On January 12-13, I attended the VinNatur wine tasting which was curated by the Natural Winemakers Association and was open to both the public and to members of the trade.
The Association, which was founded in 2006, has 300 members from 12 countries. Their mission statement is “respect the soil, the environment and the natural cycle of life” by elimination the use of invasive and toxic agents in the grape growing and wine making process.
This was the first time I was aware of this organization and have never attended a tasting from them. Their mission statement says that they represent 12 countries, but this tasting was an all-Italian event (they did manage to squeeze in one table from Spain).
The tasting was held at an event space at 29 Norman Avenue in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
Natural/Biodynamic wines are a niche category that has been increasingly growing the past few years with all the major worldwide wine growing regions having their share of winemakers and growers adhering to the natural winemaking philosophy.
The tasting had a good representation in attendance from the various wine regions of Italy. I like to start a tasting with the sparkling wines and there were many Lambrusco to sample which is an underrated favorite of mine. There were also many Pet-Nat (petillant natural) wines on hand, and it looked like that every table had at least one version of it. It seems like that the ancient way of making fizzy, sparkling wine fits right in with the natural wine making ethos.
It was an interesting tasting with many of the winemakers on hand to passionately explain their wines. I was getting a lot of the barnyardy and cooked fruit notes that you often get on these low intervention wines.
Some of what I sample:
NV Casa Belfi (Veneto): Went through carbonic maceration, fizzy clear light purple, earthy red cherry nose, crisp light fruit with grippy tannins.
2018 Incontri Toscana Rosso (Tuscany): Opaque dark red, stinky, cooked fruit on the nose, chewy and smoky red fruit ending with firm, silky tannins.
2019 Gratavinum “Rocaforts” (Priorat): One of the few non Italian wines at the tasting, 100% Grenache, clear light brick, stone and red fruit on the nose, silky, moderate fruit with crushed stone notes on the finish.
2019 VNA Wine Pinot Nero Nº 6 (Lombardy): Clear medium brick, roasted nuts on the nose, chewy red licorice fruit with cooked fruit notes, nice balance on the finish.
2019 Terramante “Foglia Tonda” (Umbria): Clear light purple, grapey, stone notes on the nose, dusty red fruit ending with toasty tannis.
2020 Giovanni Sallemi “Russo”(Sicily): Clear medium purple, smoky tar on the nose, chewy black pepper fruit, tart finish.
2021 Timpe D’Arancio “Incocciato” (Sicily): Clear medium purple, sweet tar on the nose, tight and stinky with an earthy finish.
2021 Andrea Pilar Syrah (Umbria): Clear medium purple, tar on the nose with chewy, dusty fruit ending with earth notes on the silky tannins.
2021 Cantina de Malandrino “Malandrino” Rosso Volcano (Sicily): Clear light brick, tar and leather on the nose, cherry red tar fruit, silky tannins.
2021 Terramante “Pitch 15” (Umbria): Clear medium purple, tar and crushed red fruit on the nose, dusty red fruit ending with a mouthful of tannins.
2022 Torre alle Tolfe Cilegiolo (Tuscany): Made from the Cilegiolo grape variety, opaque dark red, closed nose of red leather and roast nuts, dusty fruit ending with firm tannins.
2022 Madonna dei Monti Barbera D’Asti (Piedmont): Opaque dark red, purple rim, roast meat and cigarette smoke on the nose, chewy, cooked fruit notes, firm tannins.
2023 Cantina del Frignano Rosato (Emilia Romagna): Fizzy clear light red, earthy red cherry nose with some earth notes on the fruit.
2023 Camillo Donati Lambrusco (Emilia Romagna): Fizzy light purple, crushed rocks on the nose, rosemary notes on the moderate finish, crisp and drinkable.
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