giovedì 8 maggio 2014

A wine deliberately downgraded: Menti brave wine producer!

I love natural and biodinamic wines. I love wines whose genuine people I met. So I have to speak about this one.
Menti winemakers started in '800 in the Gambellara village. From the grandfather, who started to grow grapes for himself, up to the son and grandson. The latter, Stefano, is such a genuine and nice guy that you would be enough satisfied to drink his wines just because of the good feeling you get staying with him.
On the top of that they makes great wines, from "durella" and "garganega" grapes, giving birth to white still dry wines, sparkling and some sweet ones (the traditional Vin Santo of Gambellara and the famous Recioto).
I am not going to write about their still white wines, neither of their sweet Vin Santo and Recioto. I am going to mention their sparkling one, 'cause I have a weakness for bubbles.
The "Omomorto" is a funny one. You know the meaning of it? It means "Deadman". I should ask Stefano why. It's 100% from the local variety of grape, "durella", grown in a volcanic area. Grapes are pressed and the juice produced is fermented using only natural yeast in autoclave. If you want to know more about it just visit their webpage, they are much more informed than me! Or just drink and experience it, even smarter!
What I would like to comment instead is their great motto and philosophy, which I totally support: "a wine deliberately downgraded". Facing difficult global economic situation, in order to cope with higher costs and keeping the will to offer their products at a reasonable price, the family decided to abandon the Gambellara Producers Association, in order to avoid the high costs due to the burocracy implied (for the certification of the harvest, the bottling and the sales processes), So they quit to produce DOC certified wines switching to simple "table wines". The company is made of Stefano's dad, now retired, Stefano himself and his mum, who is taking care of the accountancy side. They have been honest: "to keep a decent margin and in order not to upcharge consumer we have been obliged to cust some custs. In order not to compromise the quality we took the hard decision to cut all those costs related to the certification process required to become a D.O.C". After you met them, you know how much genuine this decision is and ... you admire them, because they have been BRAVE.
And you LOVE them, as much as you do with the nectars they produce.



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