January updates & producer highlight
Producer Highlight - Terre Sparse of Alto Piemonte
Winter is a great time of year for Nebbiolo-based wines and crisp Erbaluce, and Alto Piemonte is a great region for such wines. I'd like to share some info with you on an exciting up-and-coming winery, Terre Sparse di Matteo Trompetto of Canavese.
Terre Sparse is situated in the town of Chiaverano, in Northern Piedmont (Alto Piemonte). The Canavese region is a vast area situated between the city of Turin/Torino (the former capital of the Savoy kingdom) to the south and the start of the Val D’Aosta region to the north. Within this area lies a region that is geologically rich and diverse, called the Ivrea Morainic Amphitheatre (L’Anfiteatro Morenico d’Ivrea), one of the world's best preserved glacial formations. Terre Sparse is located within this area.
A tidbit on the region's geology and its impact on the wines:
The Ivrea Morainic Amphitheatre is a prehistoric formation where the hills were shaped by the erosion of a glacier that brought a huge quantity of debris from the Aosta Valley (Val d’Aosta) into the plain, giving the hills a horseshoe shape. These hills are thousands of years old. The soil here is a "moraine" - a loose combination of sand, stone, and pebbles.
The Canavese has a wider variety of minerals than almost any other glacial ampitheatre because it carved through multiple tectonic plates of the ALPS. Granite, mica-schist, gneiss, serpentine, and quartz galore!
Key influences on the wines:
-excellent drainage - Because the soil is so rocky and sandy, the soil drains very efficiently and forces the vines to dig deep (up to 10 meters) to find water and nutrients.
-These soils are "poor" - low in nitrogen and organic matter - ideal for viticulture, as it prevents the vines from becoming too vigorous.
-Canavese soils are decidedly acidic (as opposed to the more alkaline, limestone-rich soils of Southern Piedmont). This is a result of the weathered Alpine rock (mainly schist and granite) and the higher rainfall in the northern foothills.
This low pH contributes to the nervy tension and bright crystalline acidity common in wines like Erbaluce. The Magnesium-and-Potassium-rich soils is what winemakers believe contribute to the distinct saline/savory finish in the region's Nebbiolo.
Terre Sparse:
The winery was founded in 2001 by Matteo Trompetto, the winemaker, and his parents. Matteo, a younger, earnest, passionate winemaker, works with local varietals such as Erbaluce, Nebbiolo, Freisa, Barbera, and Uva Rara. He also makes apricot, raspberry, and blueberry jam from trees and bushes from his land, as well as antipasti and tomato sauces.
His wines are vibrant, precise, and balanced reflections of the unique terroir that makes up the Canavese region.
Cristiano Garella of Le Pianelle Winery, Alto Piemonte’s biggest advocate and de-facto ambassador, consults for Terre Sparse.
