Italy has some of the top-ranking wines in the world from Brunello di Montalcino DOCG to Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva DOCG, but what is it about these wines that makes them so noteworthy? There are plenty of factors which go into creating a great wine, and here are just a few - the 4 pillars of Italian wine.
1 PRODUCER
It is important to note that not all wines are the same, and the perfect example to illustrate this is the Chianti Classico. They may all be made with the Sangiovese grape but that does not mean that they will all yield the same results. Wine producers have the fate of their wine in their hands with decisions very much based on trial and error, which means the more experience a producer has, the better the wine. The best way to test this is to try the same grape variety wine from two different regions. You will be amazed at the difference and understand the role of producer, as the arbiter of quality.
2 VISION
This is also closely tied to the decision a producer makes – choosing the long-term vision of a wine company. Most well establish wineries will have a range of selection for wine drinkers to choose from, for example a Tuscan wine company that producers both extraordinary Super Tuscans as well as novello wines, along with a few new wines which you have never really heard of are most likely companies with vision. These are the wines to stick to, as they are tried and true on a forward-facing path.
3 ACIDITY & TANNINS
Tannins are the elements in wine which leave an astringent sensation on your palate. This element is incredibly important to a wine looking for longevity. Acidity is the element in wine which leaves your mouth salivating and wanting another sip. Both of these are clearly very important to the quality of wine, and the key to a great wine is finding the perfect balancing act between the two, along with other elements such as sweetness, alcohol and more. These two are the hidden elements which often are the make it or break it for some extraordinary wines.
4 OUTREACH
You can have one the best harvest yields in all of Italy, but if a company doesn’t have a presence on social media or among restaurants and wine shops around the world, then your presence will remain local, leaving little room for expansion and experimentation with bold new flavors and wines. The key to a great wine is having people drink it, having it get on the radar of wine magazines such as Wine Spectator. And more importantly, having it get into your glass wherever you may be in the world so that a Tuscan company like Carpineto can share a bit of its region in your wine glass.
