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Vino novello time
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| With the first autumn chills and those days that conclude in front of a crackling fireplace, one begins to long for a wine that's lively, fresh and young, with an extraordinarily rich bouquet, namely "vino novello" or "new wine". Thanks to its special fermentation process, vino novello is ready to be drunk within just a few short weeks of the grape harvest. |
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FROM HARVESTING TO MACERATION |
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As soon as they have been harvested the clusters of grapes are delivered whole to the winery where they are put in stainless steel tanks which are hermetically sealed. Crushed by the weight of all the other grapes, the clusters at the bottom begin to give off carbon dioxide. Reacting to this gas, the changes in the cells of the grapes quicken. Thanks to the natural yeasts and the lack of air, the sugars, acids and mineral salts begin an initial maceration process that lasts from 5 to 20 days. During this brief period, at a temperature that varies from 25 to 30°C, time is of the essence when it comes to determining the bouquet and flavor of the developing vino novello. Following this initial maceration process, the grapes are crushed and the must obtained is then subjected to a traditional alcohol-producing fermentation process. It is very quick, lasting just a few days.
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STRICTLY ACCORDING TO TRADITION |
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Vino novello may only be released for sale on the market from 6 November through to 31 December of the same year (as specifically set forth by Italian law), during which time it is possible to fully savor all its rich flavor and typical bouquet. The extreme youth and low alcohol content (11%) of this wine make it a short-lived pleasure that must be consumed, at the latest, by the spring of the following year. In other words, within just a few months, sometimes weeks, this delightful Bacchanal nectar has achieved its precocious perfection and is ready to be enjoyed. This is in compliance with time-honored traditions and customs. Historical chronicles record the habit of tasting the first bottles of young wine on Saint Martin's day, 11 November.
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ONE WINE, A THOUSAND FACES |
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Only officially recognized DOC (Denominazione d'Origine Controllata / Quality wines produced in a specific region) or IGT (Typical Geographic Indication) wines are granted the "novello" appellation. In Italy there are fully 60 types of wine in the first category and over 160 in the second. So you can have lots of fun experimenting and exploring the selection, as every vineyard produces wines with different flavors and bouquets. And since they produce novello from the north to the south of Italy, including the islands, there is a truly vast selection to choose from. Without a doubt, the greatest amount is produced in the Veneto and Tuscan regions, followed by Piedmont and Alto Adige.
The thing that generally always distinguishes this amiable young wine is its unmistakable color. The carbon-dioxide maceration process is what imbues the vino novello with its typical bright red color, tending more toward a violet hue than purple. The bouquet is dominated by lovely fruity notes: cherry, strawberry, raspberry, banana and freshly squeezed grape. Upon tasting it, one is immediately struck by the pleasant freshness and delighted to discover an almost complete absence of tannins. This is because this wine has had only minimum contact with the grape skins, the mark (the "seeds" contained in the grapes) and the grape stalks (what remains of the clusters after the grapes have been removed). Vino novello should always be drunk chilled at a temperature that can range from 12 to 14°C, perfect for appreciating its zesty liveliness.
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DIFFERENT FLAVORS FOR MORE DEMANDING PALATES |
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Drinking a glass of novello is sort of like taking a journey through Italy, discovering the most characteristic flavors. You can explore the entire peninsula from north to south, following your instincts. You could start by selecting the fruity intensity and mildly bitter, almond notes of a novello di Teroldego from the Trentino area in the far north of Italy, excellent with a rich cream of mushroom soup, grilled non-red meat and stewed pork preparations.
By way of contrast, the fragrant, rich flavor of the novello made from Tuscan Canaiolo grape, with its spicy vanilla and coffee notes and lively personality, proves to be an excellent accompaniment to an antipasto tray of mixed salamis and other pork products. These could be followed by a hearty vegetable soup and sumptuous grilled porcini mushrooms.
A novello made from Sangiovese from the Emilia-Romagna region in the center of Italy, vigorous and fragrant, constitutes the perfect partner for a piping dish of Fettuccine with meat sauce, or Tortelloni in melted butter. Its freshness serves to counterbalance even more complicated, elaborate dishes, making it perfect with the local sausages and fish soup.
A novello made from Conero grapes is the perfect accompaniment to dishes from the Marche region on the central coast of eastern Italy, like Tagliatelle with mushroom sauce or a sauce made from stridoli (a very common vegetable in traditional peasant cooking of the region).
The novello made in the Friuli-Venezia Guilia region in the far north east of Italy is marked by an amiable pleasantness and delicate bouquet. This makes it an excellent aperitif which can be served with little cheese tarts, canapés (soft white bread with different savory toppings), quail eggs and morsels of frico (a type of omelet made with potatoes and Montasio cheese).
Vino novello can have a very decisive, robust flavor, like the one made from Sardinia's Cannonau grapes or the Primitivo di Manduria grape, which should be tried with a hearty dish of mixed grilled meats or game. Another way to enjoy this unusual wine is with a selection of delicate fresh cheeses made from alpine-meadow milk, ideal for a mid-afternoon snack on a foggy autumn day.
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The characteristic berry fragrance of novello wine, sometimes imbued with a distinctly peachy or fresh-flower overtone, is the perfect note for bringing out the best in a very special autumn treat, chestnuts. From sweet marrons glacés to a spicy, raisin-filled castagnaccio (a cake made from chestnut flour) or just plain old-fashion chestnuts that have been roasted over a fire, the ideal companion is always the same: an excellent novello. Its mild freshness serves to counterbalance the natural pastiness of the chestnuts and enhances in a harmonious fashion the various specialties Italy's time-honored culinary traditions have handed down: everything from tasty chestnut polenta and tender pancakes flavored with lemon, to various other kinds of chestnut cakes and pastries. Nuts (walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts) as well as dried figs also go very nicely with a glass of novello.
And finally, for inveterate wine lovers, be sure you don't miss the Vino Novello Fair, the big wine festival and market that is held each November in Vicenza in the Veneto region in the north east of Italy.
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