March
24, 2008
Ancient
Rome's Modern Renaissance
In This Issue
Introduction
to Gravner from Sergio
The reason why I was sitting and eating jam on bread in winemaker
Josko Gravner’s house in Friuli was that he had had an
epiphany, and I wanted to know what his epiphany meant in
practical terms. This man had once been the most technically
advanced winemaker in the country, and now it seemed he had
flown as far back in time as a winemaker can go. Gravner was
making wines in the ancient Roman style. He was convinced
that it was the only true way to make wine.
In this concern, he was on his own. His once-devoted followers
had abandoned him—some understandably resented him.
He had guided them to the heights of modernism; they had invested
in what he recommended, had hung on his every word. And now,
Gravner had unapologetically scrapped it all. He was saying
at wine tastings—with the press in the room—that
he would no longer allow his family to drink wine full of
the laboratory-made products he had once used.
As I sat in Gravner’s office eating that jam on bread,
what I really wanted was to see the amphorae, so we started
for the cellar. Compared to many other cellars—sparkling,
spotless showrooms—the place was downright ramshackle.
It was a miniscule venture: several dank, old-stone rooms,
centuries of moisture packed into their walls. The few windows
were draped in gothic fashion with spider webs so thick and
dusty that they looked like worn black scarves. We walked
until we came to another room, a little lower down. This was
the amphora room.
Gravner’s amphora room was a strange, medieval, windowless
underground space, the floors made of large planks of rough
wood laid over dirt. Every few feet, there was a substantial
opening in the wood surrounded by a circle of dry red clay.
A quarter of the room was merely a gaping cavity, a deep opening
of damp soil and rock, with a shovel balanced in the corner.
“Here you go,” Gravner said.
The circles of dry red clay were deceiving: each was, in fact,
the lip of one of Gravner’s 20 amphorae. The actual structure—which
resembled a primitive vase so big that a human could fit inside
(and often did, to clean it)—was buried in the earth.
Some of the amphorae tops were covered with slabs of cardboard
cut from moving boxes. Other amphorae were open and filled
to the brim with juice: the amber grape skins had risen to
the top and formed a cover so thick that it was impossible
to glimpse the liquid below.
“The ground has all the life you need to give birth to
grapes,” Gravner said. “A vine needs the earth to
make a grape. Once you have that grape, you need the earth
again to make the wine.”
We tasted the wine, taken from the earthenware containers.
It wasn’t like his old wine. In fact, it wasn’t
like anything I’d ever drunk before. I wondered, how
would he describe the difference between this and his old
wine?
“I don’t have words for that,” Gravner said—Non
ho parole. “How can you describe a soul? I can tell
you only that these wines have real spirit.” Swirling
and swallowing the wine, I had to agree with its maker.
I am giving you this excerpt from my memoir, Passion on
the Vine, because I’m proud to feature the wines
of Josko Gravner this week. They are wines that are inextricably
bound to their location, wines that celebrate their land and
their iconoclastic maker in each exuberant sip.
Unless you’ve been unusually fortunate and bold, you
probably have never tasted anything like Gravner’s wines.
These wines have a bizarre—but beautiful—nose and
a color that defies convention, and because they’re like
a strange but gorgeous language that isn’t immediately
understood by everyone, they sometimes scare off potential
drinkers with their sheer unusualness. However, if you are
a person with an open mind, and if you are, as I am, a person
who believes that a wine can possess a soul, you might just
fall in love with Gravner’s wines.
I have—completely.
My best,
Sergio
For more accounts of Italian wine, food and life reserve
my new book:
Passion On The Vine: a Memoir of Food, Wine, and Family in the Heart of Italy
New
Gravner Anfora '03
 5,000-Year-Old
Technique Revisited
IWM is proud to present the largest Gravner offering in the
world, highlighted by Josko Gravner’s new releases
from the 2002 and 2003 vintages. In the 2001 vintage, Gravner
galvanized the wine world, rejecting modern winemaking not
through a radical new technique, but rather, an ancient tool—the
amphora (anfora in Italian). Through this approach,
Gravner divested himself of all connection to his past revolutionary
streak, as he permanently implemented the form, with the intention
of perfecting its use in all future vintages. He fashioned
his 2002 and 2003 bottlings by this provocative method, which
he experimented with on the side during a significant transitional
phase from 1997 to 2000.
This former practitioner of stainless steel and barrique now
believes that the best wines derive from large terracotta
vessels (amphorae) that he lines with beeswax, burying them
in the earth up to their necks. He complements this effort
with a regimen that includes wild-yeast fermentation, steadfastly
rejecting all temperature control and the use of rotary fermenters
or pumps. Gravner has also refined his varietal selection:
while he used to produce single-varietal bottlings of Pinot
Grigio, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc, he now works on a
monovarietal basis only with Ribolla Gialla, a grape he effectually
reclaimed for a modern audience during an intensive study
spanning two decades. His efforts to comprehend this difficult
varietal’s character represent the work of which he
is most proud. In fact, this wine and the black Pignolo grape
constitute the future of Gravner, as he plans to work exclusively
with these two varietals following the 2010 vintage. The 2003
vintage marked his first production of a pure-varietal Pignolo,
which will not be released until 2013.
We have poured the 2001 Ribolla Anfora at numerous IWM events.
Invariably, it elicits shock and wonder as guests marvel at
its deep golden, ciderlike color and riveting palate expression,
marked by a sensuous amalgam of citrus fruits, butterscotch,
minerality, and honey. It is, as we like to say, a white that
drinks like a red, a quality established by the beautiful
evocation wrought by a significant period of decanting (we
often decant the wine eight hours prior to serving)—a
procedure that is normally red wine's provenance alone. In
the opinion of Gravner’s son, Miha, a chilled bottle
of Gravner is simply a waste.
While Gravner has found his perfect medium in the amphora,
he will continue to experiment with various elements of the
process. The maceration and aging periods, in particular,
vary by vintage, yet they reflect Gravner’s intent to
continually experiment with lengthier timeframes. The maceration
period—which is conducted on the skins—is a minimum
of seven months: to put this timeframe in perspective, it
is interesting to note that most whites complete the maceration
phase in one or two days, with several going through the process
in a few hours. For the '02 and '03 issues, Gravner utilized
a maturation period of four to five years.
Gravner
2003 Ribolla Gialla…$101.97**
Gravner
2002 Ribolla Gialla…$101.97**
Gravner
2001 Ribolla Anfora…$89.87
Gravner
2001 Ribolla Anfora…$188.74 (1.5L)
**Indicates prearrival
The
Last Bottles...
 Gravner
2000: Open Vat Fermentation
This will most likely be the final opportunity to acquire
a wine from Gravner’s quiet and relatively brief transitional
phase (1997 to 2000), when he began implementing traditional,
Old World techniques, with the most provocative measure being
his experimental use of amphorae (utilizing a small cadre
of five). His commercial releases, however, represent his
final use of open vat fermentation in large Slavonian oak
barrels. In this approach, Gravner pressed the grapes manually,
fermenting them separately on their skins in Slavonian oak
for an extended maceration period. Thereafter, he removed
the pomace and placed the juice in large oak casks for a maturation
period of three years.
During this stage, Gravner also reduced his portfolio of wines,
choosing to concentrate exclusively on three bottlings—Ribolla
Gialla, Breg, and Rosso Gravner. As aforementioned, his work
with Ribolla Gialla is of particular significance, as it has
been the focus of his concerted efforts and will, in a few
vintages from now, be the only white he vinifies. Unlike many
of his other viticultural decisions, this actually reflects
a general predilection of Friulian winemakers. A favorite
of the iconoclasts, Ribolla Gialla is prized for its remarkable
ability to age. One of Friuli’s oldest indigenous vines,
it enjoyed the distinction of serving as the wine of choice—under
the name Rabiola del Collio—in the Republic of
Venice.
Gravner
2000 Ribolla Gialla…$99.99**
Gravner
2000 Ribolla Gialla…$249.00 (1.5L)**
**Indicates prearrival
The
Largest Collection
 Not
Even Italy's Wine Stores Have Such an Extensive Gravner List
If you were to travel to Italy, or more specifically Friuli,
and conduct an exhaustive tour of its wine bars and wine stores,
you would not encounter a Gravner offering that comes close
to rivaling the one we present herein. This Vintage Gravner
list is unsurpassed in the extent of its reach and in the
marvelously brilliant clarity that even the oldest of its
bottlings conveys.
Several of these selections (predating 1997) derive from a
period when Gravner employed both stainless steel and barrique.
Breg—a white field blend comprising Sauvignon Blanc,
Riesling Italico, Chardonnay, and Pinot Grigio—was conceived
in 1982 under the designation Vinograd Breg and
represents the most distinctive and best known of Gravner’s
wines. From 1990 to 1991, the wine was known as Bianco
Gravner, though it was ultimately christened Breg,
its present name. As Gravner’s Ribolla, it is now fermented
and aged exclusively in amphorae. The pure-varietal bottlings—Chardonnay,
Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon—represent Gravner’s
final efforts with these grapes as single entities. They all
dramatically testify to Gravner’s consummate skill at
maximizing the ability of these wines to age, particularly
with regard to Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon, which are, in most
other hands, early-drinking wines.
This extraordinary list also includes one of Gravner’s
rare, esoteric reds—Gravner Rosso—a wine that
no other retailer in the US carries. At present, it is vinified
outside of Gravner’s amphora regimen “in a very
traditional way,” according to Miha Gravner. This outside-the-amphora
approach entails a four-week maceration period in wooden barrels,
followed by a minimum of four years’ aging in Slavonian
oak. While the Rosso is typically a Cabernet–Merlot
blend, in some vintages, it is vinified as a 100 percent Merlot,
the composition of Gravner’s other red, Rujno.
Gravner has attained the pinnacle expression of each form
that he has worked within. Coupled with our amphora and transitional
offerings, this extensive body presents Gravner in all his
arresting stages of rebellion, integrity, and soulfulness.
**Indicates prearrival
Movia's
Moonlight Way
While Gravner is the epitome of reserve and quiet dignity,
the spirit of the northeastern region's esoteric iconoclasts
is best captured in Movia’s Ales Kristancic, a passionate,
charismatic individual who holds audiences captive with his
impromptu lessons on the principles that inform his pure and
unrivaled biodynamic regimen. (Movia is the leading producer
of Slovenia, yet the estate cultivates vines that cross the
border, extending into the Collio region of Friuli.) As with
most artists, Ales makes his methodology sound simple—particularly
when his descriptions are punctuated with expressions from
his own lexicon as well as intermittent periods of dancing.
His protocol, however, represents a highly conceptualized
regimen that integrates natural winemaking principles and
an astute understanding of vine and root management. Perhaps
the most fascinating aspect of Ales’ approach is his
grasp of lunar phases and their relevance to various stages
in the vinification process.
Movia’s wines represent the ultimate expressions in
the biodynamic category, and their modest price points—most
are under $40—seem to capture the very engaging persona
of the winemaker himself. As Ales would say, “Zak, Zak!”
Movia
2000 Puro…$49.50
Experience a Slovenian, biodynamic take on Champagne—the
purest expression of sparkling wine produced in the world
(and that's including those from the soon-to-be-expanded Champagne
region). In an inspired move, Ales takes a little bit of liberty
with the esteemed méthode champenoise in his
Puro bottling, bypassing the disgorgement procedure and leaving
it all in our hands. This limited-production sparkler—a
favorite of Sergio’s and the IWM team—is a blend
of 60% Ribolla, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Pinot Nero that truly
brings new meaning to the phrase “popping the cork.”
Also Available: Movia
2000 Puro Rosé…$46.20
(Click
here for proper uncorking instructions.)
Movia
2005 Lunar…$36.30
Gravner has taken himself out of the winemaking process in
dramatic fashion, and Ales has done much the same with Lunar,
a pure Ribolla bottling. Officially designated as a trial
production, this is a wine that celebrates Ales' desire to
serve as a conduit of wine as opposed to its creator. Thus,
with the exception of the harvesting procedure, the vinification
regimen essentially precludes human touch. Being on the outside,
however, can be quite demanding, particularly as leaving things
to the will of the wine incurs substantive risks, including
possible loss of the entire production due to spoilage.
In order to be hands off, Ales becomes the consummate mind
behind the wine, exercising a command of both traditional
and biodynamic principles: after placing the grapes in custom-designed
French oak barriques, Ales leaves the grapes to ferment for
a seven-month period, which commences without pressing of
the grapes and proceeds without the addition of chemicals.
The wine is not filtered prior to be bottled—a natural
“touch” attested to in the wine’s visually
arresting appearance, which is hazy and ciderlike in hue.
This is ravishing Ribolla—struck by pure moonlight and
begotten by pure genius.
Also Available:
Explore Movia's true colors—click for this week's Featured
Sampler.
Toast these wines and more with the stunning Movia
Glassware.
In Vino
Parentis
 The
April edition of Gourmet magazine, which just debuted
on the newsstand, celebrates Italy’s regional epicurean
delights, spanning the North to the South and making special
stops in Umbria and the Veneto. IWM is proud to announce that
this last stop provides a special context in which to showcase
an excerpt from Sergio’s soon-to-be-released book, Passion
on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Family in the Heart
of Italy. Entitled “In Vino Parentis,” this
piece offers Sergio’s perspective on Giuseppe Quintarelli,
the Master of the Veneto, which he relates over the course
of a dining experience dedicated to Quintarelli’s wines
and infused with a little family drama….all resolved,
however, with a few glasses from this quintessential wine
artisan.
IWM
Wine Experiences
 View
all of IWM's Upcoming Events.
Collector's
Seminar:
The Killer B's—Barolo, Brunello, and Barbaresco
April 5, 2008 1:00-3:00 p.m., $125.00
Barolo, Brunello, and Barbaresco. They represent the most
collected pure-varietal wines of Italy, competing with the
Grand Crus of Burgundy as well as the cult favorites of California.
Every week, IWM features some of the many sought-after, limited-production
wines that best represent each category. More often than not,
these wines require aging to display their full opulence.
So before uncorking these collectible and ageworthy gems,
it is important to sample bottlings that are both ready to
drink and in a stage that illuminates the characteristics
of these often complex and sophisticated wines. This rare
tasting has been designed to aid the experienced enthusiast
in selecting wines that are both capable of aging and appreciating
in value. Legends such as Bruno Giacosa and Angelo Gaja
will be showcased in addition to rising stars such as Poggio
di Sotto and Il Palazzone.
Participants Receive:
• Tasting Booklet that includes IWM's proprietary notes
• Sampling of regional foods prepared by IWM chefs paired
with each wine tasted
To learn more about IWM's Studio Regionale Saturday Tasting
Series or to make a reservation over the phone, contact Michann
Thompson at 212.473.2323, x106.
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