Harvest 2021 has now been completed for weeks all over Italy, the grapes have finally become wine, the producers are drawing conclusions about the harvest and formulate the first impressions about the new wine. In fact, at this moment, thanks to the certainty of what has been brought to the winery – therefore with reliable and concrete information – the producers have now very clear ideas about the wines they are making with the grapes harvested in the past weeks. The forecasts released last summer for harvest 2021 – which anticipated a good vintage, with a decrease in quantity but of high quality – seem to be confirmed by the producers according to the evaluation of what they brought to the winery. Everywhere in Italy, in general terms, there is a decrease in the quantity of grapes harvested, however everyone agrees on the quality, considered very good, probably among the best ones in recent years.

 Italian producers seem to all agree that what they have harvested from their vineyards is of high quality, a condition that has been reported in every region of Italy. The consequence – all too obvious – is to also have high quality wines, assuming no wine making disgrace is going to happen in the winery. It must in fact be said making great wines from grapes of very high quality is relatively simple, making great wines from mediocre grapes is always the result of high enological skills and expertise. Transforming the good into something excellent is obviously a result that can be obtained without any effort and with a minimum of enological “diligence”, while you need to work very hard in order to obtain a low quality wine from the same grapes. An operation which, unfortunately, is not so unusual as it happens quite often to have in the glass – and, therefore, to taste – wines from vintages considered excellent and affected by quite embarrassing faults. In this case, all too obvious, the fault is not the grape, much less the vineyard, the territory or the climate, indeed it is the obvious result of the bad job done by the producer.

 Vintage 2021 did not start – many will remember this – with the best of wishes. From a meteorological point of view, in fact, in the last spring there had happened decidedly disastrous events which suggested an uncertain course of the season. In fact, in April, many vineyards in Italy were damaged by dire frosts, right in the crucial moment in which the vine began to produce new shoots. A decidedly negative event that jeopardized the good hopes for harvest 2021, as the frost inevitably and literally “burned” the young and new shoots. Those who survived had to face the infernal temperatures of the summer as well as the scarcity of rains, thus complicating the vegetative cycle of the vines, certainly of the younger ones and having not very developed root systems. The older vines, with more developed root systems in the depths of the soil, have partially benefited from the underground water reserves.

 In short, at the end of August, the producers showed some concern for the fate of the harvest which, shortly afterwards, would begin with the harvesting of the bunches. Then came September and, fortunately, the situation changed and, with it, the forecasts as well. The rains of September have in fact contributed in a decisive way to the positive trend of the conclusion of the ripening of the grapes, finally capable of quenching their thirst. Of course, these rains did not remedy the damage caused by the April frosts, but they certainly were decisive for the ripening of the bunches born from the surviving shoots. And it was thanks to these rains that today we can talk about a high quality harvest, despite the drop in quantity. If we consider the estimates that had been made during the summer, in which good quality and a significant decrease in terms of quantity were expected, we can only be happy that those forecasts have been proven wrong, and now turned out to be positive from the real evaluation of what was brought to the winery.

 Everywhere in Italy there is the satisfaction of producers for the wines they have produced with the grapes of this vintage; many do not hesitate to define 2021 as one of the best in recent years. The grapes harvested in the vineyards of Italy – from north to south – were sound and perfect for the harvest, that is, in the best condition possible to obtain high quality wines. The excellent premises of the vineyard were then transformed into certainties when the grapes arrived in the winery. The analysis of the must has in fact made it possible to find out the excellent balance between acidity and sugar content, a highly positive premise for obtaining equally balanced wines. Apparently – and, at this point, with absolute certainty – the wines of the 2021 vintage, after having run the risk of a quite severe and nefarious weather trends, will give us wonderful satisfactions in the glasses. News, there is no doubt, which gives us great pleasure, imagining – not least – the relief of the producers who, having positively passed the uncertainty of the summer conditions, they can now be assured and face with optimism the end of the enological procedures that will terminate with bottling.

 Of course, this is good news we welcome with enthusiasm while looking forward to having 2021 wines in the glasses, the supreme and final condition for assessing the real enological quality. If we consider the difficulties the world of wine has suffered as a result of the pandemic and which also have changed our habits, including consumption, the high quality forecast of the 2021 vintage represents, not least, a new starting point for the Italian wine. The producers' forecast for the 2021 vintage is largely optimistic for each and every style of wine. From whites to reds, from sparkling to dessert wines, the producers all agree in defining 2021 as a “vintage to remember”. Excellent wines, therefore, even if in smaller quantities, under the reassuring wisdom of the famous saying “little but good”. Certainly a relative and minor satisfaction, however extremely positive, if we consider the pessimistic premises of last summer regarding the 2021 vintage.

 The optimistic and present forecast for 2021 vintage are, not least, an economic advantage as better quality could ensure higher profits. Although this is a risky choice – we must in fact remember the bad sales results of 2020 in addition to the general economic availability of consumers – excessively increasing prices would be counterproductive. In any case, this good news anticipates the satisfaction of being able to pour the wines of the 2021 vintage into the glasses, something that will occur in the first months of next year, in regard for ready-to-drink white and red wines, towards the end of summer for those destined to tell their quality in the years to come. For long aged reds and classic method sparkling wines, on the other hand, we will at least have to wait until 2023. In any case, we will have more than one good, very good reason to make a toast to the 2021 vintage. With the hope it can represent – with its wines – the beginning of a new and beautiful future for everyone.

 This month, in the glasses of our tasting by contrast, we are going to compare two wines produced in very different territories, both for their respective geographical positions and for the climatic conditions occurring in each of them. The two territories are also affected by the sea breezes, specifically, from the two Italian seas bordering the east and west coasts. The two wines we will examine this month are in fact Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario – therefore on the Tyrrhenian side – and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, which is influenced by the Adriatic Sea. These are not – of course – meteorological conditions determined solely by the influence of the sea, as both territories are also affected from the conditions occurring in the internal parts of their respective production areas. In particular, the hinterland of Tuscany, near the Argentario, is characterized by flat and hilly territory, the one of Abruzzo – instead – is mainly characterized by hills and reaching the Apennine mountains.

 To this, of course, are added the differences introduced by the respective grapes used for the two wines – Ansonica for the wine of the Argentario area, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo for the Abruzzo wine – the result is therefore different in every regard. Two very different varieties producing equally different wines, however characterized by recognizable personalities. From a sensorial point of view, Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo can be recognized for their rather different organoleptic qualities. If, in general terms, the Tuscan wine is capable of expressing finesse and elegance, with structures of good body, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo – which is certainly equally capable of finesse and elegance – gives the glass more robust and full wines. These characteristics also develop as a result of the climatic and meteorological conditions occurring in their respective territories, not least, the composition of the soil and the interpretation expressed by the producers. This last aspect, in fact, is certainly not negligible as the enological visions of Abruzzo and Tuscany differ substantially, also for historical and traditional reasons.

 Ansonica is the name with which this white berried grape is found in the Italian national directory of vine varieties, therefore it is the official Italian name. This premise, which might seem superfluous, actually aims to introduce the identity of this variety and – above all – its origin. The Ansonica grape, in fact, is actually Inzolia, one of the most famous and widespread white grape varieties of Sicily. This grape is native to this island – where it is widely used for the production of both mono-varietal white wines and blended with other grapes – and from Sicily it reached Tuscany and other regions of Italy. Inzolia – Ansonica – is the oldest native white grape variety in Sicily and its origins, although today it is considered to be native to this island, are not entirely clear. The spreading in Tuscany, however, is limited to the territories near the Argentario mountain and in other Denominazione d'Origine Controllata areas in the province of Grosseto, to which is also added Elba island.

 Of all the Tuscan denominations providing for the use of Ansonica grape, the one of Costa dell'Argentario is the most famous and the only one exclusively reserved to this grape. The production area – recognized as a Denominazione d'Origine Controllata (Denomination of Controlled Origin, DOC)  –covers the territories of Capalbio, Manciano, Orbetello, Mount Argentario and Giglio island, all in the province of Grosseto. The production disciplinary – according to what is generally provided for Italian wines with Denomination of Controlled Origin – provides for the minimum use of Ansonica for 85%, while the remaining part can be made from white grape varieties permitted to cultivation in Tuscany. The Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario is a wine having a remarkable finesse and elegance, and is characterized by the pleasing crispness given by acidity, as well as the olfactory profile of flowers and fruits. For this reason, almost all the wines belonging to the appellation are vinified and aged in inert containers, with the aim of preserving the quality of the typical organoleptic characteristics of this wine.

 Undisputed glory of Abruzzo, the local Trebbiano shares the wine scene of this region with another great grape – Montepulciano – from which are produced the homonymous red and Cerasuolo wines. The famous white of Abruzzo, although the situation has today become more clear, has been for decades the subject of confusion regarding the grape with which it is produced. This was also because of the not so clear situation concerning, for many reasons, the Italian grapes that are characterized by the name “Trebbiano”. As is widely known, the term “Trebbiano” comes from Trebula, the name with which many towns in central Italy were called in ancient times, therefore from trebulanum, a term used to refer to an “estate” near Trebula. The term trebulanum could therefore be translated as “farm” or “agricultural estate”. From this originates the word Trebbiano, a term used by Pliny the Elder for the definition of vinum trebulanum and which today we could translate as “country wine” or “farm wine”. In other words, the grape – and therefore the wine – of the place.

 Nowadays, every Trebbiano grape is generally considered as a member of the same family, although – in many cases – there are no common analogies. As for Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, probably also because of the confusion existing in the large family of these grapes, for a long time it was confused with Bombino Bianco, a grape widely spread in the areas of central-southern Italy. Today, thanks to scientific research, we know that, in reality, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo – also known as Trebbiano Abruzzese – has no connection or analogy with Bombino Bianco, it indeed turns out to have several similarities with Biancame, a biotype of Trebbiano Toscano. This confusion, which lasted for decades, has however produced quite a big confusion in the enological definition of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo. Its production disciplinary, in fact, still provides for the possibility of using Trebbiano Abruzzese, Bombino Bianco and Trebbiano Toscano, alone or together, for a minimum of 85%. Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, when produced with viticultural and enological quality criteria, is a white capable of remarkable organoleptic expression. This characteristic allows producers to interpret this grape – and therefore the wine – with countless enological practices, from vinification in inert containers to the use of casks and barriques, giving, in all cases, wines of good sensorial interest.

The color of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo

 Before starting this month's tasting by contrast, let's search for the bottles of the two wines. It should be noted, these wines are pretty easy to find on the market, and are certainly available in any well-stocked wine shop. This is particularly true for Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, as the total volume of production is much greater than for Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario. The wines we will consider are both produced by fermentation and aging in inert containers, preferably in steel tanks. In this regard, it should be noted this is the method generally used for the production of these two wines, this further simplifying the search. As for the composition – although the respective production disciplinary provide for a minimum 85% of the primary variety – we will make sure they actually are wines produced with the respective identifying grapes only. The two wines belong to the last available vintage and are served in tasting glasses at a temperature of 10 °C. (50 °F)

 Let's start our tasting by contrast and proceed with the analysis of the first sensorial quality of the wines, represented by their appearance, that is how they appear to our eyes in terms of color and transparency. The first wine we will examine is Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario. Let's tilt the glass over a white surface – a sheet of paper is enough – and observe the base, where the thickness of the liquid mass is greater. The color of the Tuscan wine reveals a brilliant and intense straw yellow, while the nuance – observed at the upper edge of the glass, towards the opening, at the point where the thickness of the wine is thinnest – is characterized by a greenish yellow color. The transparency of Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario, evaluated by placing an object between the glass and the white surface, is very high. Let's now pass to the evaluation of the aspect of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo and, just like for the previous wine, let's tilt the glass over the white surface. The color of the Abruzzo wine, observed at the base of the glass, reveals an intense straw yellow, generally darker than Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario. The nuance, observed towards the opening of the glass, confirms the straw yellow color. The transparency of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo is also very high.

 The olfactory profiles of Ansonica and Trebbiano Abruzzese are characterized by substantial differences, although it is possible to perceive common aromas. In both cases, the olfactory profiles are expressed with aromas that directly recall the world of yellow and white fruits, as well as flowers. The Ansonica – in the Maremma area – mainly expresses aromas reminiscent of apple, pear, plum and citrus fruits, while, as for the olfactory qualities attributable to the world of flowers, this variety is characterized by hawthorn, broom and chamomile. In some cases, in the Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario can be perceived aromas reminiscent of aromatic herbs, especially lesser calamint. The aromas characterizing Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, although they have common qualities with Ansonica, are more intense and, so to speak, more robust, in which can be perceived, also in this case, aromas of apple, pear and plum. To these fruity sensations are often added lemon, peach, medlar and hints of tropical fruit, in particular pineapple. Furthermore, in Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, can often be perceived the scent of almond. As for the aromas belonging to the world of flowers, in Trebbiano d'Abruzzo can be mainly perceived hawthorn and broom.

 Let's resume the tasting by contrast of this month and proceed with the olfactory examination of Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo. As for the previous examination, the first wine of which we analyze the aromas is the Tuscan one. Let's hold the glass in vertical position and let's do the first smell in order to appreciate the opening, that is the identifying aromas. In the Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario can be perceived aromas of apple, pear and plum, followed by the floral scent of hawthorn. Let's proceed with the swirling of the glass – operation that will favor the development of the remaining aromas – then let's do the second smell. The olfactory profile of the Tuscan wine is completed with broom, chamomile, citrus fruit, peach, hazelnut and, often, the elegant hint of aromatic herbs in which we recognize lesser calamint. Let's move on to the evaluation of the olfactory profile of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo and – by holding the glass in vertical position, without swirling it – let's do the first smell in order to appreciate its opening. From the glass we perceive aromas of apple, plum and hawthorn. After having swirled the glass, the olfactory profile of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo is completed with aromas of pear, broom, pineapple, lemon and almond.

 Let's now move on to the analysis of the gustatory profiles of Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, first examining – as in the previous phases – the Tuscan wine. Let's therefore take a sip of this wine and evaluate its attack, that is, the initial sensations perceived in the mouth. The wine expresses a marked crispness given by the acidity that finds balance in the effect of alcohol, the latter of moderate intensity but enough to contrast acidity. Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario has a medium structure, definitely suited to the personality of the wine, and in the mouth we perceive the flavors of apple, pear and plum, confirming the good correspondence to the nose. Let's now proceed with the evaluation of the attack of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo and take a sip of this wine. In the Abruzzo white can be immediately appreciated crispness – given by the acidity – and, also in this case, promptly balanced by the effect of alcohol, generally more intense than Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario. The structure of the wine – compared with that of the Tuscan white – is more robust as well as the sensation of roundness. In the mouth are perceived flavors of apple, plum and almond, confirming the good correspondence to the nose.

 After having swallowed the wines, let's terminate this month's tasting by contrast by evaluating the final sensations, in particular the taste-olfactory persistence. The finish of Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario is of good persistence, in the mouth we continue to perceive the pleasing crispness given by the acidity and the sensation of moderate structure. In the mouth we can also perceive the flavors of apple, pear and plum. The finish of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo is equally persistent – in both wines, persistence can be measured in about ten seconds – and the pleasing crispness of acidity continues to be perceived in the mouth as well as the warm effect of the alcohol. The sensation of structure is – even in the finish – fuller than in Tuscan wine, continuing to be perceived the flavors of apple, plum, pineapple and the slightly bitter sensation in which we recognize almond. Before concluding the tasting by contrast, place the two glasses next to each other and do a further smell. The olfactory profiles of the two wines are very different, although they have common characteristics however expressed with different intensities.

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