Another amber alert in Emilia

2005 Dinavolo Bianca, Vino da Tavola
This amber gem, tautology intended, is wrought from vines grown in a beautiful isolated old organic vineyard in the hills of Piacenza (Emilia), that Giulio Armani, winemaker at La Stoppa, rents close to his own personal vineyard of Denavolo, with an ‘e’, named after a local mountain.  However, under EEC rules apparently, a table wine can’t be given the name of a place, hence the corruption “Dinavolo”. Go figure.

The grapes are a lairy lot. 25% Malvasia di Candia Aromatica, 25% Marsanne (called Champagne locally although I can’t believe that), 25% Ortrugo and 25% of an unidentified grape variety. Ignorance is bliss here and sod the DNA fingerprinting. Meanwhile, Ortrugo a.k.a Trebbiano di Tortona, is found in particular in the hills around Piacenza, often blended with Malvasia, as it is for this wine.  The vines are vigorous and give constant production.  the juice is intense yellow in colour, fleshy and high in acidity and its wines have a good alcohol level. Four months’ maceration on the skins is followed by a year in tank. There is no wood. The length of maceration varies according to the richness of the vintage. In 2006, for example, the wine was macerated for twelve months and the juice obtains its remarkable colour, aroma and structure from its contact on the skin. No filtration or fining makes this a natural wine, par excellence.

Cloudy tangerine colour, initially some tiny bubbles beading on the rim. Floral (apricot blossom), but also suggestive of cider apples and red pears, clean, textured, vinous with a good yeasty bite, warm fruitskins, beeswax, dry cinnamon, oatmeal and apple acidity to complete the wine. Amazingly youthful and not just alive, actually living.

Ease into a carafe, sup and sip with gnocchi, salt cod or smoked cheese.