Monday, March 25, 2024

Fattorio Romeo del Castell: “One of the first-wave modern Etna producers”

I recently posted pictures on social media of a 2007 and a 2008 Etna Rosso wines that I had recently acquired. 


I posted the image because older editions of Mt Etna wines are relatively scare on the retail market. Brandon Tokash, my good friend, and go-to resource on all things Etna, reminded me that I had met the vineyard owner at my first Contrada dell’Etna which was held, then, at the Graci winery on Mt Etna. With this memory jogger I recalled this slight woman telling me the story of a lava flow from a Mt Etna eruption almost totally destroying the farm but changing direction before consuming it entirely. That woman was Chiara Vigo and the spared farm was Fattorio Romeo del Castell. I will discuss both in this post.

 Brandon describes Chiara and her estate thusly:
A small in stature young lady who wrote an interesting book on wine labels 18 or so years ago. One of her vineyards finishes up against a 10-foot wall of lava that came down some years ago. It is quite a sight with her 120-year-old vines pictured against the lava wall.
Fattorio Romeo del Castell — helmed by Chiara and her mother Roseanne Romeo — traces its history back to Chiara’s great grandfather who produced wine therein during the first half of the 1900s. Prior to a 1981 eruption of Mt Etna, the farm occupied a surface area of 60 ha. This was reduced to 30 ha by the wall of lava that traversed the land and whose remnants still serve as a testament to the land’s encounter with this force of nature.

One of the attributes that sets the estate apart from other Mt Etna vineyards was also the feature that had wrought the original destruction: the lava wall. The wall creates a unique microclimate for the estate in that it affects wind flows and, in so doing, (i) affects how the wind hits the vines and (ii) modulates the temperature behind the wall.

The current edition of the farm sits at 700 m asl at the confluence of three parks: Etna Park, dei Nebrodi, and Alcantra River Park. Soils on the farm are volcanic ash and sandstone and they serve as the underlying support for 14 ha of vines and olive, pear, chestnut, and oak trees. Thirteen ha of vines fall within the Etna DOC territory and these are planted to Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. The vineyard boasts 3 ha of centenary vines; the remainder were planted in 2004. The vineyard is certified organic.

Subsequent to the winemaking exploits of Chiara’s great grandfather, the estate sold its grapes. Chiara had left the farm to pursue her studies, returning after obtaining her PhD. In conversations with Salvo Foti, the renowned Etna wine guru made her aware that her vineyard was truly a gem. She decided to make wine from the estate’s grapes and enlisted Salvo’s assistance in the endeavor. Salvo mentored her by having her work with members of his iVigneri construct and, in the early years, served as her oenologist.

The first vintage produced by the estate was 2007. It utilized fruit from the centenary vines and was named Vigo in honor of Chiara’s Dad. Both the 2007 and 2008 were fermented in stainless steel and aged in barrel. The wines produced currently are shown below.

Characteristics

Etna Rosato Vigorosa

Etna Rosso Allegracore

Etna Rosso Vigo

Varieties

Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Capuccio

Nerello Mascalese

Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Capuccio

Soil

Volcanic

Volcanic

Volcanic

Farming Technique

Biodynamic

Organic

Organic

Training

Alberello

Alberello

Alberello

Vine Age

100 Years

Planted 2004

Up to 100 years

Harvesting

Hand

Hand

Hand

Fermentation Vessel

SS tanks

5000l tanks

5000l tanks

Fermentation

Macerate for a few hours; indigenous yeasts

Fermentation and maceration 15 - 20 days; indigenous yeasts

12 days; indigenous yeasts

Aging Vessel

SS tanks

SS tanks

Barriques

Aging

4 months

12 months

MLF then aged ifor 12 months in barrique; 6 months in bottle


There have been a number of substantive changes since those initial vintages:
  • Chiara has taken over responsibility for all aspects of wine production
  • The base Etna Rosso wine is called Allegracore (2009) and is made with grapes sourced from the vines planted in 2004
  • The Vigo wine continues to be sourced from the centenary vines but is only produced in outstanding vintages.
Tasting the Wines
I tasted 2007 and 2008 vintages of the Vigo but was so put off by the difference between the two that I ended up tasting three separate bottles of the ‘07 in order to find one equivalent to the quality of the ‘08.

The 2008 was pleasant on the nose with a savory note, grass, earth, sweet red fruit, and a bit of beeswax. On the palate ripe tamarind, spice, good acid levels, and a long, lingering finish. Palate-enveloping mouthfeel with fully resolved tannins.

The initial 2007 was smoky on the nose with red fruit, granny’s attic, and metallic minerality on the palate. Still structured with full resolution in the offing. Markedly different from the ‘08 so I opened another. This showed olives, red fruit, potpourri, and red pepper on the nose. Wood and coal tar on the palate. Still some freshness but astringent. Needs time?


The third bottle of 2007, drunk a few days later, had a portiness on the nose along with black pepper spice. Broad. Slight green on the palate along with non-silky tannins and coal tar. Unimpressive finish.

The wines utilized in this taste test were acquired from EatalyVino in New York City. There are differences between the 08 and 07 vintages which may be weather-related or winemaking-related and the differences within the 07 vintage may be due to a number of factors to include batch differentials, transportation, storage, etc.

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Brandon had described Chiara as being among the “first wave of modern Etna producers,” placing her in the company of breakout stars such as Andrea Franchetti, Marc de Grazia and Frank Cornelisen. Her wines have not attained the acclaim of the wines of these giants; why?

These producers all have great plots but, according to Salvo Foti and Brandon, so does Chiara. These guys are all marketing and promotion geniuses with attendant innovative winemaking skills. Chiara depended on Salvo Foti for her early wines and was not in the same ballpark as regards marketing and promotion. According to Brandon, Chiara had a lot of different interests and never really dedicated herself to wine and winemaking. Finally, these first-movers were most likely better capitalized than Chiara.

I have tasted the early wines of the estate herein. I will follow up with a comparison of some of the more recent vintages in a future post.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Tasting selected Constellation Brands' To Kalon Wines

I have tasted all of the estate wines grown in the Collective To Kalon Vineyard, and a number of the wines made from fruit purchased from Beckstoffer To Kalon, but have not tasted any of the Constellation To Kalon wines. I sought to partially address this shortcoming by organizing a tasting of the following wines:
  1. Robert Mondavi The Estates Fumé Blanc 2021
  2. Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
  3. To Kalon Vineyard Company Eliza's 2019
  4. To Kalon Vineyard Company H. W. C. 2019
  5. To Kalon Wine Company Highest Beauty 2019
  6. Robert Mondavi The Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
  7. Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.
The lineup -- tasted from right to left

The tasting team

Robert Mondavi The Estates Fumé Blanc 2021 -- Fumé Blanc was the name that Robert Mondavi bestowed on dry-fermented, high-quality Sauvignon Blanc in a period when most Napa-built SBs were sweet. His inspiration was the Sauvignon Blancs from the Loire Valley. The 2021 version of this wine was made from fruit sourced from two blocks of the I-block clone and is mostly Sauvignon Blanc with "a dash of Semillon."

The wine presented as older than its actual age. Earthy, with tropical fruit notes, faded lychee, and crushed-stone minerality on the nose. Medium weight with great acidity and a lengthy finish.

Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 -- Introduced in 2001 as a Cabernet Sauvignon cuvée with fruit drawn from top Napa Valley sites, the wine was placed on hiatus in 2016. It was brought out of cold storage in 2018 using To Kalon fruit.

The 2021 version was fruit-forward and dominated by notes of dark berry fruit, chocolate, cassis and spice. On the lighter side. Disappointing finish.

To Kalon Vineyard Company 2019 Eliza's -- Named after Elizabeth Yount, the widow of George Yount, the founder of Yountville. The 2019 edition of this wine was a 63%/37% blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The winemaker at To Kalon Vineyard Company was Andy Erickson from the inception to 2022. In 2022 he shared winemaking responsibility with Tony Biagi, the torch-bearer for subsequent vintages.

Complex; especially apparent when following the Double Diamond. Broad-based with red and blue fruit, smoke, forest floor, and spice on the nose. Rich and thick on the palate but with a soft mouthfeel. Ripe fruit. Lengthy finish.

To Kalon Vineyard Company 2019 H.W.C. -- 100% Cabernet Sauvignon named after the original founder of To Kalon Vineyard. Sourced from Heritage clones originally planted by Robert Mondavi. 

Intense red and black fruit, smoke, baking spices, and neutral shoe polish on the nose. Rich on the palate with good length on the finish.

To Kalon Vineyard Company 2019 Highest Beauty -- 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fruit from the 2016 harvest constituted the first wine of this label.

Rich black fruit and baking spices on the nose with a full body and velvety tannins on the palate. Long finish.

The Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has historically included 10% - 15% fruit from Macdonald Vineyard. The 2015 version is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, and 2% each Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. That vintage showed dark fruit on the nose along with plum, tobacco, cedar, and baking spices. Lengthy finish. The 1988 edition showed dark fruit, dark chocolate, graphite and leather on the nose. Fully resolved tannins and a long finish.

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I was excited to taste these wines because I have come to the conclusion, based largely on the Detert and Macdonald wines, that To Kalon wines are some of the most tasty in the Valley. I was not blown away. With the exception of the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons, the wines tasted were relatively young and will probably show more of their pedigree with the passage of time. That being said, the To Kalon Company wines stand in the shadow of the MacDonald Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.


©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Constellation Brands: The "Bigfoot" of To Kalon Vineyard

The title of this post refers to Constellation Brands as the "Bigfoot" of To Kalon Vineyard and the relative size distribution of the various players in this space, illustrated in the chart below, is one factor that bears out this characterization.


Another factor was the legal decision handed down by the courts in the Vineyard House Winery suit to allow its use of the To Kalon name on its labels. One of Vineyard House Winery's claims was that To Kalon was a place name and, as such, not "trademarkable." Constellation, which had received the To Kalon (registered by Mondavi in 1988) and To Kalon Vineyard (registered by Mondavi in 1994) trademarks as part of the proceeds of the Robert Mondavi purchase, contested this claim vigorously.

In the decision handed down in January 2021, the judge ruled that Constellation could use the term To Kalon both as a brand and " a reference to all of their alluvial fields in Oakville." In addition, a permanent injunction was granted preventing non-Constellation use of To Kalon without the trademark holder's permission.

Hence ...

Background
I have detailed the history of the To Kalon Vineyard elsewhere; a summary is provided in the chart below.


Constellation Brands came into the To Kalon frame with its purchase of Robert Mondavi in 2004. The Mondavi family had sold 2.5 million shares in the company to the public on June 10, 1993 but retained a controlling interest post the transaction. At this time Michael and Tim were co-Managing Directors, Marcia (their sister) was a partner, and Clifford Adams was the COO. 

The now-public company flourished until it experienced slowing business performance in the early 2000s. The board thought that a reorganization which sold off the high-end portfolio (Mondavi Winery, Ornellaia, and its ownership stake in Opus One), while retaining the inexpensive offerings (Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, Robert Mondavi Private Selection) would return the enterprise to profitability. Constellation countered this reorganization plan by offering to buy the enterprise for $970 million, an offer which the Board members seemed to ignore. Shareholder lawsuits, and a sweetened offer of $1.03 billion) from Constellation, resulted in the Board considering -- and accepting -- the offer. The deal, closed on 12/22/04, resulted in the separation of the Mondavi family from the business, with Robert retained as a Brand Ambassador.


Constellation's Leveraging of the To Kalon Vineyard
Constellation bought Schrader Cellars on June 16, 2017. This company's brand was, according to Tim Carl, "built on the marketing prowess of Schrader, the winemaking reputation and skills of Thomas Brown, and the quality of fruit and name recognition of the Beckstoffer Vineyard." Subsequent to the purchase, Constellation has introduced two new wines under this eponymous label: Heritage Clone To Kalon Vineyard and Monastery Block To Kalon. The latter, first released with the 2017 vintage, is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 169 from the vineyard's Monastery Block. The former, initiated with the 2018 vintage, is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 39 from Block N2S of the vineyard.

Schrader has a second label called Double Diamond which it had placed on hiatus in 2016. This label was first introduced in 2001 as a Cabernet Sauvignon cuvée which drew its fruit from top Napa Valley sites. With access to To Kalon fruit, the label was brought out of cold storage with the 2018 vintage as an Oakville cuvée with the bulk of its fruit sourced from the home vineyard.

In May of 2019, Constellation announced its Fine Wine Division's launch of To Kalon Vineyard Wine Company, a label helmed by Andy Erickson and using fruit sourced from the To Kalon Vineyard. The initial offering -- named Highest Beauty (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) -- utilized fruit from the vineyard's 2016 harvest.

Subsequently, To Kalon Vineyard Wine Company has introduced two additional wines: (i) H.W.C.  Cabernet Sauvignon (Initials of the To Kalon founder; 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Heritage Clone) and (ii) Eliza's Red Wine (Cabernet Sauvignon-Cabernet Franc blend named after Elizabeth Yount, the widow of the founder of Yountville). The 2019 edition of this wine was a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Cabernet Franc.

Beginning with the 2022 vintage, the winemaker of To Kalon Wine Company will be Tony Biagi. He will share that responsibility with Andy Erickson for that vintage and will then have sole responsibility going forward.

Organic Certification
The Constellation Brands portion of Collective To Kalon has been farmed sustainably for a number of years under the Napa Green certification regime but the company has been hard at work over the past three years readying To Kalon Vineyard for organic certification. Constellation currently manages 497 acres of the combined historic To Kalon Vineyard plus the non-Opus portion of the Stelling Extension and, of this, a total of 331 acres have attained organic certification. Younger vines and buffer blocks remain uncertified at this time. The first vintage of organic fruit will come with the 2023 harvest.

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I have tasted, and written about, all of the estate wines from Collective To Kalon, as well as selected wines from Beckstoffer To Kalon, but have not so treated the Constellation To Kalon wines. I recently organized a tasting to address that shortcoming and will report on it in a follow-up post.


©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Saturday, November 4, 2023

Daniele Ricci: From Milan Toll Collector to Timorasso disruptor

Colli Tortonesi Timorasso will be "the next big thing" to emerge from Piemonte and it owes its current position and future potential to the pioneering work of Walter Massa. Massa was not only interested in Timorasso for his own account: "He began to proselytize as regards the variety to anyone who would listen." Daniele Ricci worked as his understudy and acolyte and learned everything that he could before going off and leveraging that knowledge into his own enterprise. I explore Ricci and his wines in this post.

The Backstory
The Ricci Timorasso story goes back to 1929 when the grandparents of Daniele Ricci (Carlo and Clementina) bought Cascina San Leto, land ensconced within an amphitheater of vineyards close to the center of Costa Vescovato. The new owners planted vineyards (6 to 7 ha) and wheat and embarked on cattle-rearing.

During Carlo's stewardship, Timorasso production in Colli Tortonesi declined as farmers shifted to Cortese (more productive) or left farming completely. Carlo, however, bucked both these trends, remaining faithful to the vine and passing it down to successive generations. This was a part of the patrimony when Daniele took control of the estate as a 3rd-generation farmer after a stint as a toll collector on the Italian highway system.

The original Costa Vescovato estate currently sits at 15 ha, 11 of which are planted to vines and 6.5 ha of which are dedicated to named vineyards. In addition to the vines, the estate is planted to small quantities of ancient grains, an orchard, and a vegetable garden. The farmhouse is also resident on this property.

Daniele and his son Mattia secured 8 ha of land in Carezzano in 2022 and immediately planted 1 ha to Timorasso. 

The chart below shows the Ricci holdings in the two Colli Tortonesi communes. Named vineyards are described in colored rectangles.


Formation and Evolution of the Ricci Wine-View
Ricci worked as Mazda’s understudy before going off and planting the 1.5 ha Vigna di Carlo at Cascina San Leto. Walter went on to mentor a large number of the small farmers in the region and they, in turn, formed an association organized around his production principles. They met regularly to compare notes and taste each others wines.

Massa’s  principles, at that time, were as follows:
  • Hand harvesting
  • Maceration on the skins 
  • Soft pressing
  • Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks
  • Spontaneous malolactic fermentation after temperatures reduced to 10 - 18 degrees C
  • Wine aged for 1 year in stainless steel tanks (with batonnage)
  • Light filtration prior to bottling
  • Minimum 6 months bottle aging.
Given his early association with Walter, it is more likely than not that Ricci adhered to these principles early in his winemaking career.

The Colli Tortonesi formula was a key element in Timorasso’s success. The success, in turn, led to (i) new market entrants and (ii) some of the disciples changing the formula and profile of the Timorasso wine in order to place their own stamp on the market. Daniele Ricci was one of these change agents.

Daniele has great respect for the vine and life and sought to “produce varietal wines that are representative of tradition and terroir while working as naturally as possible in both the vineyard and the cellar.” This is manifested in the vineyard by organic farming. He practiced organic farming beginning in 1999 and became certified (Suole e salute) in 2017. But it is in the cellar that Ricci has shown the widest divergence (the disrupting bit) from the traditional recipe with practices such as:
  • Long maceration on skins
  • Exclusive use of indigenous yeasts
  • Refining in underground amphorae
  • No filtration
  • No fining
  • Minuscule sulfur.
Daniele Ricci crafts Timorasso wines from calcareous clay marl vineyards planted in 1986, 1989, 1992, and 1996. His traditional production method is fermentation in stainless steel followed by elevage in stainless steel or untreated oak or acacia barrels. In the case of his Io Camino Da Solo wine, however, the grapes are macerated for 100 days in amphora before transfer to untoasted oak barrels for 12 months aging.

Ricci’s application of these techniques are explicated in his wine portfolio as captured in the chart below.


In addition to the wines shown above, Ricci also makes two sparkling wines dedicated to his Grandmother Clementina. The first is a classic method sparkling wine from 100% Timorasso grapes. It is zero dosage and aged 36 months on the lees. The base wine is a blend of wine macerated for 90 days on skins and wine fermented and aged in acacia barrels in effect a blend of Giallo di Costa and San Leto). The second sparkling wine is a Rosé which has all the characteristics of the wine above except that 5% Barbera is added to the blend and the wine is aged for 24 months on the lees.

I tasted a 2019 vintage of the Derthona recently.


Beautiful brown-orange color attesting to the 3-day skin contact. Derthona nose. Sage and herbs ascendant. Elegant. Wax, spice, peach, lychee, and sago porridge also detected on the nose. Bright acidity with orange-tangerine, drying metal and pepper spice on the palate. Medium weight. Balanced.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Friday, October 27, 2023

Muscat of Lemnos, Greece's sole Muscat of Alexandria wine

Lemnos, the 8th largest of the Greek islands, has a long history of viticulture and winemaking, evidenced by mentions in the writings of Hesiod and Aristotle. 

Lemnos indicated by red circle

That fame, though, was based on the red grape variety Limnio (also known as  Kalambaki) which was dethroned with the introduction of Muscat of Alexandria (known locally as Moschato Alexandrias) from Egypt in the early part of the 20th century. Today 506 ha of vines are cultivated on the island, 90% to 95% of which is Muscat of Alexandria. 


The island of Lemnos lies low in the water and, as a result, the surface is susceptible to high winds; especially in the winter. The climate is Mediterranean with warm summers and cold, rainy winters. The winds cool the vineyards during the growing season, tempering the effects of the warm sunshine and extending its length. This microclimate allows the grapes to retain acidity as they develop complex aromas.

The growing zone encompasses the entire island but most of the vineyards are located in the central and southern parts of the island, proximate to Atsiki, Moudros, and Nea Koutati. A series of shallow valleys on the southern side of the island facilitate vine-avoidance of the brunt of the strong northerly winds.

The soils are "volcanic, infertile, light, and mainly limestone."

Main grape-growing areas
(Map sourced from greeceguide.co.uk)

Sparkling, dry, and sweet wines are made from the Muscat variety. The sparkling wines can be semi-sweet or semi-dry. The PDO wines from the island are illustrated in the graphic below.


The wines are fortified by adding wine-derived alcohol during -- or just after -- must fermentation. The sweet wines from PDO Limnos must be aged at least 24 months in oak prior to release on the market.

The Muscat wines are characterized by rich aromas and balanced acidity  with notes of peach, mint, spearmint, apricot, and flowers. According to Elloinos, these wines are "lighter in style, less extracted and less dense compared to other sweet Muscats" across Greece. 

The term Grand Cru can be added to the wine label if the grapes are sourced from low-yield estate vineyards.

The sweet wines can be used at dessert or can be paired with a variety of cheeses and fruit-based dishes.


©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Monday, October 23, 2023

Il Poggio di Gavi: Another Gavi-DOCG-based producer of Colli Tortonesi Timorasso wine

Wines from the Timorasso variety have historically been the preserve of "traditional" Colli Tortonesi producers but, as the potential of the variety has become more apparent, "non-local" producers have jumped into the fray.


One such entrant is Il Poggio di Gavi, a winery located in the heart of Gavi DOCG. I report on this estate, and its Timorasso wine, herein.

The Rovereto-Hills property encompassing Il Poggio di Gavi was initially purchased by the father of Franca Odone in 1919 as a family hunting lodge. The lodge was eventually passed on to Franca who cleared the land to plant vineyards. She began making wine from those grapes in 1976. In 2003 she passed the control of the estate on to her daughter Francesca.

The estate makes a number of sparkling, white, and red wines from grapes grown on the 3-ha Gavi estate but it is the Colli Tortonesi offering that is of interest for this post.

The estate owns a 2-ha plot in Colli Tortonesi's Val Borbera, a zone characterized by:
  • Elevations ranging between 400 and 600 m
  • The highest-altitude vineyards in Colli Tortonesi
  • Significant diurnal temperature variation.
  • Marly clay and silty marl soils (Lower Oligocene origins).
The Il Poggio plot, dedicated to Timorasso, resides on calcareous clay soils at elevations ranging between 500 and 750 m. The 20-year-old vines have south and southeast exposures.

The first wine from this vineyard was produced from grapes harvested in 2018. The grapes are hand-harvetsed in small crates for transport to the cellar where they are vinified in stainless steel tanks using indigenous yeasts. The wines are aged in steel tanks. The first vintage yielded 83 cases.

I recently tasted the 2019 edition of this wine.


Like most of the Timorasso wines from Gavi producers that I have tasted, this wine was approachable up front. It had a Timorasso-specific, aromatic nose with notes of honeyed wax, sage, pepper spice, sweet white fruit, green and dried herbs, and a marine character. A complex, layered nose.

Weighty on the palate with lime skin, lime-infused salinity, chalky minerality, and coal. Chalky minerality becomes prevalent with the passage of time. A lengthy finish. 

Retains the complexity on the nose but more linear on the palate over time. Unlike the best Timorasso wines, the palate does not transit well to the following day.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Sunday, October 22, 2023

Is Bornova Misketi (Muscat of Bornova), the Muscat cultivar from Izmir, Turkey, the oldest variety in the world?

I am in the early phases of a journey exploring the worldwide deployment of the Muscat cultivar so I was excited when a reader of my post on Muscat of Spina pointed me to a Muscat from the Izmir region of Turkey. This was an exciting lead in that it would allow me to explore very close to the site where Muscat first broke from the initial domesticated cultivar approximately 10,000 years ago.

The name of this Turkish cultivar is Bornova Misketi (Muscat of Bornova), said nomenclature deriving from its village of origin in the Izmir province of the Aegean region. The grape is now primarily grown in the neighboring province of Manisa.

Source; winesofturkey.com

Bornova Misketi is reputed to be the oldest known variety in the world and was mentioned in the 5th-century BC writings of Herodotus.

The growing region in Izmir is blessed with a Mediterranean climate and sandy-loamy soils. The Manisa area has similar soils but sits in a transition zone between the Mediterranean and continental climates and at a much higher altitude.

The soils in Izmir have higher levels of potassium, iron, copper and lime than is the case for Manisa. According to Kareoglau and Cabaroglu (A comparison of the volatile and phenolic compositions of Muscat of Bornova wines from two different terroirs in the Aegean region of Turkey, Food Sci. Technol 40(4), Oct-Dec 2020), higher levels of metal ions can influence the rate of enzymatic browning. Further, lime-rich soils tend to produce quality wines with "better aroma intensity, color, and body."

The characteristics of the Bornova Misketi cultivar are illustrated in the chart below.


The aroma compounds responsible for the characteristic muscat flavor are monoterpenic compounds mainly derived from the grape berry. These aromas result from the presence of threshold levels of terpenes (linalool, geraniol, nerol, citronellol, α-terpinool) and norisprenoids. Terpenes is the most important group of volatile compounds in Muscat varieties with linalool the most abundant compound.

The Kareoglau and Cabaroglu study showed that both the Linalool and Geraniol terpenes had values significantly greater than the threshold levels of typical Muscat wines. For example, the threshold level for geraniol is 30 μg/L while levels in Bornova Misketi is 50 μg/L. 

The purpose of the study, though, was to determine whether Bornova Miskiti was subject to terroir or vintage effects. Wines from the Izmir and Manisa terroirs were studied over two harvest periods and the following findings were reported:
  • The terroir effects on the concentrations of all terpene compounds was found to be significant (except for the (E)-pyran linalool oxide and geranic acid concentrations)
  • The effect of vintage on all terpene compounds was also found ot be significant.
Dry, semi-dry and fully sweet wines are made from the variety. These wines can be drunk alone as aperitifs as well as pairing extremely well with fruits and vegetables, seafood and white meats, and dishes featuring a variety of spices and savory condiments.

Getting back to the question posed in the title, we know, based on the work of Dong, et al., that Bornovo Misketi is not the oldest variety in the world. That honor is reserved to the CG1 and CG2 cultivars  domesticated in the Caucasus and Western Asia Domestication Centers approximately 11,000 years ago. It is a descendant, however, of the Muscat variety that split form the main line 10,500 years ago. The question remains as to how direct is the linkage.


©Wine -- Mise en abyme