Two different and distant red wines, made in lands that have nothing in common – except of the fact they both belong to the same country – grapes that share no history, much less genetic similarities. Two territories that are distinguished by different landscapes, distant climates and environmental conditions, with the only common characteristic of being lands of great wines. Furthermore, both provide for the use of a main grape and the use of other varieties, however – also in this case – they are different grapes and with viticultural, enological and sensorial profiles that do not share any characteristic, except for having red berries. On the one hand, the suggestive mountain landscapes close to the Alps and lands bordered by rivers; on the other, no less suggestive views of the hills, in the boundless extensions of “green” and fertile and generous lands. In both cases places and soils suitable for viticulture, albeit with very different results.

 The wines we will examine in this month's tasting by contrast are produced in Valle d'Aosta and Tuscany, respectively in the lands spreading around Aosta – the capital city of the region – and in those of Montepulciano, in province of Siena. The first wine is in fact Valle d'Aosta Torrette, the most produced and consumed red of this region, in which the main protagonist is the Petit Rouge. The second is Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, an important and historic wine of Tuscany, in which the personality of Sangiovese is mainly expressed. Both wines require – according to the respective production disciplinary – the use of many varieties, in addition to the main ones, and this is generally what occurs in most of the bottles produced in the respective territories. The tasting by contrast of this month, therefore, compares two wines resulting from the blending of many grapes, a characteristic which, without a doubt, contributes to enriching their respective personalities.

 In the interesting enological panorama of Valle d'Aosta, Torrette – both the denomination and the wine – occupies a prominent place. It is in fact the largest Denominazione d'Origine Controllata (Denomination of Controlled Origin, DOC) in the region and is produced with the native variety Petit Rouge, the most common red berried grape in Valle d'Aosta, whose wines are among the most widespread and consumed in the area. The territory of the denomination spreads on the orographic right bank of Dora Baltea river in the municipalities of Aymavilles, Charvensod, Gressan, Introd, Jovençan and Villeneuve, while on the orographic left bank in the municipalities of Aosta, Quart, Saint-Christophe, Saint-Pierre, Sarre and Villeneuve. It is a territory in the center of the region which spreads around Aosta – the capital city of Valle d'Aosta – with a total area such as to represent the primary denomination by extension. The only style provided by the disciplinary for this area is red, mainly produced – as already said – with the autochthonous variety Petit Rouge.

 This grape, in accordance with the production disciplinary, must represent at least 70% of the composition, while any complementary part can be made up of red berried varieties allowed for cultivation in Valle d'Aosta. The production of this wine therefore provides for two distinct winemaking models and, of course, both interesting and allowed by the production disciplinary. There are in fact producers who prefer, probably also for traditional reasons, the choice of using a blend of grapes, while others interpret this wine through the exclusive use of Petit Rouge. The result is evidently different, despite the personality of the primary grape however remains evident and dominant even in the presence of other grapes. The aging, according to the disciplinary, must be at least 5 months, a practice producers tend to do mainly in inert containers, however there are also wines aged in cask. This last procedure tends to round the typical crispness of the wine and, if done excessively, can deprive Valle d'Aosta Torrette of its characteristic sensorial expression of flowers and fruits.

 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano represents one of the main and most important pillars of the enological history of the province of Siena and Tuscany. It is among the oldest wines in Italy, so much so that it boasts written citations dating back to before the year 1000, mentioned in a document dated 789 in which the cleric Arnipert offers the church of San Silvestro or San Salvatore in Lanciniano sull'Amiata, a vineyard near the castle of Policiano. The Roman historian Tito Livio also stated that in 55 BC, the ancient Gauls arrived in Italy after having tasted the wine of these lands offered by Arunte or Arrunte, an Etruscan from Chiusi, not far from Montepulciano. In both cases, it is difficult to suppose if the wines of Montepulciano of those times were similar to those we know today, especially the grape varieties used, but they clearly witness the long enological history of these lands, recognizing to its wines – already in those remote times – excellence and quality.

 The protagonist of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is Sangiovese – also known locally as “Prugnolo Gentile” – the most common red berried variety cultivated in central Italy and also found in other regions of the country. In accordance with the production disciplinary, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is produced with at least 70% Sangiovese, while the possible complementary part can be made up of other varieties allowed for its production, defined in a list including as many as 85 grapes, both white both red. In this regard it should however be observed that, besides Sangiovese, the most used varieties for this wine are Canaiolo Nero and Mammolo, a combination which is certainly to be considered the most historic and common one. This great wine from the province of Siena – recognized by the Italian quality system as a Denominazione d'Origine Controllata e Garantita (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin, DOCG) – requires a minimum aging period of 24 months, of which at least 12 in wood. For the production of the “riserva” style, the minimum period is set at 36 months and, also in this case, at least 12 in wood.

The color of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

 The wines we will examine in this month's tasting by contrast, according to the respective production disciplinary, provide for the minimum use of 70% of a variety, with the possible addition of other complementary grapes. Although the producers of both wines sometimes choose to use only the primary variety – Petit Rouge for Valle d'Aosta Torrette, Sangiovese for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano – our choice is in favor of bottles produced with many grapes. As for Valle d'Aosta Torrette, our choice is in favor of a bottle made with Petit Rouge as well as – possibly – Fumin, Mayolet, Vien de Nus and Cornalin. As for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, we choose a bottle produced with the classic composition of Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero and Mammolo. As for the aging of the two wines, for Valle d'Aosta Torrette we will choose a bottle aged in steel tanks, necessarily in the cask for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. In both cases, we choose wines belonging to the most recent vintage and poured into their respective tasting glasses at the temperature of 18 °C (64 °F).

 We can now start our tasting by contrast and, after having poured the wines into their respective glasses, let's proceed with the evaluation of appearance, that is how the wines can be seen by the eye in terms of color and transparency. The first wine we examine is Valle d'Aosta Torrette, therefore – by tilting the glass over a white surface – let's observe the base, where the thickness of the wine is greater. The wine produced with a prevalence of Petit Rouge shows a lively and brilliant ruby red color, moreover, by placing an object between the glass and the white surface, we can see a decidedly moderate transparency. Let's now shift our attention towards the opening of the glass, where the thickness becomes thinner, in order to evaluate the nuance of the color, in which the basic ruby red hue is confirmed. Let's now pass to the evaluation of the appearance of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and, by tilting the glass over the white surface, we observe its color. Also in this case we can see a brilliant and intense ruby red, probably darker than Torrette, as well as a moderate transparency and in any case lower than the previous wine. Nuances of the Tuscan wine show a ruby red color with a possible tendency to garnet.

 The olfactory profiles of Valle d'Aosta Torrette and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano differ in many aspects, not all determined by the different grape varieties used for their production. Among the factors determining these olfactory differences – besides the respective grapes – probably the most important one is represented by the different vinification techniques and, in particular, the aging. Although the production disciplinary of Valle d'Aosta Torrette does not provide for the type of container to be used for the aging, the majority of producers choose to do it in inert containers, in particular the steel tank. Vino Nobile di Montepulcino, in accordance with its production disciplinary, instead provides for a minimum time of 12 months of aging in wooden containers. This difference, as we will see, affects the respective olfactory profiles, however it should be observed the main tendency in the production of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is to use the cask discerously in order to preserve the olfactory expression of the grapes.

 Let's take the glasses of our wines and proceed with the evaluation of the olfactory profiles, starting, as in the previous phase, from Valle d'Aosta Torrette. Let's hold the glass in vertical position and, without swirling, do the first smell, which will allow the evaluation of the opening. From the glass will be perceived intense and pleasing aromas of cherry and raspberry followed by dog rose. The combination of these three aromas is typical in the majority of wines produced with Petit Rouge and, of course, Torrette is no exception. Let's now swirl the glass – an operation favoring the development of the other aromas – and do a second smell. The profile of Valle d'Aosta Torrette is completed with strawberry, pomegranate, arbutus berry and plum, as well as violet, frequently followed by a sensation reminiscent of graphite. Let's now pass to the evaluation of the olfactory profile of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, starting from its opening. The glass offers us a sequence of completely different aromas from the previous wine, in which we recognize black cherry, plum and violet. After having swirled the glass, the profile of the Tuscan wine is completed with blueberry, raspberry and blackberry, as well as a pleasing sensation reminiscent of rose. It should also be paid attention to the aromas given by the aging in wood, such as vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon and tobacco, totally absent in the wine from Valle d'Aosta.

 Let's now pass to the evaluation of the gustatory profiles of Valle d'Aosta Torrette and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, starting from the one produced with Petit Rouge. The first quality we evaluate is the attack, that is the primary gustatory sensations the wine expresses in the mouth at the first sip. Valle d'Aosta Torrette is appreciated for its crispness and direct character, with a pleasing acidity which finds balance in the effect of alcohol. The astringency is moderate and in the mouth are clearly perceived flavors of cherry, raspberry and strawberry, therefore expressing good correspondence to the nose. The structure of this wine is medium and, overall, it is very agreeable. Let's now pass to the evaluation of the attack of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and then let's take a sip. In the mouth we immediately perceive the effect of the pleasing crispness which joins the roundness of alcohol and of the aging in wood, with a more intense astringency than the wine from Valle d'Aosta. The structure is decidedly fuller and in the mouth are clearly perceived the flavors of black cherry, plum, raspberry and blueberry, confirming – also in this case – the good correspondence to the nose.

 We have reached the end of this month's tasting by contrast, let's therefore proceed to the evaluation of the final sensations the wines leave in the mouth after swallowing, in particular the taste-olfactory persistence. As in the previous phases, the first wine we will examine is Valle d'Aosta Torrette. After having swallowed the wine, in the mouth can be perceived a good persistence with a finish leaving intense and clean flavors of cherry, raspberry and strawberry, in addition to the pleasing sensation of crispness given by the moderate acidity. The finish of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is decidedly long as well and, after having swallowed it, in the mouth we can perceive a decidedly long taste-olfactory persistence. We also continue to perceive – intense and clean – the flavors of black cherry, plum, raspberry and blueberry, as well as the pleasing crispness – mainly given by Sangiovese – which is followed by the pleasing roundness of alcohol as well as the aging in wood.