Natural Wines; La Stoppa
The sounds of late summer fill my yard and beyond, signaling the changing seasons, the approach of fall. It’s time to bring out a special wine. Few wines touch my heart quite like those of La Stoppa, Elena Pantelioni’s beautiful estate in Piacenza. I say “few” truly because Elena’s wines are like nothing I’ve tasted before. I said these exact words to her the first time I visited La Stoppa.
I took a sip of the Macchiona. “Elena…these are like nothing I’ve every tasted before.”
Silence. Prolonged silence in which I thought, oh crap, I’ve just gone and insulted this extraordinary woman.
Then: “That’s the greatest thing you could say about my wines.” And she smiled.
I’ve written about these wines many times, and I’m sure I will again, sounding the trumpet whenever I can. True, Elena Pantelioni is a friend, but she became a friend after I fell in love with her wines. Her vineyard, La Stoppa, is in Italy’s Emilia Romagna, and the all organic, unfiltered wines are made by winemaker, Giulio Armani. Since Jonathan Nossiter (of Mondo Vino fame) just made a movie featuring Elena and Giulio, you can look for her wines to come more into the pubic eye. It’s good for her, so I can’t get upset even when the wines are heavily allocated and prices rise. Those who’ve been on my trips to meet her, will not find her one bit changed by her current “movie star status.” She’s the same natural and humble farmer who loves the land and loves what she does. I hope, like me, you’ll fall in love with Elena and La Stoppa; it’s the whole package that enamors one. The wines are unique and hard to categorize (unless “yummy” and “outstanding” count as categories.) “You Anglo-Saxons give everything a name,” Elena says. “Italians are not like this. We do not put anything in a box.” For an intro into the wonders of La Stoppa, try:
Barbera della Stoppa, 2007 – Barrel and bottle aging creates wines of complexity and dept. Rich, with the hallmark cherry fruit of Barbera but also the unique Emilian terroir indigenous to La Stoppa.
Macchiona 2007 – This 50/ 50 old-vine Bonardo/Macchiona blend is rich with fruit like the Barbera, but also layered with earth notes. It’s velvety and complex.
Cuvée Buster 2000 – a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mouvèdre like you’d find in the Rhône, although these grapes are now no longer grown at the estate after Elena and Giulio opted for indigenous varieties. Yet, even with French varietals, it retains the special La Stoppa terroir. Like all La Stoppa wines, red, white and sweet alike, it will continue to age in the cellar, but at already fourteen years old, it’s drinking well now. Complex and smooth.
Trebbiolo 2012 – “No, this is not a blend of Nebbiolo and Trebbiano,” Elena patiently explains for the umpteenth time. It takes its name from the Trebbia River which meanders through the Colli Piacenza. It’s the old Gutturnio blend of Barbera and Bonardo. A similar blend as the Macchiona but, because it’s aged in stainless steel vats instead of oak, it’s lighter and fresher in style. More red raspberry, blackberry and cherry fruit. Less earth. A wine for everyday consumption.
Kay Pfaltz