L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 10 THURSDAY, MAY 31, 2018 L'Italo-Americano I talian cuisine embodies the ancestry of Italy: behind its food there are many genera- tions of history and culture which have contributed to the creation of each element. The culinary genesis of Italy evolved through an artistry which crafted and perfected each wine and meal. Italians dedication to food preparation is commendable, local food is made using seasonal produce and traditional tech- niques, with the goal of making dishes of the best quality. For Italians food and wine are sacred and consuming superior fare is one of life's greatest joys. Italy's most beloved fortified wine reflects the locals' dedica- tion and love for their regional specialities. Marsala has been made in the Western Sicilian city of the same name for centuries. The grape vines used in the Marsala blend have been cultivat- ed since the early Middle Ages. A glass of this wine reflects the aromas of the coast facing out towards Africa, on what is known as the "sun belt" of Sicily, as well as the history of the island's eco- nomic development. It is within this idealistic set- ting that in 1796 British business- man John Woodhouse estab- lished the first commercial winery in the area. The trades- man from Liverpool exported Marsala to England: the business was so successful a competing firm was founded by another Englishman Benjamin Ingham in 1812, followed by a third compa- ny in 1832 run by Calabrian Vin- cenzo Florio. Eventually, the Flo- rio family bought and merged the Woodhouse and Ingham holdings at Marsala with their own pro- duction. Today, the Florio cellars have become a part of the Saron- no group and continues to manu- facture Marsala together with other popular Sicilian wines such as Corvo and Duca di Salapurata. In the 1950s, Marsala found itself relegated to being consid- ered a simple cooking wine, as cheaper and less well made over- seas varieties flooded the Italian market. In 1986 the Italian gov- ernment introduced the D.O. classification (denomination of origin) laws which protected the traditional producers and regulat- ed the industry. Over the last few years small- er producers have added a new dimension to Marsala production by returning to the authentic methods of Marsala making. Marco De Bartoli started build- ing his winery more than 40 years ago with the dream of reviving the original soul of this fortified wine. Today his chil- dren Giuseppina, Renato and Sebastiano continue his life's work. The passion for making fine wines and Marsala in particular is evident when you hear Giuseppina De Bartoli speak about her father's journey towards establishing his winery. How did your family begin producing their own high qual- ity wines at Marsala? Our cellar was established in 1978 by my father Marco because of his love and passion for wine in general, but also for Marsala and our region in partic- ular. My father understood that the Marsala industry was about to collapse, its public image was totally devastated and it was in the hands of a fierce and low quality industrial production. He realised the only way to save it was to return to the ori- gins of Marsala, which meant going back to high quality viti- culture with the use of Grillo grapes and to a longer aging period. So, he decided to start a small winery in an old plot of aban- doned family land, located at Samperi in the countryside out- side of Marsala, and to become an artisan and vigneron, follow- ing the French ideas of vigneron, cru and terroir. My father began his career not with Marsala DOC, but with an even more antique wine, the Perpetuo, which was its precursor. Perpetuo, which he called Vecchio Samperi, was the wine ROCHELLE DEL BORRELLO The revived tradition of Marsala in Sicily made in Marsala for centuries, aged with a method similar to the solera, known as "perpetuo," which gave to the wine its very name. (Solera is a blending sys- tem which transfers the wine into different oak barrels over many years, blending different vintages together, while perpetu- ally adding flavor). Aged for longer, oxidised, with a natural alcohol grade superior to 16 degrees, this nat- ural, non fortified wine was that the English discovered towards the end of the 1700s, which how- ever they changed, adding alco- hol and grape must to transform it into the Marsala we know today. This is how my father's chal- lenge to the industry began, allowing him to reveal to the world what he considered to be the real wine of Marsala. He then started to make Marsala in 1986. Our wines are produced with our own grapes, which we culti- vate with attention and care. Low yields, rigorously by-hand har- vests and biological agriculture have always been the founda- tions of our production. We use only natural indigenous yeasts for the fermentation: small fun- damental things to obtain high quality and natural wines, with- out additives. How is your Marsala con- nected to Sicily and how was your family able to take it back to its origins? With our Marsala we promote a different philosophy from that generally applied to the produc- tion of this wine. Above all, we think of it as a drinking wine and, consequently, we place importance on its origins, on the vineyard and the quality of viti- culture. This going back to the origins of Marsala, a process begun by our father that we, his children, continue to carry forward with great commitment, means to pro- duce a wine that expresses and carries within all the characteris- tics of our territory - made of limestone soil and of a sunny, dry climate - but, above all, of the Grillo, the vine we use to produce our Marsala. We use it in all of its purity, with the knowledge that it is the only vine able to give our wines longevity, great freshness and natural alco- holic content, all essential com- ponents to us. This is why we produce exclusively Marsala Oro and Riserva, amongst the various (too many) types present in the industry. Adding only a simple mixture of fresh grape must and alcohol (known as mistella), we obtain an incredibly natural wine not "contaminated" by blended prod- ucts such as cooked must and . The production of Riserva wines is essential to us, because the special quality of this wine lies in the fact its value and taste become richer through time. The oxidation of Marsala is a particu- lar and essential characteristic, and can be obtained through long periods of ageing. For us, it makes no sense to produce a Marsala which has not been aged for at least five years. The Grillo vines for the pro- duction of our Marsala are in the most sun exposed part of our vineyard and they are all older plants, which means we can have a higher concentration of sugars and, consequently, more natural alcohol. The harvest is strictly by hand, with a precise selection of grape bunches, and occurs in mid September, in the first hours of the morning, when the tempera- ture is cooler. Grapes are placed in small boxes, so as not to be ruined or bruised, and are imme- diately taken to cellars. The extreme care taken in the cultiva- tion of our vines during the year and during the harvest is essen- tial to obtain an excellent prod- uct. Even today, the production of Marsala is in the hands of an industry more interested in mak- ing commercial products, quick and easy to make. However time, hard work and money are necessary to reach excellence, all things big industrial productions cannot afford. Marsala, Italy's most beloved fortified wine LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE Good Marsala should be produced only with organic, hand picked grapes and should be aged a minimum of 5 years

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