Noble meditations: “muffati” wines

Tasting wine by finding the best pairing with food multiplies the satisfaction and makes the tasting experience richer and more complete, there is no doubt. However, there are cases in which the drink is expressed to the maximum without any combination. This is the case of the so-called “meditation wines“. The definition embraces a set of wines with great complexity, which can derive from different motivations. A significant alcohol content, for example, perhaps due to the processing of overripe grapes, or the addition of alcohol, as in the case of fortified wines. It is this complexity that suggests a “solitary” drink, precisely because the range of aromas is so wide as to require full concentration for drinking, and so intense as to “support” the gustatory experience for the entire duration.

Generally when we talk about meditation wines the first thought goes to “passito” wines. So intense, structured and important from the point of view of alcohol content that it represents the perfect example. The circle, however, is much wider. I like to consider long-aging wines as “meditation” wines, such as a classic Brunello with some luster on its shoulders, or some particularly important macerate wines. The latter are white, processed using the skins as is done with reds. The technique determines a certain chewiness of the wine, a more substantial pulp, and a tannic texture capable of carrying the evolution much further, thus increasing the final complexity of what are called “orange wines”.

A type of meditation wines that I am particularly in love with are the very special “muffati”. These are wines that come from grapes attacked by a disease called Botrytis Cinerea. The fungus that causes this problem, in very particular climatic conditions, develops on the skin, forming a felt that causes drying by evaporation and consequently the concentration of various substances. Furthermore, the mold produces glycerin and gives very particular scents. It is gray mold that expresses itself in the rare variant of noble mold, and what generally represents a big problem is transformed into a unique added value for the wine. The conditions under which this occurs are truly special. A hot and dry climate, alternating with situations of humidity which favor a limited proliferation of the fungus. This is first the case in the Graves area, south of Bordeaux, where the most famous of the “muffati”, Sauternes, is born. Other examples of well-known botrytis are the German and Austrian Trockenbeerenauslese and the Hungarian Tokaji.

There are also examples of botrytised wines from other areas. In Italy, for example, Lake Bolsena presents ideal climatic conditions for noble rot. And then there is a truly unique one. It was born in the Collio Goriziano, on the border with Slovenia, by one of the greatest producers ever: Josko Gravner. His “muffato” is called 8’9’10 and comes from botrytised Ribolla grapes, coming from three different harvests: 2008, 2009 and 2010. It is fermented in underground amphorae, with the must in contact with skins and stems, and refined in small barrels for 48 months.

The sensorial impact is so intense that it leaves you disoriented. It has the color of amber and its ability to reflect light is something immense, almost as if it wants to illuminate the room where it is tasted. The nose is impetuous and returns richer sensations such as dehydrated apricot, honey, figs, and other weaker ones such as hay and nougat. Then there is saffron, the most typical of the scents that arise from molds. It arrives slowly, mixes with the others and then stands out with all its strength, before diving back into the range of scents of 8’9’10. In the mouth the wine displays a splendid tension between softness and hardness. On the one hand the glycerine richness and intensity of dehydrated fruit, on the other the surprising freshness and a fine, elegant, deep flavor. The extension is powerful, the duration of persistence in the mouth mixes with that of permanence in the heart and memory, making it an infinite and timeless wine.

Its broad shoulders make it suitable for important cheeses as well as the noblest chocolates. But my advice is to carve out an exclusive space and time dedicated just to him. To match it with the passing of minutes, the changing light and the flow of your thoughts. Because yes, this is a great meditation wine.

 

Graziano Nani

Over 15 years in communication, today Graziano Nani is Branded Content Lead in Chora, where he deals with podcasts. AIS Sommelier, he writes for Intravino and curates @HellOfaWine on Instagram. He teaches wine communication at the Catholic University. He deals with the same topic in the podcast “La Retrolabel”, of which he is co-author, and with speeches at dedicated events.