|
Join The WineKnitter in exploring the world of Wine, Spirits, Food, Travel and much more! |
|
A short time ago, through Zoom, I, and several other writers spent a fascinating hour with James Marshall Lockyer, winemaker at Tenuta Licinia, and 3rd generation of this family-owned winery.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Tenuta Licinia is a small winery at the foothills of the Tuscan Apennines near the village of Lucignano in the province of Arezzo. Today, the property has 60 hectares of woods, 6.5 hectares of vineyards, and 3 hectares of olive groves.  Photo courtesy of Tenuta Licinia In the early 1970s, James’s grandfather, Jacques de Liedekerke, who lived in Belgium, bought the property with an abandoned farmhouse and small vineyard. Jacque took on the restoration of the farmhouse, but as James said, “For the first 20-30 years, my grandfather really didn’t do much with the vineyard. He enjoyed wine but was not knowledgeable in winemaking. He grew up with old-school ideas of winemaking and didn’t understand Tuscan soil, geology, or what made a vineyard good or bad.” Over the years, Jacque learned more about the vineyard and subsoils and thought it might be worth replanting. So, in 2006, Jacques decided to replant the Sasso Di Fata vineyard as a retirement project. Because he was French-Belgium, and drank Cabernet Sauvignon, he decided to plant it. It took many years of tests, research, and many attempts, but by 2019, the wines began to assume the vineyard’s identity. In 2020, James arrived at Tenuta Licinia and took over what his grandfather had begun. James explained, “At the time, I was finishing my doctorate at Oxford University, focusing on foundations of ethics and sensorial value. About winemaking, James said, “I am semi-self-taught and guided by very good mentors and professionals. In addition, I did a few internships.” His doctoral studies proved to be helpful as a winemaker. “It motivated me to think carefully about what kind of wine I want to make, what truly matters in the wine I make, and what types of properties are relevant to making a high-quality wine.”  Screen shot of Zoom tasting with James. Photo: Penny Weiss What his grandfather had planted, half of the vineyard was decent, and the other half was great. For James, this introduced one of the many puzzles they’ve worked on for the last several years: understanding Tuscan subsoils. James said, “One of the difficulties with Tuscan subsoil is that it changes very quickly, every 30 -40 meters. As part of their project, they focus on identifying small and abandoned parcels and bring them back to high-quality production. “We are developing Sangiovese on the parcels we now find.” Regarding his grandfather’s planting in 2006, on one side of the hill is Sasso Di Fata, and on the other side of the hill is the Montepolli vineyard. James divided the vineyard based on the subsoils. James said that Sasso Di Fata has much more beautiful subsoil than Montepolli. James stated, “Sassa Di Fata subsoil is lime-slate, and the slate is paper thin. Slate is viable and roots can go right through it very quickly. This soil contributes to a much more beautiful grain of tannins, sophisticated aromas, and floral direction. Slate can give a savory/saline finality to the wine.' The Montepolli subsoil is a clay-limestone plot with a Merlot base. It is too “clayish” with certain defects. The tannins can be quite wide and massive, and the aromas and minerals can be quite reduced on this soil type.” James went on to say, “I have an old-school subsoil view, that subsoil is very central to making great wines. It’s the physical structure underground that is key. In addition to the soil, it is the drainage and temperature underground combined with root penetration, which is important.” We tasted three Tenuta Licinia wines. All the grapes are picked by taste, not by analysis, for the best maturity. In addition, the winery has been certified organic since the vines were planted, and they follow a biodynamic program in the vineyard.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Sasso Di Fata IGT Toscana Rosso 2019 This wine is produced in the clos style, with the grapes sourced from a small vineyard with a specific subsoil, and therefore, the wine is only produced in extremely small quantities. The 2019 Sasso di Fata is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) Cabernet Franc (25%) and Petit Verdot (5%). It is aged 16 months in second passage French oak Tonneau (500L).  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Fragrant rose petals, red berries, and spice. Palate: Beautifully balanced with red fruit, spice, licorice, and a hint of mint. Gentle tannins and a dance of saline and minerality lead to a long finish. Alcohol: 14.5% Montepolli IGT Toscana Rosso 2019 This wine is produced in the clos style, with the grapes coming from a small vineyard with a specific clay-limestone subsoil, and therefore, the wine is only produced in small quantities. This is the first vintage. The wine is a blend of 47% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 12% Petit Verdot. It is aged 15 months in second passage French oak Tonneau. James did the aging and blending for this wine.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Strawberry, cherry, anise, floral, and a touch of balsamic. Palate: Strawberry segues onto the palate with soft cherry notes, herbs, baking spice, and minerality lingering on the finish. Alcohol: 14.5% Sasso Di Fata IGT Toscana Rosso 2021 This wine was bottled just a few months ago and a treat to sample. The 2021 is James’s first vintage, and it’s a winner! It is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Aging was approximately ten months in second passage French oak Tonneau (500L.) Like the other wines, this is also produced in the clos style, with the grapes sourced from a small vineyard with a specific subsoil.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Floral with emphasis on rose petals, red fruit, plum, and spice. It is a darker color than the 2019.
Palate: It is lush with fruit and spice and a true expression of the vineyard. There is a beautiful balance between minerality, salinity, and tannins. Alcohol: 14.5% Pairing suggestions: All three wines are well-suited to meat dishes, game, porcini or truffle risotto, seared tuna, and hearty stews. A final note from James: “Our approach to winemaking is to really value the aromatic purity, beauty, and mineral expression, as much as the textural side.” Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com To usher in autumn, I thought it would be fun to travel to Tuscany. And the best part is that you don’t have to pack a bag or wait in long lines at the airport. A glass of Tuscan wine and an authentic Tuscan soup recipe is all you need for your travels. Let your palate take you on a delectable sensory adventure!  Tuscan Vineyard Photo credit: Johny Goerend The Wine I have selected two Tuscan wines for the journey; both pair well with the featured soup that follows.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Dogajolo Toscano Rosso IGT 2020 Carpineto, a Tuscan winery founded in 1967, produces Carpineto and Dogajolo wines. This year marks a 30-year milestone for the production of Dogajolo Super Tuscans, specifically Toscano Rosso, launched in 1993. In 2009, Toscano Bianco was added to the Dogajolo line, followed by Toscano Rosato in 2011. They have 1,200 acres of sustainably farmed land spread amongst five carbon-neutral estates in the appellations of Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Maremma, and Alto Valdarno. This wine is 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Tuscan hillside vineyards. It is aged six months in previously used French and American oak barrels and cement vats, followed by four to six months in bottle.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Fragrant red fruit, cherry, and baking spice. Palate: Juicy red berries spill onto the palate with cherry, plum, a hint of balsamic, and coffee beans. Smooth and delicious! Alcohol: 13% SRP: $14.99 Talosa “Alboreto” Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 2019 Fattoria Della Talosa is a boutique winery with 33 hectares of vineyards in the heart of Montepulciano in Tuscany and has been owned by the Jacorossi family since 1972. Their historic aging cellar dates back to the 16th century. It is in the old town center of Montepulciano, in an underground area between two of the oldest buildings in the city, Palazzo Tarugi and Palazzo Sinatti. The brick passageways contain a series of vaults and niches where the barrels are placed. In 1980, Vino Nobile became one of the first four appellations given the superior status of DOCG, along with Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino, and Barbaresco. The grapes for this 100% Sangiovese are sourced from the Vino Noble di Montepulciano DOCG appellation. The wine is aged for two years in barrels of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th passage and stainless steel and then continues to age in bottle.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Floral, berries, cherry liquor, baking spice, and a hint of sweet tobacco. Palate: Aromas segue onto the palate with dark cherry and spice. Tannins and acidity are beautifully balanced, with cherry, cocoa, and vanilla lingering on a long finish. Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $25 The Soup Ribollita - An Italian Fall Vegetable Soup featuring stale bread. I would love to take credit for this Tuscan soup, but the honor goes to Iolanda Marcocci, a beautiful ninety-year-young nonna. Coleen Kiman, host and owner of Tuscan Women Cook, says, “Our first bowl of this hearty soup was prepared by Iolanda, who served it al fresco on the terrace outside her kitchen on a long, weathered table overlooking a sweeping Tuscan sunset. It is a rich sense memory we’ll always cherish.” This hearty soup is a favorite of the nonnas of the Tuscan village of Montefollonico and the participants of Tuscan Women Cook. Ribollita dates back to the Middle Ages when peasants foraged for whatever food they could find to make a thick soup, which included stale bread that, when toasted and added to the broth, maintained its shape and absorbed all the flavors. Ribollita means “re-boiled” in Italian. When “reheated” the next day, it is even better! Coleen says, “When the bread has an extra day or two to absorb even more of the flavorful broth, Ribollita will thicken and taste creamy. Feel free to add your own favorite vegetables and herbs to this recipe. There are no hard and fast rules for Ribollita, except to reheat and enjoy, day after day!”  Photo credit: Tuscan Women Cook Serves 8
Ingredients
Instructions Rinse the beans in a colander and pick out any debris or small stones. Place in a medium stockpot and add cold water to cover the beans by about 2 inches. Cover and soak overnight. Drain the beans and cover them with fresh water. Add the Parmesan cheese rind. Over medium heat, simmer until the beans are tender, about 30 minutes. Set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery (soffritto). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, the beans, and their cooking liquid. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Add the chard and cabbage. Add additional water, chicken, or vegetable stock as needed to completely cover the chard and cabbage. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Place a piece of bread in each bowl. Ladle the soup on top of the bread. Top each serving of the soup with some Parmesan cheese, a dash of olive oil, and freshly ground black pepper. Recipe and photo reprinted with permission of www.TuscanWomenCook.com from the Tuscan Women Cook Cookbook. Tuscan Women Cook: Nonnas. Memories. Recipes cookbook is a wealth of generational recipes put together by Coleen Kiman with Rhonda Vilardo. The nonnas of the village of Montefollonico and neighboring towns shared the recipes. The book has over 50 delectable recipes, photos, stories, and many tips. Enjoy the wine and soup, and happy travels! Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com |
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed