For wine producers, as well as for the lovers of the beverage of Bacchus, the object put at the top of bottle's neck and sealing it, with the purpose of keeping intact its precious content until the moment it will be poured on a glass, seems to be still today a crucial matter. A critical matter, cause of endless polemics as well as endless prejudices. Of course, we are talking about cork, that small cylinder traditionally made of the homonymous material that with its presence reassures consumers about the quality of wine, as if it were more important than the content of the bottle. It's no use denying this: despite many years have passed since the introduction of alternative closures, there is still today a strong prejudice about their use. And not only from consumers: even producers seem to be sensible to this subject, most of the times for traditional and cultural matters, as well as of proud, instead of technical reasons.

 There is one point in which we do agree on: cork closure certainly is more attracting and romantic than a cold cylinder made of synthetic material. Aesthetic and sentimental matters apart, we should also keep on mind cork closure however hides an insidious danger that - in a second - it is capable of destroying the magic of a moment: the annoying cork taint. This fault is produced by the Armillaria mellea fungus - a parasite of cork tree and in case it develops in a cork closure, it produces a chemical compound with the not reassuring name 2,4,6-trichloroanisole - TCA, in short - and responsible for the disgusting smell and taste. Industries involved in the production of cork closures try to limit the development of this fungus by adopting specific treatments, however its presence is hardly detectable and one realizes about its presence only when the “damage has been done” and it is then too late. A damage not to be taken lightly as the estimates of bottles damaged by cork taint is about 7%, with peaks of 15%.

 For the sake of truth, it should be said each one has his or her own sensitivity to the perception of trichloroanisole - and this is true for any other aroma - therefore it is likely the fault perceived by one person is completely unnoticed by others. Moreover, it should be said our olfactory system tends to get used to this smell in a relatively short time: at each smell in the glass the aroma will be less and less perceptible in function of the quantity present in the wine. Lesser the quantity, faster the sensation of its vanishing from the glass. Many solutions have been proposed to the problem, only few of them really working. All currently believe preventing cork taint is impossible. To tell the truth, the solutions have been proposed many years ago, but the appreciation of consumers and producers was not the best. The idea consists in simply replacing the cork closure with another one made of different material, not only of synthetic type.

 Many years have passed since the introduction of synthetic closures as an alternative to cork closure, introduction which was welcomed, in particular from consumers, with a negative appreciation. Wines which used them were considered as lesser wines, products of lesser quality which did not deserve the honor of natural cork closure. For many consumers the view of a closure made from a material different than cork, immediately disqualified the wine. Indeed, the synthetic cylindrical closure, similar to the ones made of cork, were not the first ones to be used in wine bottles. The screw cap, for example, was used by wineries many years before, used for one or two liters bottles and destined to a mass consumption for wines of mediocre and low quality. Maybe it is the memory of those wines, which were not certainly appreciated for their quality - produced by wineries oriented to quantity production only - if the view of closures made of synthetic materials still today evokes in many consumers the idea of bad wine.

 Not only synthetic closures, not only screw caps: in the past years have been proposed many alternative solutions to cork closures. From glass closures to synthetic closures with valves capable of allowing the passage of small quantity of air, today the possibilities of replacing the cork closure in bottles are really many. The analysis of the wine contained in bottles sealed with alternative closures, by means of tasting and reliable tests, have proven quality is not lesser than wines sealed with cork closures. Today many producers have made the choice of adopting the use of alternative closures even in their best and most celebrated products. The figures of some years ago suggested wines kept in bottles sealed with closures made from a material different than cork, had a “life” of about 18 months. After this period, the effects of the lack of exchange of oxygen would have inexorably brought the end of wine.

 Eighteen months are however a sufficient time for keeping all those wines destined to immediate consumption, that is not destined to the aging in bottle. In this case the consumer will be certain that, at the opening of the bottle, will not find the annoying cork taint. Some producers who make use of alternative closures since many years, however say this period is longer than 18 months: many say that after many years these wines are still drinkable and well kept. Despite of that, it is however undeniable alternative closures are not well accepted by consumers, although their acceptability has strongly improved in the last few years. Maybe it was because of information, or even by the fact it is the quality of wine - either good or bad - to tell the truth and it is more convincing than any closure or label. Quality cork closures, the ones usually used for wines to be aged in bottle, have a pretty high cost, not always justified in wines destined to an immediate consumption. Cork closure is charming and romantic - still today irreplaceable in certain cases - however, I have no doubt about this, a good synthetic closure is always better than a bad quality agglomerated cork closure.

 Sangiovese and Montepulciano are the main representative red berried grapes of central Italy. The two varieties are virtually present in every region of central Italy - Umbria, Marches, Abruzzo, Latium and Tuscany - both used for the production of countless red DOC and IGT wines. It should however be noticed that in two of these regions it is mainly found just one of the two varieties and almost the absence of the other. In Abruzzo is mainly cultivated the Montepulciano grape - as well as in the neighboring Molise - and Sangiovese is scarcely common; in Tuscany is found the exact opposite condition, with vineyards mainly cultivated with Sangiovese. It is not in fact by chance Montepulciano is mainly associated to Abruzzo as well as Sangiovese to Tuscany, a condition shared - not to be forgotten - with the neighboring Emilia Romagna. Different grapes, Sangiovese and Montepulciano produce quite different wines and not only for reasons associated to the territory.

 Sangiovese directly brings to the mind the red wines for which it is famous Tuscan enology: Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. In Tuscany Sangiovese is found - alone or blended with other varieties - in most of the red wines produced in the region, including the renowned Morellino di Scansano, name with which it is called Sangiovese grape in the famous town of Maremma. Grape of ancient origins, Sangiovese is among the most common and cultivated varieties in Italy, it is believed it was already used at the times of Etruscans for the production of wines. Sangiovese - like already said - is mainly cultivated in the regions of central Italy, however its presence is also found in Lombardy, Veneto, Sicily, Liguria, Sardinia, Molise, Campania, Apulia and Calabria. Emigrants who left Italy in search of luck in the overseas lands and in Australia, brought with them Sangiovese plants therefore introducing the variety in their destination countries.

	The Sangiovese and Montepulciano of our comparative tasting

 Besides Italy, Sangiovese is today cultivated in Australia, California and Argentina, as well as in Corsica, here known with the name of Nielluccio. Variety not so rich in polyphenolic substances, Sangiovese makes wine with a pretty high transparency and an average-strong astringency, it is among the few red berried grapes to be noticed at the taste for the pleasing acidity of its wines. Versatile grape and of many interpretations, of Sangiovese are known two main families taking the name from the size of the berry: Sangiovese Piccolo (Small Sangiovese) - or simply Sangiovese - and Sangiovese Grosso (Big Sangiovese), the latter being famous for Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Two main varieties giving origin to tens of different biotypes: Sangiovese probably is the red berried grape to count the highest number of clones. In wine making Sangiovese is well suited both to the vinification in inert containers - such as steel and cement - as well as to the fermentation and aging in wood, from barrique to large cask.

 Montepulciano is one of the most common varieties of central Italy, however the highest spreading is found in Abruzzo and in Molise regions. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is now very famous, today considered - with merit - among the most renowned and representative wines of Italy. Even in Molise Montepulciano is virtually found in all the red wines of the region, representing the most significant variety. Montepulciano is widely known in Marches and it is found in the main Denominazione d'Origine Controllata (DOC) e Garantita (DOCG) wines of the region, in particular Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno. The revaluation of Montepulciano grape - a variety having no connection with the homonymous Tuscan town in province of Siena - represents one of the best wine successes in the last years, a process began from the Abruzzo region. In past times Montepulciano was mainly considered as a grape suited to be blended with other varieties, in order to give color and structure to other wines. With time and with facts, Montepulciano is today considered among the most important grapes of Italy.

 Wines produced with Montepulciano are characterized by a pretty good intensity of color and a transparency most of the times low. The content in polyphenols in Montepulciano gives its wines an evident astringency, a quality which can be also accentuated by the fermentation and aging in wood, a frequent practice for the wines produced with this grape. There however are good wines produced with the aging in inert containers, proving the good versatility of Montepulciano. With this grape are in fact produced wines with different characteristics and styles, from wines of medium structure to wines of robust body, also supported by an alcohol by volume which can be higher than 13.5%. Thanks to the good content in polyphenolic substances, wines produced with Montepulciano have a good longevity and can age in bottle for many years.

 Grapes different one from each other, Sangiovese and Montepulciano make wines having different styles, differences evident from the simple observation of their aspect in the glass. The first wine of our comparative tasting is Donatella Cinelli Colombini's Brunello di Montalcino Progetto Prime Donne, made from 100% Sangiovese and aged in cask for two years. The second wine is Masciarelli's Montepulciano d'Abruzzo S. Martino Rosso Marina Cvetic produced with 100% Montepulciano and aged for two years in barrique. In both cases, the wines are produced with 100% of the grape subject of our comparative tasting, in order to allow a better understanding of the respective qualities and characteristics. The wines are chosen in function of the vintage currently commercialized by respective producers, served at the temperature of 18°C (65°F) and poured in two ISO tasting glasses.

 The differences between Sangiovese and Montepulciano are diverse and evident beginning from what can be observed in the glass. The characteristic determining most of differences in the appearance clearly is the content in coloring substances. As opposed to Montepulciano, Sangiovese has a lower content in coloring substances, a characteristic expressed in its wines with a higher transparency and paler nuances. Both wines show in youth intense and brilliant ruby red colors, sometimes with purple red nuances, although transparency - like already said - is lower in the ones produced with Montepulciano. Moreover, concentration of color and transparency are determined by viticultural factors: in vineyards of low yields, in both cases are obtained deeper colors and lower transparency than the norm. The aging in wood, by means of the slow process of oxidation, gives wines a deeper and more developed color, in particular nuances, where it is possible to watch a garnet red hue.

 Let's start the appearance analysis of our wines from Donatella Cinelli Colombini's Brunello di Montalcino Progetto Prime Donne. By keeping the glass tilted over a white surface - a white sheet of paper is enough - at the base can be observed an intense and brilliant ruby red. Transparency of this wine, evaluated by putting an object, or simply a finger, between the glass and the white surface, is not so low and allowing the recognition of the object's details. Let's now pass to the second wine of our comparative tasting: Masciarelli's Montepulciano d'Abruzzo S. Martino Rosso Marina Cvetic. Still keeping the glass tilted over a white surface, let's observe the base, in the point of higher thickness of the wine. Here it can be observed a deep ruby red color, more intense and deeper than the previous wine. Also nuances - observed at the edge, towards the opening of the glass - show an evident ruby red color. Transparency of Montepulciano is evidently low, clearly lower than the previous wine.

 Both Montepulciano and Sangiovese make wine with intense aromas recalling red and black berried fruits, as well as flowers. The opening of the two wines is however distinct and recognizable: if in Sangiovese it is black cherry, plum and violet to be mainly perceived, in Montepulciano can be mainly recognized plum, blackberry and black cherry. Fermentation and aging in wood of course give both grapes tertiary and complex qualities, including the inevitable aroma of vanilla, as well as tobacco, chocolate, cocoa and cinnamon. To these aromas, in wines produced with Sangiovese and Montepulciano aged in wood for some months, is frequently found the pleasing balsamic touch of menthol. With time and the aging in bottle, fruit aromas evolve in sensations recalling jams and flower aromas - violet and cyclamen in particular - developing the typical character of dried flowers.

 The first wine of which we will examine the olfactory profile is Donatella Cinelli Colombini's Brunello di Montalcino Progetto Prime Donne. By holding the glass in vertical position and without swirling, let's proceed with the first smell in order to appreciate opening aromas, that is the aromas of higher volatility. From the glass can be perceived aromas of plum, black cherry and violet, very common in Sangiovese. After having swirled the glass, let's proceed with the second smell which will complete the sequence of aromas with blackberry and blueberry, as well as more complex aromas of vanilla, chocolate, tobacco, licorice, mace and a pleasing balsamic touch of menthol. Let's now pass to the evaluation of Masciarelli's Montepulciano d'Abruzzo S. Martino Rosso Marina Cvetic. The opening of Montepulciano is characterized by plum, blackberry and black cherry, also in this case, very common. The second smell completes the olfactory profile of the wine with the aromas of violet, blueberry, vanilla, licorice, tobacco, chocolate, mace and a pleasing touch of pink pepper. To these aromas is then added leather and the balsamic touch of menthol.

 Differences between Sangiovese and Montepulciano continue to be perceived in the gustatory analysis. Sangiovese has a more crisp and acid character than Montepulciano, which usually is rounder - also because of the effects of alcohol - however keeping a perceivable sharpness. Thanks to the aging in wood, as well as the adoption of quality viticultural procedures with low yields, the two grapes are capable of making wines of remarkable body and structure. The aging in wood also gives roundness in both cases: whether in Sangiovese this procedure is useful in balancing the typical acidity of the grape, in Montepulciano it further accentuates roundness while smoothing, at the same time, the astringency of tannins. Grapes having a good content of sugar, wines produced with Sangiovese and Montepulciano frequently reach pretty high values of alcohol by volume, sometimes higher than 13.5%.

 Let's start the tasting from Donatella Cinelli Colombini's Brunello di Montalcino Progetto Prime Donne. The attack of this wine, that is the sensation perceived at the first sip, is characterized by a good astringency of tannins to which is added the fresh acidity of Sangiovese. These sensations reach balance thanks to alcohol and roundness given by the aging in cask, giving harmony to the wine. It should be noticed the correspondence to the nose, in particular the flavors of plum and black cherry. Let's now pass to Masciarelli's Montepulciano d'Abruzzo S. Martino Rosso Marina Cvetic. The attack of the second wine is more astringent than the previous one and, in this case, the sensation of acidity is evidently lower, however it can be appreciated a pleasing roundness. The sensations perceived at the attack are soon replaced by the burning effect of alcohol, bringing the wine in balance. Also in this case the correspondence is very good, in particular with the flavors of plum and blackberry. The structure of both wines is clearly robust, however in Montepulciano will be perceived a fuller body. Finally, let's compare the effects and differences between the aging in barrique and in cask in both wines.

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