L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 36 L'Italo-Americano Metamorphosis: Luca Tommasini's A Sirio A wine has many stories. Motifs, you might say, relevant to the wine's identity, yet abstract and uncon- nected to terroir or cellar style. Not meant to be experienced as part of the wine per se, but rather, themes playing below the surface of what's in the glass, recogniza- ble and appreciated only from one's personal experience. At a vertical tasting of A Sirio, the flagship wine of Sangervasio winery, I found not only great harmony in the glass, but something of my own story, too. If you're not at all unadventu- rous, you can find Sangervasio winery located in the ancient hamlet of San Gervasio in the province of Pisa, a pleasant car ride from the popular Tuscan towns of Firenze, Pisa, Lucca, Siena or Livorno. Here, you will also find Sangervasio proprietor Luca Tommasini and daughter Lisa crafting contemporary styled wines using local grapes with contributions from international varieties. Visiting Luca and Lisa at the winery, we sat down to a flight of A Sirio vintages, a tasting that could well have been titled "Metamorphosis", for its echoing a theme of transformation relati- ve to both wine and winemaker. And, strangely enough, for this wine writer, too. A Sirio is a wine dedicated to Luca's grandfather, Sirio Tommasini, who wanted to send a clear signal of the estate's qua- lity by offering a wine made with its best grapes. Vintages tasted were produced from 95% Sangiovese and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Sangiovese is sour- ced from Sangervasio's most important vineyard located at 200 meters altitude and planted to a density of greater than 12 thou- sand plants per hectare. Grapes are harvested by hand during the third week of September and only the best grapes are manually selected for A Sirio. The wine spends 14 months in barriques followed by 18 months in bottle. Sangervasio's high density planting in soil of marine origin enriched with marine shell mate- rial has an interesting effect upon vine behavior. "The high density planting creates competition among the vines. The roots go down deep for water and mine- rals." says Lisa Tommasini. The tasting began with A Sirio 1998, its bottle label rea- ding Colli Etruria Centrale Rosso DOC. The wine was made using cold maceration and selected yeasts, stark contrast to the esta- te's current practice of natural fermentation without use of added yeast. During that time period, I'm told, chemical inter- vention was used. A Sirio's path would soon bend toward change. The '98 aged well, showing fine tannins, cherries and spice, nicely integrated. As we tasted through to 2000 and 2003 vintages, A Sirio labels changed to reflect Toscana (Rosso) IGT. The wine showed a darker tone of fruit, moving toward black cherry, a bit swee- ter perhaps, and presenting gor- geous presence on the palate. Luca explained that 2003 was a transformational vintage, one that would see the winery discontinue chemical interven- tion and rise to the practice of natural fermentation. As if expressing renewal, A Sirio 2003 drank with exceptional energy and freshness. Reading between the lines of language limitation, I sensed that Luca recognized both journey and adventure reflected by these passing vintages of A Sirio. He looked thoughtful, mindful perhaps that change mirrored by the wine's timeline is as much a part of his own metamorphosis (as a wine producer) as for A Sirio. The debut in 2011 of Terre di Pisa DOC, the appellation under which A Sirio is today bottled (Terre di Pisa Sangiovese), marked not only a reframing of Pisa wine territory in that year, and thus something of A Sirio's identity, too, but also one of the most memorable A Sirio vinta- ges in the flight. Velvet in the mouth, with massive balance and refinement, in the 2011 vintage of A Sirio one can experience Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon un-seamed. In that tasting, the arc of tran- sformation arched over A Siro like a rainbow, and perhaps, if only just a bit, over Luca, too. Today, Sangervasio continues to apply great attention and effort to working organically, eschewing chemical products, using only natural yeasts present on the grape skins to start fer- mentation. Sulfite doses are kept very low. Meanwhile, A Sirio continues to metamorphose. From the 2015 vintage forward, the wine is pro- duced from 100% Sangiovese, a decision based on Sangervasio's ever-improving quality of that variety. As for me, I once wrote, "I've been always fascinated with transformations. How the Beatles got from Rubber Soul to The White Album. The way my body is now more efficient peda- ling the bike on last year's 20 mile route." Moreover, I am a sucker for wines in which I can find something of my own story. Tasting Note Sangervasio A Sirio 2011 Notes of cherries, forest ber- ries, herb, leather and spice. Supple and refined, the wine is rich, well-structured, and round, gorgeous to hold in the mouth. A Sirio is a wine dedicated to Luca's grandfather, Sirio Tommasini, who wanted to send a clear signal of the estate's quality by offering a wine made with its best grapes WINE NEWS TRENDS PROFILES JOEL MACK THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

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