There doesn't seem to be a moment of rest and peace for wine. Apparently, the complicated period we are all experiencing – especially production activities, including those about wine – was not enough and legislators are trying to modify, not least, overturn, the concept and original definition of wine. The legislators of the European Union, in fact, seem to be particularly interested in the wine production sector, specifically, in the effects that this has, or could have, on health. It is news these days – and that has created quite a reaction from both producers and consumers – regarding the proposal of allowing the practice of dealcoholization of wine, that is, to lower its alcohol by volume. The practice of wine dealcoholization – that is, removing part of the alcohol produced by fermentation – is already allowed in other countries of the world and the result has already been available for years in those markets and, apparently, with a quite good response from consumers.

 The spreading of this news – needless to say – caused an ocean wave of words, all to point out indignation at the alleged production of watered-down wine. I want to clearly say the possibility of allowing the production of dealcoholised wine is not something that personally excites me, the thing that baffles me is the reaction this news has caused, underlining – at least – the lack of competence with which the fuss has risen. It must be said, in fact, that dealcoholization is not carried out by adding water – indeed, water is not used at all in this process – rather it is obtained mainly by reverse osmosis or evaporation by creating a vacuum. Therefore, dilution with water – the much evoked and horrifying watering down of wine – has nothing to do with the dealcoholization process. These are techniques used for decades for the removal of alcohol from liquids, some of them patented even over a century ago.

 The dealcoholization of wine, however, is a practice allowed in many countries of the world and – it seems – there is an important market made up of consumers who, for many reasons, do not want to drink alcohol. It should be noted, for example, the practice of dealcoholization is a consolidated practice, for years now, used for beer and it has become, over time, an accepted product even at a mass cultural level. In Italy, as well as in France, the possibility of dealcoholised wine production is seen as outrageous because of the millenary winemaking tradition that undeniably characterizes the two countries. Many have welcomed this news with the deepest indignation, a direct attack, not only to the immutable winemaking tradition and, you know, in Italy when you “touch” the tradition are unleashed the bloodiest wars under the banner of everything is immutable, nothing must change, although everything changes, it has already changed and inevitably changes.

 Many argue, in fact, the introduction on the market of this so-called “dealcoholised wine”, could cause an economic loss to the wine market, the one having alcohol, the real one, indisputably, undeniably, immutably and without a doubt the only one having the full right to be called “wine”. I do not believe, frankly speaking, dealcoholised wine can affect the sales of the real wine. Those who do not drink wine because of the fact it contains alcohol – regardless of the reason they do not want or cannot drink alcohol – do not buy or drink wine already. In my opinion, dealcoholised wine – just like “non-alcoholic” beer – would satisfy a market different from that of real wine, made up of consumers who, in any case, would not buy wine. Likewise, wine consumers – of the real and authentic one – would not be interested in dealcoholised wine as well. They are two different products with different markets and consumers.

 I'm speaking, of course, according to my personal point of view. I, without a shadow of a doubt, would not be interested in the consumption of dealcoholised wine exactly like I have never bought non-alcoholic beer in my life. And if the possibility of producing and marketing dealcoholised wine is to be confirmed, I would undoubtedly be among those not interested in this product, therefore, I would not buy it. That said, it would seem that my interest in wine depends exclusively on the presence of alcohol and that – for me – wine means consuming alcohol. Of course, I strongly reject this supposition because it is not like this in any way and, personally speaking, I neither agree nor commit the abuse of alcohol, a deplorable and reprehensible habit which does not belong to me and which certainly does not distinguish those who love wine. Those who drink wine because they are interested in alcohol, do not obviously pay attention to its quality – a wine is as good as another, as long as there is alcohol, the more it has, the better – something I would not do because, to me, quality in wine is everything. Quality is what primarily defines a wine and its pleasure. And wine is not only alcohol, although it is also and obviously alcohol.

 If we then consider the sensorial aspect of wine, alcohol is a fundamental and indispensable element, it is very important for the gustatory balance, taste and, no less important, for the perception and development of aromas. Of course, it can also become a negative sensorial element when it is present in high quantities and, in that case, it may become unpleasing if not properly balanced. What would the olfactory profile of a dealcoholised wine be? Certainly very different. Some aromas would no longer be perceived or however attenuated – because of the absence of the volatile vector of ethyl alcohol – while others would become more evident, because of the attenuation of others. Furthermore, from a gustatory point of view, alcohol contributes to the roundness of the wine, a fundamental element for the balance of both acidity and astringency. With the elimination of alcohol, therefore, this balance would no longer be created – which should therefore be obtained in different ways – and the olfactory and gustatory expressions would inevitably be different. It is not wine anymore.

 I am not questioning the fact a similar drink derived from wine cannot be pleasing: it will surely meet the favor of certain consumers. Certainly pleasing and very successful but, undeniably, it is not wine anymore. If the reason for this choice – as some argue – is aimed at fighting the abuse of alcohol, anyone wishing to abuse alcohol has endless alternatives to wine and certainly much more “effective” than it. If the dealcoholization of wine really aims to contrast the serious and certainly deplorable habit of alcohol abuse, I expect, for example, similar measures in favor of the possibility of producing dealcoholised spirits. Finally, if they want to favor the creation of a new market, with a product appreciated by certain consumers and which could increase the profits of wineries, therefore having the possibility of a new market in addition to the usual one, go ahead but, please, do not call it wine because it is not wine at all.

 Emilia-Romagna and Sicily. Two regions that are very different in every aspect, especially from the climatic, viticultural and wine making points of view. Even the respective traditions and enological histories are distant and different, the vineyards are colored with grapes and varieties typical and identifying in the respective regions, the wines are historically and traditionally produced in different styles. In Emilia-Romagna, in fact, the enological history – which is common to all areas of the very large Po Valley – is characterized by a wealth of stingy and alive wines, therefore sparkling, a tradition that is still common today in the whole region. In Emilia-Romagna, of course, are produced not only sparkling wines and today these joyful wines – the family of magnificent Lambrusco grapes above all – are richly supported by the production of dry and still wines of equal fame and quality.

 Sicily, of course, is no less in terms of enological tradition and history. The climate and the enological culture of the largest Italian island has however led to the birth of wines very different from those of Emilia-Romagna: here the story mainly speaks about wines from dried grapes and oxidative wines, Marsala above all. In Sicily, of course, there has never been a lack of dry table wines, a production characteristic that is still fundamental and significant for the region today. In this regard, it should be noted that a very important experimental movement took place in Sicily with the aim of studying and identifying the viticultural and enological potential of many varieties in its territory, including the so-called international grapes. In Sicily, in fact, the cultivation of international varieties is nowadays as common as the cultivation of the many native grapes, often blended to local varieties in the production of wines as well as used alone.

 Although viticulture and wine production in the Piacenza area has ancient origins, the history of Gutturnio wine – the most famous and celebrated one of these lands – has a relatively recent history. There are many historical proofs telling about of the presence of the vine in the territory of Piacenza and dating back to the times of the ancient Romans, there are many documents and proofs about the quality of the wines of this territory and, last but not least, also appreciated in other areas of the Roman Empire. In any case, these wines were completely different from those produced today and which are identified with the name Gutturnio, both for production methods and for the grapes used. Gutturnio takes its name from a jug in use in ancient Rome – the gutturnium – made of silver and with a volume of about two liters. This jug was used at the end of a banquet and passed among the diners, who drank in turn from the same gutturnium as a sign of friendship and fraternity. This jug has become inextricably linked with the Piacenza wine after the discovery of a gutturnium during the excavations of the ancient Roman village Veleia around the end of the 1800s.

 It was around the end of the 1930s that it was decided to call the wine of Piacenza with the name of the Roman libation jug. The history of the grapes used for the production of Gutturnio is also relatively recent. The famous wine of Piacenza is produced with Barbera – 55 to 70% – and the remaining part of Croatina, the latter locally called Bonarda, according to the custom of the western Po Valley, and has no connection with the true and homonymous Piedmontese variety. The cultivation of these two grapes in the Piacenza area is quite recent and they have assumed primary importance only after the reconstruction of the vineyards following the devastation caused by phylloxera. Specifically, Barbera was introduced in these lands in the mid-1800s, while Croatina at the beginning of the 1900s, becoming common and spread starting from the 1930s. According to the production disciplinary, Gutturnio is produced in the frizzante (sparkling), superiore, classico superiore, riserva and classico riserva styles. For our tasting, we will examine Gutturnio Classico Superiore.

 Sicily has a remarkable ampelographic richness, made of both native and international varieties, the latter introduced on the island following the experimentation that took place in Sicily with the aim of identifying the most promising and profitable grapes in enological terms. The result of this activity has been the vast spreading of many international varieties throughout the territory of Sicily, also introducing in the island varieties, so to speak, that could be seen as unsuitable for this territory – such as Pinot Noir, Müller Thurgau and Sauvignon Blanc – and which here gave origin to interesting wine making interpretations. This also included, of course, Merlot and which today is among the main international red berried varieties mainly cultivated in Sicily, together with Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The expression of these varieties in Sicily is – all too obvious – strongly affected by the typical climate of the island, producing interpretations that are, not only very distant from their lands of origin, but also from the rest of Italy.

 The spreading of international varieties in Sicily has been huge and involved the entire wine production of the island, in some respects, even to completely change it when compared to the past, not only blended to the typical indigenous varieties but also permitted in many DOC production disciplinary of Sicily. The success of international varieties in Sicily is however undeniable and the wines produced here with these grapes prove the good adaptation to this land even with an interesting personality. The climate of course plays a fundamental role, in particular the high temperatures that cause the accentuation of certain “round” characteristics of the wines, a quality which is evident, in particular, in those produced with Merlot and Chardonnay. The famous Bordeaux red grape, among the many international varieties cultivated in Sicily, is the variety we will examine in this tasting, putting it in contrast with Gutturnio.

The color of Gutturnio Classico Superiore

 Before pouring the wines of this month's tasting by contrast, let's proceed with the choice of the bottles we will examine. For both wines, the respective production disciplinary – both Gutturnio Classico Superiore and Sicilia Merlot are recognized as Denomazione d'Origine Controllata (Denomination of Controlled Origin, DOC) – provides for the possible aging in wooden containers. Our choice will be oriented towards wines produced exclusively using inert containers, in particular the stainless steel tank. As for the composition, we will choose a Gutturnio Classico Superiore produced with the maximum allowed quantity of Barbera, therefore 70%, and the remaining Croatina, as these are the only two grapes legally allowed for the production of the wine of Piacenza. As for Sicilia Merlot, we will make sure it is produced exclusively with this grape, while noting that – as this is something usually happening – the disciplinary provides, for mono varietal wines, the minimum use of 85% of the grapes declared in label. Both wines belong to the most recent vintages and served in tasting glasses at a temperature of 18 °C. (65 °F)

 Let's pour Gutturnio Classico Superiore and Sicilia Merlot into their respective tasting glasses and begin the evaluation of the appearance of the two wines, starting with the one from Piacenza. We tilt the glass over a white surface – a sheet of paper is enough – and observe the base, where the thickness of the wine is greater. We can observe a brilliant and intense ruby red color and, by placing a contrasting object between the glass and the white surface, we can detect a moderate transparency. Let's now observe the nuances of Gutturnio Classico Superiore, let's then focus our attention towards the opening of the glass, where the thickness of the wine is thinner. In the wine of Piacenza we can see an intense ruby red nuance, therefore confirming the base color. Let's move on to the observation of Sicilia Merlot and, by tilting the glass over the white surface, let's evaluate the color at the base. The color of the Sicilian wine is intense ruby red and, in general, darker than Gutturnio Classico Superiore. Transparency, after having placed a contrasting object under the glass, is moderate and generally lower than the wine of Piacenza. The nuance of the Sicilia Merlot, observed towards the opening of the glass, confirms the ruby red color.

 Barbera, Coratina and Merlot. Three different grapes in every respect, from the viticultural one to the respective sensorial qualities. Moreover, if we add to this the influence of the territory and, no less important, the interpretation of those who make wine, the distance is further accentuated. Barbera and Croatina – this last known in the western Po Valley as Bonarda and not to be confused with the real Piedmontese Bonarda – makes wines which are often characterized by aromas reminiscent of red pulp fruits, in particular cherry, raspberry, strawberry, often combined with blueberry, blackberry and plum. Among the most frequent floral recognitions, in Gutturnio Classico Superiore we perceive violet and rose. The olfactory profile of wines produced with Merlot – the famous red berried grape of Bordeaux – have a very different olfactory profile, which are mainly characterized by aromas of dark pulp fruits, especially black currant, black cherry and plum, a characteristic also found in Sicilia Merlot. Among the aromas reminiscent of flowers, in this wine is usually perceived violet and, frequently, peony as well.

 Let's resume the tasting by contrast of this month and proceed with the evaluation of the olfactory profiles of the two wines, starting, as in the previous phase, with Gutturnio Classico Superiore. Let's hold the glass in vertical position and, without swirling, let's proceed with the first smell in order to examine its opening, that is the identifying aromas of the wine. From the glass are perceived, intense and clean, aromas of cherry, raspberry, plum and strawberry to which follow the elegant scent of violet. Let's swirl the glass – an operation favoring the oxygenation of the wine, therefore the development of the other olfactory qualities – and let's proceed with the second smell. From the glass we can now perceive aromas of blackberry and blueberry, frequently followed by the scent of rose. Let's now move on to the olfactory evaluation of Sicilia Merlot and, by keeping the glass in vertical position and without swirling, let's evaluate its opening. The Sicilian wine is characterized by aromas of black currant, black cherry and plum followed by violet. After having swirled the glass, Sicilia Merlot completes its olfactory profile with blueberry, peony and, sometimes, carob.

 Let's now pass to the gustatory evaluation of the two wines, first examining Gutturnio Classico Superiore. The first evaluation we will carry out in this wine is about its attack, that is the primary sensations perceived in the mouth and, in some respects, capable of defining the “personality and character” of a wine. Let's take a sip of the wine of Piacenza: in the mouth we immediately perceive the moderate astringency of the tannins as well as the pleasing and typical crispness produced by the acidity of Barbera. The wine reaches its balance with both the proper effect of alcohol and Croatina, moreover, in the mouth we perceive – clean and intense – the flavors of cherry, raspberry, plum and strawberry. Let's now proceed with the evaluation of the attack of Sicilia Merlot, therefore let's take a sip of this wine. In the mouth we can immediately perceive the round character of Merlot – which is also combined with the effect of alcohol – reaching its balance with astringency, perceptible but definitely rounder than Gutturnio Classico Superiore. In the mouth we also perceive the flavors of black currant, black cherry and plum.

 Our tasting by contrast has reached the final evaluation of the sensations the wines leave in the mouth, in particular, the so-called taste-olfactory persistence, a primary factor in determining the quality of a wine. The first wine of which we examine the final sensations is, just like the previous phases, Gutturnio Classico Superiore. The finish of the wine of Piacenza is persistent, leaving in the mouth a pleasing sensation of crispness – of which Barbera is the main responsible – and pleasing flavors of cherry, raspberry and strawberry. The finish of Sicilia Merlot is completely different in the sensations left in the mouth. Its persistence is certainly good, and it is mainly perceived the round sensation of Merlot which tends to also round out the astringency, however perceptible. In the mouth we continue to perceive intense flavors of black currant, black cherry and plum. We conclude the tasting by doing a final olfactory and gustatory evaluation of both Gutturnio Classico Superiore and Sicilia Merlot: the two wines are very different and distant in every single sensorial quality.

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