At the Pandolfini auction house in Florence there was a tasting of the Trentino spumante Giulio, reserve of the Founder of the Ferrari company, seven vintages from 2007 to 1986, all bottles in magnum format. It was an event I conceived together with Francesco Tanzi, wine expert of the Pandolfini Auction House with the fundamental help of the Lunelli family. Ideas aren’t enough if there’s no one to help you make them happen.
Some time before, I had contacted Marcello Lunelli, a friend of the family that owns the Ferrari company who put me in touch with Matteo Lunelli, the company’s managing director, who was enthusiastic about this initiative.
Other times before the wine auctions, the Pandolfini auction house has organized tastings of red wines and champagne, but this was the first time that a tasting of Italian sparkling wines had been organised. It was obvious that it had to be done with bubbles, for me the absolute number one, in Italy.
Matteo puts me in touch with Ruben Laurentis, the Ferrari winemaker, a person I’ve known for many years who is immediately enthusiastic about this event. Following, after the tasting, there would have been a light lunch organized by the Enoteca Pinchiorri during which the Ferrari Perlé 2016, Trento doc and the Ferrari Perlé Rosé Riserva 2016 Trento doc would have been served.
April 27, 2022 is the pre-established date for this splendid tasting conducted by the oenologist Ruben Laurentis and myself. Public, about ninety people, enthusiasts, journalists also as possible buyers of wines from the auction that would follow.
Wine service by the excellent sommeliers of the Enoteca Pinchiorri, directed by the director of the Enoteca Pinchiorri, Alessandro Tomberli.
All the participants, myself included, were interested and excited because it’s not every day that one can have such a profound tasting over time with all bottles in magnum format, constantly stored at a temperature of 12 degrees in the Ferrari cellars.
Francesco Tanzi made an initial presentation of the event, of Ruben and of me. Ruben started talking about the company, the lands and the Giulio. The Ferrari company is located in Trento. Giulio is made only of Chardonnay grapes, coming from Maso Panizza, at an altitude between 500 and 600 meters east of Trento. It was Mauro Lunelli, the family oenologist who planted more than twelve hectares in Maso Panizza in the mid-sixties. The company was purchased in 1952 from the Lunelli family by Mr. Giulio Ferrari. Who negotiated the deal was Bruno Lunelli who was succeeded by his children Franco, Giorgio, Gino, Carla and Mauro and in turn their children took over. The first vintage of Giulio produced and marketed was 1972 by Mauro Lunelli who wanted to make a bubble that approached perfection.
But let’s go back to our tasting, obviously we started from the youngest bubble to get to the oldest and then: 2007, 2005, 2004, 2001, 1999, 1995 and 1986.
Normally with red wines we start from the oldest wine to the youngest because the young wine has more tannins in evidence which could compromise the evaluation of older wines.
In this case there was also a very specific why. Ruben specified that “Giulio” must have an “always” constant temperature of 12 degrees during his life and this cannot happen normally.
What are the restaurants and/or private cellars that can guarantee this temperature? Who can guarantee that during the transport of wine the temperature is 12 degrees. The beauty of this tasting is that Ruben made us feel like a 2007 wine matures, evolves and reaches, compatibly with the year of production, the olfactory and gustatory evolution of the older years. During the tasting, Ruben explained the climatic trend to us year after year and took us by the hand, making us understand how the Giulio evolves over time.
My contribution was to analyze each single vintage by finding an olfactory and gustatory common thread between one vintage and another.
I enjoyed sharing some experiences I had with the “Giulio”. I got to know this splendid spumante thanks to Varo Tagliafraschi, a historic, old-fashioned Florentine sales agent who had no problem sending a company he represented to hell if a client of his was wronged. We are talking about the end of the eighties, when I drank Giulio Ferrari for the first time and I was struck by it. Through Varo I was able to buy case after case, so much so that at one point he said to me: “Paolo, aren’t you by any chance selling the Giulio I’m supplying you with?” I told him not to worry because I believed in that product and when I believe in a product I love to consume it and give it to friends.
I then remembered when, always at the beginning of my meeting with “Giulio”, in tasting the 1979 I defined it Krug-like because the nose had hints of peanut butter and flint that reminded me of Krug champagne.
I remember when a few years ago I asked Marcello Lunelli if I could go to his company with some friends to do a handstand of Giulio. Marcello was happy and so were we. We arrived half an hour before the appointment, the reception person takes us for a drink and I, curious, see an open door of a tasting room and I look out and to my enormous amazement I feel an immense and pleasantly overwhelming smell of Coccoina glue .
I worry, and then I’ll explain why, because we should have had the tasting in a room contaminated by smells that would have disturbed our tasting. After a while Marcello arrived and with his usual cordiality and his smile asked me if we had had a good trip.
Given my concern, I immediately asked Marcello the reason for that strong smell of Coccoina glue (coconut and almond milk) and immediately Marcello would reply by telling me that the night before there had been a tasting of Giulio’s in that room and that the dirty glasses had been removed half an hour before our arrival. The hall was aired and then the “intruder” would leave.
This vertical was very important to me because I understood that a recurring perfume in Giulio is Coccoina glue, but not only that, another recurring perfume is juniper berry which I originally called shoe wax perfume in the metal package.
Lastly I recalled when about 15 years earlier I organised, at “Alla Corte del Vino” in Mercatale Val di Pesa at the Villa owned by Duccio, Corsini, a tasting of eight bubbles, seven champagnes and the Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore.
Among the champagnes there were vintage Krug and Salon and other less important champagnes but all vintage. Marcello who was present at the event told me that for the event he had specially disgorged the Giulio 1995. The bubbles were served blindfolded, everyone knew the wines that would be served but not the order of service. The Giulio was mistaken by all for a high-level champagne.
Once these pleasant memories were finished, we started the tasting. My tasting notes follow.
GIULIO FERRARI, vintage 2007
Harvest: between 1st and 6th September
Tirage : July 2008
Disgorgement: February 2019
Dosage : 2,5 gr/lt
Shiny golden yellow colour. The bubbles are fine and moderately numerous.
On the nose stand out aromas of juniper berry, coccoin glue (coconut and almond milk), pineapple, sweets from the outside of the sugared almond, slightly unripe rennet apple, star anise, fresh leather, the blond one, light zabaglione, slightly withered cyclamen , flint, helichrysum (licorice) to end with hints of coriander.
On the palate the bubbles are fine and caressing and the body is medium. Flavors of unripe rennet apple and light eggnog. Generous is the freshness that makes the wine well balanced and helps it in its long persistence.
(93/100)
GIULIO FERRARI, vintage 2005
Harvest: between 10 and 15 September
Tirage: July 2006
disgorgement: February 2017
Dosage: 3gr/lt
Wears bright gold. The bubbles are quite fine and quite numerous.
On the nose, the aromas of amber, juniper berry, flint, slightly unripe rennet apple, white pepper, pineapple, slight zabaglione and peanut butter stand out.
There are hints of Coccoina glue and blond leather.
On the palate the bubbles are fine and delicate. Sapid and mineral wine with medium body.
Slightly unripe rennet apple flavour.
Pleasant is the freshness that does not even minimally feel the alcoholic mass.
Its gustatory persistence is long with a finish of somewhat unripe rennet apple, lemon and yellow grapefruit.
(94/100)
GIULIO FERRARI, vintage 2004
harvest: between 20 and 25 September
Triage: June 2005
disgorgement: October 2015
Dosage: 2,5gr/lt
Golden yellow robe. The bubbles are fine and quite numerous. Perfumes of amber rise from the glass, sweets from the outside of the candy, white pepper, eggnog, hard lemon candy, Coccoina glue, grated lemon peel (bergamot), yeast yeast, ripe pineapple, juniper berry, rust , blond leather, warm starched cloth, to end with sighs of broken cyclamen stem.
On entry into the mouth you can enjoy quite fine bubbles and a medium body.
Well balanced wine, with freshness dominating the alcohol mass. Slightly sweet initial flavors, then lemon, rennet apple and lemon hard candy.
Its persistence is long with a slightly bitter finish reminiscent of yellow grapefruit.
(93/100)
GIULIO FERRARI, vintage 2001
harvest : between 20 and 23 September
Tirage : June 2002
disgorgement: July 2018
Dosage: 4 g/lt
Intense golden yellow coat. The bubbles are very fine and quite numerous.
Olfactory mix made of aromas reminiscent of hot bread just out of the oven, flint, intense Coccoina glue (coconut and almond milk), rennet apple a little unripe juniper berry, sweets from the outside of the sugared almond, pineapple, zabaglione, intense almond hard shell, cantuccini biscuits from Prato to end with pinches of coriander.
The oral cavity is caressed by fine bubbles.
The body is medium and the wine is savory and mineral.
The freshness is generous and not only makes the wine balanced but helps it in the length of its gustatory persistence. When the body thins out a bit, it is the freshness that helps it to have a long finish. In the finish it has flavors of rennet apple core, lemon and yellow grapefruit.
(93/100)
GIULIO FERRARI, vintage 1999
harvest: between 20 and 25 September
Tirage : June 2000
disgorgement: January 2016
Dosage: 4 g/lt
Golden yellow color, shiny with slight gray reflections.
The bubbles are very fine and quite numerous.
Rich and varied nose made of aromas of flint, juniper berry, sweets from the outside of the sugared almond, white pepper, amber, talcum powder, eggnog, green banana peel yeasts, Coccoina glue, green olives in brine, grated lemon peel , to finish with references of ripe jujube.
Palate pampered by fine bubbles.
Sapid and mineral wine, with medium body and flavors of lemon, lime and honey.
The freshness and minerality, very present, make the wine completely balanced. Its intense gustatory persistence is long with a pink grapefruit finish.
(95/100)
GIULIO FERRARI, vintage 1995
harvest : between 28 September and 5 October
Tirage : July 1996
disgorgement: February 2018
Dosage: 3 g/lt
Light golden yellow dress. The bubbles are quite fine and quite numerous. Extremely rich and varied nose. Intense aromas of juniper berries and melted butter, followed by dried banana, amber, blond leather, iodine, flint, hints of green banana peel, eggnog, pineapple, white pepper, hints of pickled green olives, grated lemon peel (Bergamot), chamomile to finish with the hard shell of the almond.
When tasted, the bubbles are fine and pleasant.
The body is medium and the pleasant freshness makes the wine completely balanced.
Long is its intense aromatic persistence with a finish of eggnog, lemon and juniper berry.
Very vertical wine that goes very deep. Wine still young !
With an empty glass, the scent of dried banana is felt on the nose.
(97/100)
GIULIO FERRARI, vintage 1986
harvest : between 15 and 20 September
Tirage : April 1987
disgorgement: May 2020
Dosage: 3 g/lt
Shiny golden yellow colour. The bubbles are very fine and quite numerous.
The olfactory stage is rich and varied with an intense initial, ripe banana scent, followed by notes of flint, toasted peanuts, sweets from the outside of the candy, ripe jujube, juniper berry, cotton starch, green olive brine, starch from the cotton fabric, hard almond shell, Coccoina glue, coriander, dried fig, dried date, helichrysum, lemon yeast and the inner white part of the watermelon peel.
Pleasant taste with fine bubbles. The body is medium and the wine is richly sapid and mineral as well as perfectly balanced.
The alcoholic mass is imperceptible.
Its gustatory persistence is long thanks also to its sapidity and freshness.
Lemon finish.
The wine, even if it has some evolved notes, has a lively and generous freshness.
(95/100)
It was a great privilege to conduct this splendid tasting together with Ruben Laurentis. This was followed by a light lunch organized by the Enoteca Pinchiorri and finally I drank some Giulio that I had in my glasses and the two Perlés that accompanied the food. A big thank you to the Lunelli family and its President Matteo who made it possible to carry out this splendid and significant tasting
which has made it possible to understand the long path that “il Giulio” travels during his long life.
This was followed by the wine auction which was a great success.
Normally with red wines we start from the oldest wine to the youngest because the young wine has more tannins in evidence which could compromise the evaluation of older wines.
In this case there was also a very specific why. Ruben specified that “Giulio” must have an “always” constant temperature of 12 degrees during his life and this cannot happen normally.
What are the restaurants and/or private cellars that can guarantee this temperature? Who can guarantee that during the transport of wine the temperature is 12 degrees. The beauty of this tasting is that Ruben made us feel like a 2007 wine matures, evolves and reaches, compatibly with the year of production, the olfactory and gustatory evolution of the older years. During the tasting, Ruben explained the climatic trend to us year after year and took us by the hand, making us understand how the Giulio evolves over time. “GIULIO FERRARI” IN VERTICAL
The bubble that defies time
by Paolo Baracchino
Fine Wine Critic info@paolobaracchino.com www.paolobaracchino.com
At the Pandolfini auction house in Florence there was a tasting of the Trentino spumante Giulio, reserve of the Founder of the Ferrari company, seven vintages from 2007 to 1986, all bottles in magnum format. It was an event I conceived together with Francesco Tanzi, wine expert of the Pandolfini Auction House with the fundamental help of the Lunelli family. Ideas aren’t enough if there’s no one to help you make them happen.
Some time before, I had contacted Marcello Lunelli, a friend of the family that owns the Ferrari company who put me in touch with Matteo Lunelli, the company’s managing director, who was enthusiastic about this initiative.
Other times before the wine auctions, the Pandolfini auction house has organized tastings of red wines and champagne, but this was the first time that a tasting of Italian sparkling wines had been organised. It was obvious that it had to be done with bubbles, for me the absolute number one, in Italy.
Matteo puts me in touch with Ruben Laurentis, the Ferrari winemaker, a person I’ve known for many years who is immediately enthusiastic about this event. Following, after the tasting, there would have been a light lunch organized by the Enoteca Pinchiorri during which the Ferrari Perlé 2016, Trento doc and the Ferrari Perlé Rosé Riserva 2016 Trento doc would have been served.
April 27, 2022 is the pre-established date for this splendid tasting conducted by the oenologist Ruben Laurentis and myself. Public, about ninety people, enthusiasts, journalists also as possible buyers of wines from the auction that would follow.
Wine service by the excellent sommeliers of the Enoteca Pinchiorri, directed by the director of the Enoteca Pinchiorri, Alessandro Tomberli.
All the participants, myself included, were interested and excited because it’s not every day that one can have such a profound tasting over time with all bottles in magnum format, constantly stored at a temperature of 12 degrees in the Ferrari cellars.
Francesco Tanzi made an initial presentation of the event, of Ruben and of me. Ruben started talking about the company, the lands and the Giulio. The Ferrari company is located in Trento. Giulio is made only of Chardonnay grapes, coming from Maso Panizza, at an altitude between 500 and 600 meters east of Trento. It was Mauro Lunelli, the family oenologist who planted more than twelve hectares in Maso Panizza in the mid-sixties. The company was purchased in 1952 from the Lunelli family by Mr. Giulio Ferrari. Who negotiated the deal was Bruno Lunelli who was succeeded by his children Franco, Giorgio, Gino, Carla and Mauro and in turn their children took over. The first vintage of Giulio produced and marketed was 1972 by Mauro Lunelli who wanted to make a bubble that approached perfection.
My contribution was to analyze each single vintage by finding an olfactory and gustatory common thread between one vintage and another.
I enjoyed sharing some experiences I had with the “Giulio”. I got to know this splendid spumante thanks to Varo Tagliafraschi, a historic, old-fashioned Florentine sales agent who had no problem sending a company he represented to hell if a client of his was wronged. We are talking about the end of the eighties, when I drank Giulio Ferrari for the first time and I was struck by it. Through Varo I was able to buy case after case, so much so that at one point he said to me: “Paolo, aren’t you by any chance selling the Giulio I’m supplying you with?” I told him not to worry because I believed in that product and when I believe in a product I love to consume it and give it to friends.
I then remembered when, always at the beginning of my meeting with “Giulio”, in tasting the 1979 I defined it Krug-like because the nose had hints of peanut butter and flint that reminded me of Krug champagne.
I remember when a few years ago I asked Marcello Lunelli if I could go to his company with some friends to do a handstand of Giulio. Marcello was happy and so were we. We arrived half an hour before the appointment, the reception person takes us for a drink and I, curious, see an open door of a tasting room and I look out and to my enormous amazement I feel an immense and pleasantly overwhelming smell of Coccoina glue .
I worry, and then I’ll explain why, because we should have had the tasting in a room contaminated by smells that would have disturbed our tasting. After a while Marcello arrived and with his usual cordiality and his smile asked me if we had had a good trip.
Given my concern, I immediately asked Marcello the reason for that strong smell of Coccoina glue (coconut and almond milk) and immediately Marcello would reply by telling me that the night before there had been a tasting of Giulio’s in that room and that the dirty glasses had been removed half an hour before our arrival. The hall was aired and then the “intruder” would leave.
This vertical was very important to me because I understood that a recurring perfume in Giulio is Coccoina glue, but not only that, another recurring perfume is juniper berry which I originally called shoe wax perfume in the metal package.
Lastly I recalled when about 15 years earlier I organised, at “Alla Corte del Vino” in Mercatale Val di Pesa at the Villa owned by Duccio, Corsini, a tasting of eight bubbles, seven champagnes and the Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore.
Among the champagnes there were vintage Krug and Salon and other less important champagnes but all vintage. Marcello who was present at the event told me that for the event he had specially disgorged the Giulio 1995. The bubbles were served blindfolded, everyone knew the wines that would be served but not the order of service. The Giulio was mistaken by all for a high-level champagne.
Once these pleasant memories were finished, we started the tasting. My tasting notes follow.
GIULIO FERRARI, vintage 2007
Harvest: between 1st and 6th September
Tirage : July 2008
Disgorgement: February 2019
Dosage : 2,5 gr/lt
Shiny golden yellow colour. The bubbles are fine and moderately numerous.
On the nose stand out aromas of juniper berry, coccoin glue (coconut and almond milk), pineapple, sweets from the outside of the sugared almond, slightly unripe rennet apple, star anise, fresh leather, the blond one, light zabaglione, slightly withered cyclamen , flint, helichrysum (licorice) to end with hints of coriander.
On the palate the bubbles are fine and caressing and the body is medium. Flavors of unripe rennet apple and light eggnog. Generous is the freshness that makes the wine well balanced and helps it in its long persistence.
(93/100)
GIULIO FERRARI, vintage 2005
Harvest: between 10 and 15 September
Tirage: July 2006
disgorgement: February 2017
Dosage: 3gr/lt
Wears bright gold. The bubbles are quite fine and quite numerous.
On the nose, the aromas of amber, juniper berry, flint, slightly unripe rennet apple, white pepper, pineapple, slight zabaglione and peanut butter stand out.
There are hints of Coccoina glue and blond leather.
On the palate the bubbles are fine and delicate. Sapid and mineral wine with medium body.
Slightly unripe rennet apple flavour.
Pleasant is the freshness that does not even minimally feel the alcoholic mass.
Its gustatory persistence is long with a finish of somewhat unripe rennet apple, lemon and yellow grapefruit.
(94/100)
GIULIO FERRARI, vintage 2004
harvest: between 20 and 25 September
Triage: June 2005
disgorgement: October 2015
Dosage: 2,5gr/lt
Golden yellow robe. The bubbles are fine and quite numerous. Perfumes of amber rise from the glass, sweets from the outside of the candy, white pepper, eggnog, hard lemon candy, Coccoina glue, grated lemon peel (bergamot), yeast yeast, ripe pineapple, juniper berry, rust , blond leather, warm starched cloth, to end with sighs of broken cyclamen stem.
On entry into the mouth you can enjoy quite fine bubbles and a medium body.
Well balanced wine, with freshness dominating the alcohol mass. Slightly sweet initial flavors, then lemon, rennet apple and lemon hard candy.
Its persistence is long with a slightly bitter finish reminiscent of yellow grapefruit.
(93/100)
GIULIO FERRARI, vintage 2001
harvest : between 20 and 23 September
Tirage : June 2002
disgorgement: July 2018
Dosage: 4 g/lt
Intense golden yellow coat. The bubbles are very fine and quite numerous.
Olfactory mix made of aromas reminiscent of hot bread just out of the oven, flint, intense Coccoina glue (coconut and almond milk), rennet apple a little unripe juniper berry, sweets from the outside of the sugared almond, pineapple, zabaglione, intense almond hard shell, cantuccini biscuits from Prato to end with pinches of coriander.
The oral cavity is caressed by fine bubbles.
The body is medium and the wine is savory and mineral.
The freshness is generous and not only makes the wine balanced but helps it in the length of its gustatory persistence. When the body thins out a bit, it is the freshness that helps it to have a long finish. In the finish it has flavors of rennet apple core, lemon and yellow grapefruit.
(93/100)
GIULIO FERRARI, vintage 1999
harvest: between 20 and 25 September
Tirage : June 2000
disgorgement: January 2016
Dosage: 4 g/lt
Golden yellow color, shiny with slight gray reflections.
The bubbles are very fine and quite numerous.
Rich and varied nose made of aromas of flint, juniper berry, sweets from the outside of the sugared almond, white pepper, amber, talcum powder, eggnog, green banana peel yeasts, Coccoina glue, green olives in brine, grated lemon peel , to finish with references of ripe jujube.
Palate pampered by fine bubbles.
Sapid and mineral wine, with medium body and flavors of lemon, lime and honey.
The freshness and minerality, very present, make the wine completely balanced. Its intense gustatory persistence is long with a pink grapefruit finish.
(95/100)
GIULIO FERRARI, vintage 1995
harvest : between 28 September and 5 October
Tirage : July 1996
disgorgement: February 2018
Dosage: 3 g/lt
Light golden yellow dress. The bubbles are quite fine and quite numerous. Extremely rich and varied nose. Intense aromas of juniper berries and melted butter, followed by dried banana, amber, blond leather, iodine, flint, hints of green banana peel, eggnog, pineapple, white pepper, hints of pickled green olives, grated lemon peel (Bergamot), chamomile to finish with the hard shell of the almond.
When tasted, the bubbles are fine and pleasant.
The body is medium and the pleasant freshness makes the wine completely balanced.
Long is its intense aromatic persistence with a finish of eggnog, lemon and juniper berry.
Very vertical wine that goes very deep. Wine still young !
With an empty glass, the scent of dried banana is felt on the nose.
(97/100)
GIULIO FERRARI, vintage 1986
harvest : between 15 and 20 September
Tirage : April 1987
disgorgement: May 2020
Dosage: 3 g/lt
Shiny golden yellow colour. The bubbles are very fine and quite numerous.
The olfactory stage is rich and varied with an intense initial, ripe banana scent, followed by notes of flint, toasted peanuts, sweets from the outside of the candy, ripe jujube, juniper berry, cotton starch, green olive brine, starch from the cotton fabric, hard almond shell, Coccoina glue, coriander, dried fig, dried date, helichrysum, lemon yeast and the inner white part of the watermelon peel.
Pleasant taste with fine bubbles. The body is medium and the wine is richly sapid and mineral as well as perfectly balanced.
The alcoholic mass is imperceptible.
Its gustatory persistence is long thanks also to its sapidity and freshness.
Lemon finish.
The wine, even if it has some evolved notes, has a lively and generous freshness.
(95/100)
It was a great privilege to conduct this splendid tasting together with Ruben Laurentis. This was followed by a light lunch organized by the Enoteca Pinchiorri and finally I drank some Giulio that I had in my glasses and the two Perlés that accompanied the food. A big thank you to the Lunelli family and its President Matteo who made it possible to carry out this splendid and significant tasting
which has made it possible to understand the long path that “il Giulio” travels during his long life.
This was followed by the wine auction which was a great success.
