Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
little-studied local grape but distinct from all
the other
Monica
accessions, so one cannot con-
clude that Manzesu is a synonym of all
Moni-
ca
s, but rather a synonym of that one specifi c
Monica
variety. Another
Monica,
from the Man-
drolisai part of Sardinia, was found to be syn-
onymous with Nieddu Mannu, Medrulinu
(another very rare local grape), and Falso Man-
zesu (no surprise: this being Italy, it was almost
certain that there would be yet another appar-
ently distinct but similarly named Manzesu
grape).
The grape that is usually regarded to be the
“real” Monica and that has been described in
the National Registry is usually characterized
by large leaves, loosely packed, large bunches
(average weight 450 grams) of various shapes
(conical, pyramidal, and even cylindrical) and
medium-sized, round, dark blue-black berries.
I point out that the large and almost always
loosely-packed bunch is highly typical of all the
Monica
s, and has likely contributed to more
than one ampelographic misidentification
throughout the centuries. Though there are
likely also many
Monica
biotypes (besides many
homonyms), there is only one offi cial clone of
Monica, developed by Consorzio Interprovin-
ciale per la Frutticoltura di Cagliari in 1993,
though the University of Sassari has selected
an abundance of virus-free plant material from
which to hopefully develop new clones. Monica
grows erect, so it's not hard on the back, hence
farmers love it; it's also very vigorous and a
dependable, abundant producer, ripening by
mid-September. The quality of its wine not-
withstanding, now you know why it's the third
most-planted variety on Sardinia.
Cagliari, where it can be 100 percent pure. The
former wine can be produced everywhere on
the island, the latter only in the townships of
Cagliari and Oristano, in different styles: dry,
fortifi ed dry, and fortifi ed
riserva.
Monica, a
gently tannic wine, is meant to be drunk young,
a simple, easy-drinking pleasure. It offers deli-
cate red-berry aromas and fl avors complicated
by fresh herbs and hints of tar and tobacco: it's
an excellent everyday table wine, much like a
fresh young Chianti, but needs to be the prod-
uct of low yields; otherwise the wine is neutral
and uninteresting. That it's a wine with some
potential is shown by the fact that a Cannonao
specialist such as Alberto Loi grows it in many
satellite estates of the main one in Cardedu.
wines to try:
Contini***, Dettori *** (Chim-
banta & Dettori), Argiolas** (Perdera), Cantina
Santadi** (Antigua), Ferruccio Deiana**
(Karel), Josto Puddu** (Torremora), and Can-
tina Trexenta* (Bingias).
Montepulciano
where it's found:
Abruzzo, Marche, Molise,
Lazio, Tuscany, Puglia, Umbria.
national reg-
istry code number:
150.
color:
red.
If I had a hundred dollars for every time in
the last thirty years I've had to explain that
Montepulciano is a grape while Vino Nobile di
Montepulciano a wine made with Sangiovese,
not Montepulciano, I really would be a wealthy
man. This confusion is a strange twist of fate
for a cultivar, Montepulciano, that is linked to
its territory in Abruzzo like few others in Italy.
Montepulciano is a beloved grape variety in
Italy, and its wines run the gamut from the
cheap and cheerful (and at times horrid) to the
extremely fl eshy and fruity and hopelessly
overoaked and undrinkable. So though gener-
ally a workhorse grape, Montepulciano has
thoroughbred potential: the problem is harness-
ing that potential and turning it into great wine.
The fi rst historical mention of Montepul-
ciano in Abruzzo is in the travel diary of
Michele Torcia, archivist of King Ferdinand IV,
Which Wines to Choose and Why
Monica is one of the most abundant varieties
on Sardinia, with almost three thousand hec-
tares planted (based on 2009 data). The Pala
estate has been growing it since the mid-1850s.
It's used as a blending grape along with Can-
nonao and both
Bovale
types in DOC Mandroli-
sai wines, or it's used to produce the DOC
wines Monica di Sardegna and Monica di
