L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2022 www.italoamericano.org 22 L'Italo-Americano N aming wine i s n ' t e x a c t l y r o c k e t s c i - ence. Italian, F r e n c h a n d other players in the name g a m e u s u a l l y c o n f o r m t o standards by listing brand, origin, type, producer, alco- hol content, vintage, vine- yards, destination, estate, etc. on the labels. Some get lengthy like, for example, Giacomo Bologna Barbera D'Asti, Brico Dell' Uccellone 2003. Others try t o m a k e a m e m o r a b l e impression with a novelty t i t l e s u c h a s C h e a p s k a t e , Left Foot Charley, Zombie Killer, or Two-Buck Chuck. If you sampled a different Italian wine every week, it w o u l d t a k e 2 7 y e a r s t o taste your way through Italy. W i t h a n e s t i m a t e d 2 , 4 1 2 brands in a crowded market, relatively few winemakers can rely on marketing to set themselves apart from the c o m p e t i t i o n . T h e y o f t e n d e p e n d o n b r a n d l o y a l t y , retail exposure or a one-of- a-kind trademark to differ- entiate their product and communicate to an overly communicated public. T h a t s a i d , h o w o r w h y does a winemaker come up with a name like Est! Est!! Est!!!? The answer is found in etymology, the history of words. Legend has it that in the year 1111, a German bishop en route to the Vati- can sent his servant ahead to search for inns that served q u a l i t y I t a l i a n w i n e . T h e p r e l a t e a p p a r e n t l y h a d a thirst for good Italian vino. W h e n t h e s c o u t f o u n d a lodging with wine that quali- fied, he would scribble the word Est (Latin for Vinum Est Bonum, meaning "the wine is good") on the front door with chalk. At one such place in Montefiascone, 75 m i l e s n o r t h o f R o m e , t h e wine was deemed so excep- tional that he wrote Est on the entrance three times. When the bishop arrived, he became enthralled with t h e l o c a l w i n e a n d p i c - t u r e s q u e M o n t e f i a s c o n e . Upon completion of his mis- s i o n a t t h e V a t i c a n , h e returned to that village and decided to retire and spend t h e r e s t o f h i s l i f e t h e r e . When he eventually passed away, the village initiated an annual ritual of pouring a c a s k o f w i n e o v e r h i s grave. The bishop's demise thus resulted in the debut of Est! Est!! Est!!! If the name itself doesn't elicit historical significance and curiosity, perhaps the taste will. A product of the Lazio region in central Italy, t h e v i b r a n t w h i t e w i n e showcases fresh aromas of husk and hawthorn blos- soms interlaced with hints o f f r e s h a p p l e . T h e w i n e attained coveted DOC status in 1966. Y e a r s a g o , E s t ! E s t ! ! Est!!! was rather sweet and likely made from Moscato grapes. Today, it is com- p o s e d p r i m a r i l y o f T r e b - biano Toscano, along with Malvasia Bianca and Ros- setto. Blends vary according to producers, who offer four styles – secco (dry), abboc- cato (slightly sweet), ami- able (sweet) and spumante (sparkling). Comparatively little of this wine is exported beyond Lazio. The vineyards are located along the shores of Lake Bolsena, the largest vol- canic lake in Europe. With its moderate temperature, the climate provides such advantages as warmer sum- m e r s a n d c o o l e r w i n t e r s that help cultivate the grape c r o p . S t e e p s l o p e s a r e required for drainage since t h e s o i l s u r r o u n d i n g t h e lake is volcanic and tends to retain moisture. Soil best suited for yielding the choic- est grapes is crumbly, con- tains traces of fossil, and is s a t u r a t e d w i t h e n o u g h potassium and phosphorus to help the vines flourish. Wine aside, the country- side encircling Lake Bolsena is breathtakingly beautiful. Following the introduction of Est! Est!! Est!!!, the area w a s h i g h l y p r a i s e d b y tourists who made it a pre- ferred destination not only for enological pleasure but scenic appreciation as well. G i v e n t h e l o c a t i o n o f Lazio, one would think that a significant number of red w i n e s a r e p r o d u c e d h e r e because of the weather. But 85 percent of the region's wine is white. Most of the production involves stain- less steel tanks, with cru ( r a w ) w i n e s s l i g h t l y enriched by storing them briefly in wooden barrels. Apart from intensifying the s t r a w y e l l o w c o l o r , t h i s e x t r a s t e p e n h a n c e s t h e nutty tone and adds layers of spiciness and a creamy component to the profile. As for pairing with food, the cuisine of central Italy is generally simple. Est! Est!! E s t ! ! ! m a t c h e s w e l l w i t h local dishes like fritto misto (fried vegetables) and car- ciofi alla Giudia (deep-fried artichokes). The relatively high acidity neutralizes the r i c h e r d i s h e s , i n c l u d i n g spaghetti alla carbonara a n d p o r c h e t t a ( r o a s t e d s u c k l i n g p i g s t u f f e d w i t h herbs). " T r i p l e E " i s u s u a l l y found on retail shelves with the titles Bici, Falesco and F a l e s c o P o g g i o d e l G e l s i v i n t a g e 2 0 0 2 . P e r - b o t t l e prices range from $5 to $15. People unfamiliar with the language of wine might be intimidated or confused by the information on the label. That's why the repeti- tive, catchy Est! Est !! E.st !!!, its unconventional histo- r y a n d c e n t u r i e s o f e n d u r a n c e s c o r e i n t h e name game. It's like history in a glass. CHUCK PECORARO Wine corks often have the name of the wine printed on them (Photo: Ilfede/Dreamstime) Italian wine scores in the "name game" LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE TRADITIONS

• Cover