A wine cellar is a collection of wine specifically put aside to mature in the bottle. Where you store it is a different conversation but is also a wine cellar. It is, therefore, possible to have a wine cellar with no wine in it. Or a wine cellar with nowhere to put it. When I … Read more
The hills of Barolo and Barbaresco resemble a fluffy doona freshly tossed onto a bed before being smoothed out. There are peaks and troughs, amphitheatres, ravines, steep gradients and flat lands. The face in every direction possible and if there is a piece of land without a road or a house on it, you can bet … Read more
Renato Ratti Barolo are some of the favourite wines I buy each year. And these are wines I buy for my cellar as well as recommend for yours. I’ve never had a bad Renato Ratti Barolo, but I have had plenty of great ones. The 1996 Marcenasco being chief among them. My attachment to this wine is akin to a good time with a friend: While I know there will be other good times, I wish I could just once, go back and experience that moment in time for the first time again.
See the range of Renato Ratti Wines
The Renato Ratti has quite a story. Born in 1934 he grew up and studied oenology in Alba. His next adventure saw him producing Vermouth and Sparkling Wine for Cinzano in Sao Paolo, Brazil. During his time in Brazil Renato planted the seed of his innovation. 1965 saw Renato return to Piedmont and buy a small plot in Marcenasco, La Morra. His base became the 14th Century Abbey of L’Annuziata. His oenologist nephew Massimo Martinelli joined him in 1969 to help craft the wines.
It is because of Renato Ratti’s work that we have Barolo and its wines as we know them today. Ratti and a handful of producers challenged the techniques of Barolo.
“They introduced the concept of shortening the length of maceration or skin contact to days instead of weeks. They also shortened the time the wines aged in wood to make the wines more fruity and elegant -less oxidized. This was a big change that was not accepted widely at first but today the market wants to be able to drink their wine when it is younger and so it has become more common practice.” Petro Ratti, 15 September 2012. Taken from this interview on tastingroom.com
“Ratti argued that the so-called traditional methods were an aberration, brought on by labour shortages during periods of war and economic crisis. The truly traditional, but labour-intensive, practice of breaking up the cap had been replaced by maintaining the cap submerged, often weighed down by stones, thus inevitably maximising tannin extraction, which in turn required long ageing in casks.” Stephen Brook Barolo, ancient and modern 2 February 2006 Decanter.com
[box]Today, the modernist vs traditionalist debate still rages. But the truth is many producers use techniques from both camps. Viticulture is significantly better. And a lot of traditional Barolo was oxidised, acetic, tannic, acid and undrinkable. We can be grateful that tradition has, for the most part, disappeared.[/box]
Renato Ratti also brought us the prototype for the vineyard classifications of Barolo. Many producers still refer to the Ratti map. Inspired by the Burgundian model. Ratti studied the terroir of Barolo and the history of the wines. He used his data to mark the distinguished sites of Barolo. The outcome has been single site wines of high quality for us Barolo lovers.
The Renato’s son Pietro is still making the wine wines that his Dad started. Massimo Martinelli is also still at the estate. And they are still some of the best in the region.
The vineyard holdings cover 35 hectares. The Renato Ratti Barolo sites include Marcenasco, Rocche dell’Annunziata, and Conca . They have holdings in Monferrato, Langhe, Barbera d’Alba, and Barbera d’Asti.
The Renato Ratti Barolo style is intensity and power. They pack in some alcohol and balance it with new French barriques. These are wines that don’t necessarily look their best young, but with age, the familiar tar n roses come back.
The wines from outside Barolo are far more approachable. Chief among them is the Ochetti Langhe Nebbiolo. From the sandy soils in Roero, it is aromatically gorgeous. And the best vintages dance across your palate with a lightness that makes you wonder if the same producer makes it. It is not at all like Barolo, but it is charming and mercifully drinkable from release.
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the noble varieties. And once you get a taste of Cabernet Sauvignon from a great producer, region, and vintage at the correct age, you’ll be transfixed. It grows in many wine places around the world; people know it and can, for the most part, pronounce it. I’ll use Cabernet and … Read more
What is an old Bordeaux? When you’re talking about the pointy end of quality, I mean Cru class from Left and Right Bank. I think they start looking old at about 15 years. Maybe 10 for a less good year like 2007 or even 20 years for a great year like 2005. It is when … Read more
Sustainable Wines is a buzzword in all forms of agriculture and probably culture in general. But in real terms, what does it mean for wine? In Australia, the major elements of Sustainable Wines are: organic, biodynamic and “natural”. Certification is available for organic and biodynamic viticulture and winemaking, but “natural” winemaking is very much an … Read more
European Wine Tour 2023 It was 2019 when I last traveled to Europe with customers. That was a funny one to think back on because it was before COVID-19 was known about. That trip was more intimate because a few guests had to pull out to due to acute illness and it was just me … Read more
I believe that Beaujolais is capable of being one of the great wines of France. There is a lot of average commercial wine that is often a wine lover’s first experience. And a lot of people don’t get over that initial taste of cordial labelled as wine. However, I am here to say it is … Read more
Bordeaux 2020 is a modern vintage. There were short periods of drought, excessive heat, thunderstorms, a bit of hail. Past vintages would be summed up by one of those traits, not having all of them in small patches. The wines from Bordeaux 2020 are good; some are spectacular. It would be fair to say that … Read more
The Wine Show on 96.5 Inner FM 16th August 2020 – LIVE every Sunday 9 am – 11 am (Melbourne, Australia) on Inner Fm. Still social distancing all the guests joined us via Zoom or the phone. This is one of my favourite shows of all time. The guests each bring an amazing amount of knowledge and … Read more
It can pretty boring sitting here at home, rooted to one spot, with not a lot to do. Imagine how grapevines feel! Some of them are seriously old vines too. In Australia, we have vines planted in the late 1800s. They’ve not been out of the vineyard that entire time! So today, let us appreciate … Read more
The Wine Show on 96.5 Inner FM 19th July 2020 – LIVE every Sunday 9am – 11am (Melbourne, Australia) on Inner Fm. Still social distancing all the guests joined us via Zoom or the phone. The Guests Christina Kaigg – Wine Scholar Guild Becky Centeno – Modus Operandi Brewing Michael Trembath – Trembath and Taylor Check … Read more
The Wine Show on 96.5 Inner FM 5th July 2020 – Talking Touriga. LIVE every Sunday 9am – 11am (Melbourne, Australia) on Inner Fm. Still social distancing all the guests joined us via Zoom or the phone. The Guests Talking Touriga Monique Smith Stanton and Killeen Simon Macmillian Tiges the winemaker Matt Broomhead 3 Dark Horses … Read more
The Wine Show on 96.5 Inner FM 12th January 2020. LIVE every Sunday 9am – 11am (Melbourne, Australia) on Inner Fm. We have two special guests in the studio for this show. Tillie Johnston from Tillie J Wines and Matt Aulich from Blood Moon Wines. Calling in: Greg Horner from Mt Bera Vineyards. Talking about how he rehabilitated … Read more
A podcast of The Wine Show on 96.5 Inner FM 29th September 2019. Listen live 9-11 am (Melbourne, Australia Time) each and every week. You can engage with the show via Facebook too. Guests The Wine Show on 96.5 Inner FM 29th September 2019 Benoit Droin from Jean-Paul et Benoit Droin Chablis – I visited in April … Read more
The Wine Show on 96.5 Inner FM 11th August 2019. Live, every Sunday 9am – 11am (Melbourne, Australia) on Inner Fm. It was my privilege to have Gary Mills from Jamsheed in the the co-host chair. Gary picked the music for us too. Gary was in the midst of a pozible campaign to help open … Read more
Untapped Potential The South West of France is a collection of regions that sit on the Atlantic coast; running from the the South of Bordeaux to the French-Spanish border. The 16,000 hectares yield a mixed bag of wines. But when you find those producers who are exciting, what you have found is some of the … Read more
There I was, talking about some of some of the World’s best Sparkling Wines and being subtly rebuked by Ed Carr, the creator of Arras, and Nick Bulleid MW. How did it come to this? I’ll tell you later. As a bit of background. I came to appreciate Sparkling wine later in my career. I … Read more
Why is it that the Rhone Valley is not as universally revered as Burgundy, Bordeaux or Champagne? That is a serious question, comment below to help me understand. I have been lucky enough to have drunk a good amount of mature Rhone Valley red wine from the North and the South over my years. But … Read more
Thursday was a cold Autumn day in Melbourne. Business as usual, but perfect for what was planned in the evening; showcasing the best Shiraz in Australia at a Rockford Basket Press Dinner. For my own enjoyment, I’ve been collecting Basket Press since at least 2000 vintage. But what do you do with seven or eight … Read more
The Wine Depository’s Australian Wine month tasting is one I look forward to every year. It is obvious you guys do too, as it is always the biggest event I host each year. I’m careful to choose a bigger venue and offer lot more wines than normal so we can share the joy of great, … Read more
Do you need a reason to get together with friends and drink old wine from your cellar? No way! But, you have to make it an occasion. Why? Because you’ve bought these wines, and then aged them for many years. You’ve thought about these wines, maybe even bragged about them. Now is the time for … Read more
You are probably a wine lover who wants to start a cellar but filling it seems like a daunting task. You might even be sipping a glass of wine and wondering in your head, “will this wine improve in the cellar?” (Or I bet you are now if you weren’t before!). Or you’ve tried some … Read more
The Good Wines November 2017. Drink as your wine guy does. At least until I get to know your palate. Then the 3 bottles per month are tailored to your palate. Weekday Wine Vino Intrepido Blood of My Blood Sangiovese Heathcote 2016 What happens when wine is made by a podcaster, traveller of the known … Read more