L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2019 www.italoamericano.org 28 L'Italo-Americano Erbaluce di Caluso: a fable and a wine S o understand how Er- baluce di Caluso, a white wine made nearby Torino in Italy's Canavese area, came by its name, I suggest you awake early in the morning before dawn. Prepare to have your coffee before sunrise and witness the very moment when the Sun's first light arrives, and Dawn must de- part. In doing so, you will observe the impossibility of lovers, Sun and Dawn, meeting to consum- mate their love, except in shadow of a lunar eclipse. For the rest of the story, I shall entrust you to a particularly poetic account of the legend of Erbaluce: "The name of this wine comes from the fable of Albaluce. The le- gend tells that once, these valleys were populated by nymphs and gods. Dawn and the Sun were lo- vers but never destined to meet, but thanks to a lunar eclipse, Al- baluce was born. Her beauty and grace forced men to offer any pos- sible gift ad everything they had. Men were therefore forced to look for new fertile lands to cultivate around the lake. At one point they diverted the lake and the flood kil- led all their crops. Albaluce's sor- row was so deep that from her tears felling to the ground, vi- neyards were born and these were the white grapes of Erbaluce." (credit: www.convivium.it). It wasn't long ago that Erba- luce di Caluso was largely unk- nown except to locals. Even today production of Erbaluce di Caluso is quite limited, just 82,000 cases made in 2014 (statistic: www.ita- lianwinecentral.com). It was among the first Italian wines awar- ded DOC status, receiving that certification in 1967. Erbaluce di Caluso was elevated to DOCG sta- tus in 2010. Erbaluce di Caluso is made from local wine grape variety Er- baluce, cultivated almost entirely in Piemonte. The area's glacial origin soils, mild microclimate, and beneficial breezes blowing down from the Alps, make an ideal environment to cultivate the sometimes temperamental Erba- luce. Erbaluce is a high-acid va- riety that supports Caluso wines made in three styles: dry, spark- ling, and passito or dessert wine. That acidity is a contributing fac- tor to the freshness, strength to age, complexity, balance, and structure, of Caluso wine. Made in the dry style, Erbaluce di Caluso is the color of summer hay, even with the green reflec- tions one can see in young hay straw. On the nose, scents of white flowers, and in the mouth, the wine is dry and fresh with an ap- petizing sapidity. The wine fini- shes with a pleasantly nutty after- taste. Its gentle nature marries nicely with elegant first courses, yet its full-bodied way pairs with fried foods and young cheeses. Erbaluce di Caluso Spumante, a sparkling version, is required to undergo a second fermentation in bottle with the metodo classico tradition. The naturally high aci- dity of the Erbaluce grape is well- suited to the spumante style. It contributes both acidity and struc- ture, important components of sparkling Caluso wine. Fruity and floral, a bit more fragrant, the wine is crisp and dry on the palate, with a subtle citrus note and elegant perlage (bubble). A wonderful aperitivo, Erbaluce di Caluso Spu- mante is great side-by-side com- pany to a plate of air-dried bre- saola with baby arugula drizzled with olive oil, or with the delicious Greek fish roe meze, taramasalta. Erbaluce di Caluso Passito is made in the dessert wine style from Erbaluce grapes that are withered and dried for about five months. Grapes are then pressed to concentrate all that is good and wonderful of Erbaluce into an unctuous yellow-gold vino da me- ditazione (see my article Vino da Meditazione, L'Italo-Americano, December 13, 2018 edition). Pro- duction rules call for Erbaluce di Caluso Passito to age for a mini- mum 36 months before market re- lease, 48 months for Passito Ri- serva. The nuttiness that appears in the aftertaste of dry Erbaluce di Caluso seems to inhabit the lo- vely bouquet of the wine's passito version.There are wonderful taste sensations of honey, dried fruit and candied citrus peel. The wine is dense and sweet on the palate yet maintains a vigorous energy and freshness gifted by Erbaluce's high acidity. Erbaluce di Caluso Passito is well-adapted to long aging. Wine writer Victor Hazan wrote of having enjoyed "…forty – and even sixty-year-old Caluso that had lost nothing of its fresh- ness and strength" (Italian Wine, Victor Hazan, 1982). No unhap- piness will be encountered by pai- ring the wine with dry cakes, cookies and pastries. Although to enjoy the wine accompanied by strong blue-veined cheeses is a pleasure not to missed. Recommended producers in- clude Antoniolo, Cieck, Favaro, Ferrando, Orsolani. Tasting Note Ferrando Erbaluce di Caluso La Torrazza Brilliant straw-copper color. Delicate aromatics, floral, scent of fresh cut hay. Impressions of citrus and honey on the palate combine with fruit notes for subtle complexity. Dry, elegant, good weight, vigorous energy. Super fresh, balanced finish with a nutty aftertaste. Erbaluce di Caluso has been one of the first wines to get DOC denomination. Photo Credit:Consorzio Tutela Vini Caluso Carema e Canavese The name of Erbaluce derives from a beautiful legend. Photo Credit:Consorzio Tutela Vini Caluso Carema e Canavese JOEL MACK WINE NEWS TRENDS PROFILES

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