What is ‘natural’ wine? By now you’ve likely either accepted one of several popular definitions or devised one of your own. Salcheto, an innovative winery based in Montepulciano, Tuscany, adds further dimension to the discussion.
As evidence, we submit this humble-yet-sophisticated Chianti, which is natural in a bunch of ways that aren’t immediately obvious (but delicious in a very obvious way). This is an absolute pure expression of place at a price that represents one of the greatest red values ever offered on SommSelect.
The basic premise of natural wine is to minimize inputs. This starts in the vineyard, with the elimination of chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. It continues in the winery, by eschewing any addition of enzymes or cultured yeasts to aid fermentation. Then there’s the hotly debated question as to whether or not to add sulfites for their antioxidant/antibacterial properties. The strict naturalist says no, and is also likely to avoid any new wood (or wood in general) during the aging process.
I mention this because there’s a popular notion of what a natural wine is supposed to taste like: rustic, funky, usually high acid, often rather raw and primary in its expression. None of this is bad, of course, it’s just not the profile of this Salcheto wine, which is clean and slick in a way that might lead some to think it’s un-natural. In fact, Salcheto’s vineyards are certified organic (they employ biodynamic practices as well), and owner Michele Manelli has put his money where his mouth is when it comes to sustainability: the winery itself is off the local electric “grid,” powered completely by solar and other renewable sources. Manelli also calculates (and publishes on the label) the carbon footprint of each bottle of wine he ships. The bottles themselves, meanwhile, have a unique design that isn’t just for show – they’re lighter in weight than most wine bottles to maximize efficiency for shipping.
Salcheto’s signature is Vino Nobile di Montepulciano – one of Tuscany’s “Big 3” Sangiovese-based reds – but, like most producers in this region, they also make a Chianti Colli Senesi. ‘Chianti’ is a broad territory covering most of central Tuscany, within which are a multitude of geographic sub-zones: Chianti Classico, referring to the hills between Florence and Siena, is the best known, but just to the south of the Classico are the Colli Senesi (Sienese Hills), which reach toward Montalcino to the southwest and Montepulciano to the southeast. Many producers of either Brunello di Montalcino or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano tend to also have vineyards in the Colli Senesi zone, enabling them to produce a Sangiovese wine that is livelier, lighter and less oak-influenced than their more ageworthy headliners.
Salcheto’s Colli Senesi is, like many wines of this under-appreciated appellation, a less adorned take on Sangiovese – here complemented by a traditional Tuscan supporting cast of Canaiolo (7%) and Mammolo (8%). What attracts me to Sangiovese is its unmistakable melding of sweet and savory, a mix of cherry fruit overlain with a meaty char and a hint of smoke, all of this expressed in a twangy, acidic power chord. It’s a more ‘masculine’ profile than Pinot Noir, but there’s a similar energy and lift.
To my mind, this is a wine with a textbook purity of varietal expression: spicy red currants, cherries, plenty of lively acid, and yet a plushness, and polish I don’t often come across in this category. Enjoy this bright and aromatic wine at just above cellar temperature in all purpose or Burgundy stems, and be sure to have at least a second bottle on hand, as it goes down quite easily! It’s in a weight class that gives it lots of versatility with food, from fuller-flavored fish like salmon to grilled chicken or pork. In fact,
here’s a great Porchetta recipe that doesn’t require an entire weekend to prepare. Enjoy!
