Puys
Complex and interesting. Good dark fruit and smoke.

Château du Petit Thouars 2018 L'Epée
Good note of fruit; smoke with densely spiced.