Manaresi Agricoltura e Vini
Within a month of arriving in Bologna I attended a tasting inside Palazzo Isolani . It is now a sort of luxury shopping urban space with bars and art galleries. The building is best known for its sky high porticos that still have 3 arrows hanging from the ceiling.
When Bologna was still independent, the city had over 100 towers due to the extreme competition and rivalry of its families. The now beloved towers were essentially apocalypse style barricades protecting households from impending attacks from other families.
This is the story of the arrows: A mini-army came banging on the door of the Isolani family with intentions that obviously did not include negotiations. The lady of the household opened the massive doors completely naked. The men were so surprised that their arrows “misfired” right up into the air. Hence hitting the ceiling and remaining there to this day.
The tasting was my crash course in Pignoletto. Super bubbly Charmat prosecco copycats to refined Champenoise brioche bottlings. In addition, Methode Ancestral otherwise known as Pet-Nat is common as well. A highlight was a still 1996 Pignoletto.
Going through the tasting I saw this stand halfway up the stairs with a refreshingly simple design-forward label, Manaresi.
The winery grows and bottles a lightly frizzante Pignoletto under normal cork, a still Pignoletto Riserva, as well as a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon & Pignoletto.
For reds, a Merlot forward red blend and a super small production of barrique 100% Cabernet.
The Pignoletto duo are just super nice and modern representations that are perfect for an international tasting or menu, without giving up their distinct Pignoletto character. I am very fond of the Frizzante Pignoletto. It is just ever so lightly petillant and symbolizes what a frizzante wine should be for the wine drinkers that demand something clean and refined.
The reds definitely follow in line with modern practices. For that matter, the winery itself does. In what was once an animal shed is now a cement lined cellar with tall ceilings and steel tanks. They are known locally for hosting Jazz events in the vineyards. The modern design of the labels is actually inspired by the Patriarch of the family, a renowned modern artist.
If describing Jazz concerts and labels dedicated to wealthy forefathers leaves the wrong impression, than I have done a bad job at describing Manaresi. They are not some boutique effort for a family to dump money into. Rather, it is the concerted efforts of a husband and wife team to show Bologna and the world that Colli Bolognesi and Pignoletto can produce top tier wines.
One day on a drive through the hills behind Bologna, my friend was pointing out the wineries to the left and right. He off handedly mentioned Manaresi. Can we go? I asked. After having tried the wines in various tastings and dinners it was nice to be able to see the rather steep hillside these vines reside upon.
The owners seem super down to earth and genuine. When I showed up at the winery whom I assume is the wife was nice enough to show me around and give me some of her time when I clearly interrupted her from what seemed like important work from the inside of a tank. It is also her that I have seen at tastings explaining the wine and winery philosophy to both the snooty expert and first time Pignoletto drinker.
Manaresi Cabernet
After seeing all the stainless steel tanks she took us into this tiny cellar room past an old wine press. An unlit room revealed itself with less than two dozen barriques. These are for their small plots of Cabernet Sauvignon. Their limited planting undoubtedly gets an exorbitant amount of attention. Once I tried the 2013 it immediately revealed a deep concentration. At 14.5% and the lush dark berry fruit flavours it seems more like a parker Napa Cab. This exemplifies the potential of the terroir hiding in the Bolognese hills.
Originally published at http://aperitivoedition.wordpress.com on September 6, 2017.
