“I think you've got
to keep it simple, keep it fresh. Stay away from all that processed stuff, read
the labels.”….. Emeril Lagasse
Learning
languages – even a few words from different tongues – staves off brain aging.
If you’re 21, you probably don’t care. But if you’re 50, you should – so here’s
today’s word to learn: APPASSIMENTO. It’s Italian and it appears on some wine
labels.
When
you see that word on a wine label, expect a full-bodied wine. It
means the grapes have been dried (traditionally) on bamboo or straw mats for
several weeks or even months. This process (Appassimento) concentrates the
sugars and flavors (relax – it doesn’t mean the wine is sweet unless you see the word “Passito” on the
label). With all that loss of water
inside the grapes, being dried, the grapes
become raisinated and that concentrates flavor.
The famous Amarone della Valpolicella is always
Appassimento. It is delicious, but expensive (labor intensive & costly to
produce as it takes many more dried grapes to produce a wine). There is also
what people call “Baby Amarone”, correctly known as Valpolicella Ripasso. These
wines still use raisinated grapes but the pomace (leftover grape skins) is used
for the second fermentation. Given restaurant markups, this is the wine I look
for in Italian restaurants. Good and not as expensive as a true Amarone.
Many Italian producers employ the Appassimento
method throughout Italy. It is not limited by grape varietal. It is not restricted to the Valpolicella
region within Veneto. While Amarone (the
most famous example) is from Veneto and always uses the Corvina and Rondinella
grapes, this Massaro Del Fondo is from
Puglia (far to the south of Veneto in Italy; an area better known for its
Negroamaro and Primitivo (think Zinfandel) grapes. In fact, this Massaro Del
Fondo is made from Primitivo grapes.
But today, we’re talking not so much about wine
or even producers as we are about words on the label. The process is the point.
And the point is that you want wines (even if you don’t know that you do) made
via Appassimento. This bottle, with a ridiculous ARP of $18, will reward with
deep, deep layers of plum and ripe red fruit and delicate spicy scents; no
heat, easy to enjoy.
Why so much assurance? Appassimento! Learn the
word.
For information on Amarone itself, see my blog page at https://www.winemizer.net/2013/05/amarone-della-valpolicella.html?fbclid=IwAR2XDi629pVieFznocTGCfs64dubsmfawlZkO0q3YqpaBxqteTOFeN0KsEw
For information on another wine from Veneto made via the same
method but from different grapes and not an Amarone, see
In fairness to chef Lagasse,
his quote relates to food, not wine, though the two work hand-in-hand as your right
and your left. Read these posts and I
guarantee you’ll never be confused again by a similar label from Italy and
you’ll be able to order these wines as appropriate and with confidence in restaurants.
Salute!
……………… Jim
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