Bread Bread, Wine tastings in the wine ... Tenuta Quvestra

Bread Bread, wine wine ... just to say that I have no doubt over the bread and wine that I tasted at Tenuta Quvestra. A farm of about twelve hectares located in Santa Maria della Versa, in the province of Pavia. Miriam's hand and Simone – young managers and sommeliers – in the bread preparation, and the wise guidance of the wine dear friend Mario Maffi - historical memory and wine Oltrepò Pavese - led me to think once again how nice to return to this land.

The truth is that far from the vineyards and friends can not stand ...

Yeah ... especially when it comes to re-live the quiet rolling hills covered with vineyards. Get together with friends over a glass of good wine, then, It makes these unique and special moments. È stato così anche questa volta, during a visit to this wine-growing company located in the heart of the Valle Versa, where the vine is cultivated in the surrounding environment. Six varieties: Pinot nero, Croatina, Chardonnay, Riesling Renano, Barbera and Merlot.

And as always, after walking in the vineyard, It goes to the cellar.

Yes ... because the grape is born in the vineyard and wine in the cellar. It's here, in this place rich in history and life, that is completed serious about wine knowledge. The vine, climate and land, are elements that the grower with wisdom and skill allows you to better express, especially in these years of apparent climate change. A path that once again I have lived by those who accompanied the wine produces and personalizes.

As the great Mario Soldati…

“Why, get serious knowledge of a wine does not mean, as perhaps you believe, to taste two or three sips, or even a bicchierotto. It means first of all, the precise location and delimitation where you tap the wine we want to know, get some basic geological information, geographical, historical, socio-economic. It means, then, go there, and be able to be led exactly in between those vineyards from which we get that wine. take walks, then, far and wide. And studying, in the meantime, the appearance of the landscape around, and the direction and the quality of the wind; spying on the hill time and the progress of the shadow; understand the shape of the clouds and the architecture of the farmhouses; even more, It means conversing with the person who presides over the vinification, owner, oenologist, factor… It means walking a long time even in the cellars, underground, or in sheds, between the cement tanks: scrutinize the connessure barrels, sniff the smell of wine that still ferments, detect the presence, sometimes disguised, of refrigerators or, worse, pastorizzanti. Finally tasting, in patient, Alternatively slow, or frequent intervals, compare one to the other flavors on the year.” From 'to wine Wine’

And so it taste, with poetry and respect, as usually I live wine.

After some tastings – but not too many – I stopped to argue with Mario on my misgivings concerning the evaluation of wines made by the tasters of wine guides. Let me explain ... I've always wondered how it is possible that the technical committees can enjoy tasting, and consequently evaluate, hundreds of wines – and sometimes over – without risking a sensory fatigue and a consequent addiction. Well, Mario thanks to its long experience, he could only confirm that my doubt, granting me that after tasting by about a dozen wines, It can 'only' exclude the presence of defects.

Be’, what to say ... maybe just personally I do not like to go more than a dozen tastings. For some, During this discussion, I pay special attention to a good Merlot intense bouquet and a ruby red color.

Because wine (per me) it's red, and red is done right health!

By the way ... back to bread, in addition to wine, there I said that during the various tastings Simone made me taste the 'his bread’ made from Parmesan crusts. One, you got it! Crusts softened in a soaking liquid which is used for bread dough. The idea came to retrieve the large amount of residual forms of cheese which regularly, at the events, avanzavano. Really good!