“Wine prepairs hearts and keep them more ready for passion .”
Publius Ovidius Naso
Founded at 1959, initially by 19 winegrowers of Cupramontana ( at the heart of classical zone of production of Verdicchio dei Castelli dei Jesi ) , today includes 190 partners, holders of vineyards area exceeding 160 hectars , where Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Lacrima di Morro ďAlba, Rosso Piceno, Marche Rosso IGT and Marche Bianco IGT are produced.
It was Ubaldo Rosi, administrative of duke of Leuchtenberg, who lived at 1843-1847 in Jesi, where he did the first experiments to produce sparkling wine “in style of genuine Champagne “ . That is how Méthode Champenoise of Verdichio grapes was born.
The story of Colonnara is indivisibly connected with the names of the first President of winery Luigi Ghislieri and of enolog Carlo Pigini Campanari , who established the quality of production of wines at the enhanced level. They are among the first ones who recognised the potential of sparkling wine done from autochthonous monocultivar Verdichio. Developing the local tradition of sparkling of wines at Cupramontana at the beginning of nineteenth , and at 1970 Luigi Ghislieri have decided to establish production of sparkling wines by Method Charmat.
Thanks to deep knowledge of characters of vineyards and wines produced in cellar they have rised those wines up to the other level of quality.
At 1980’s a big change at the winery Colonara happened.There were originated wines and sparkling wines for aging and also Méthode Champenoise of Verdichio .
That is why the decision to construct the cellar for aging was made and the marvellous hall was built in1989 , where , in absence of light, at the temperature 14-16 C, at the right humidity, in absence of rumours and vibrations about 100 000 bottles of sparkling Metodo Classico Colonnara rest in the silence and twilight of the aging cellar.
This aging hall is similar to the concert hall, and infact, as explained me one day Daniela Sorana, the General Coordinator of company,who have invited me to see this hall, on 22.9.2019 here were organised really splendid Wine opera event, where concert performers interpreted operas of Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Verdi,Gounod and others famous composers.
Colonnara became one of the first cellars where the vinification of sparkling Verdichio was done. Today there are produced 350 000 bottles of Spumante per year and sold around all Italy and around the world. There are produced under name Spumante Metodo Classico and Spumante Metodo Charmat.
I would like to mention that all production steps of Spumante Metodo Classico ( Méthode Champenoise ) as Remuage or Degorgement are done manually.
I like very much bubbles, but I prefer particular ones, especially made from autochthonous varieties, with specific characters different from international ones.And I am always looking for such species.
Colonnara offers four of them, four different types of sparkling wines. I think that everyone, who becomes involved with bubbles should try every type of production. Every of those sparkling wines can offer you a different impression, can give you some experience to understand the influence of manufacturing process, and in such a way it could be valued as the more elaborated product.
The first one of them is Cuveé Tradition, Spumante Metodo Martinotti Verdicchio DOC Biologico, which offers delicious flowers scents ,scents of locust tree, of broom, peach and almonds.
Sparkling wine Spumante Brut Metodo Martinotti ( Verdichio and Trebbiano), has very delicate smell, fruity and floral, notes of peach and almonds.
Luigi Ghislieri Brut Metodo Classico Verdichio DOC Biologico, cuvée aged 24-30 months in yeast , has aroma of crust of bread, nuts, almonds, fruits , at mouth is very pleasant and fresh.
Brut Ubaldo Rosi Metodo Classico Riserva, aged in yeast 50 months, the aroma is amazing fresh, intense, elegant , aroma of crust of bread, of flowers of almond. In mouth you could feel nicely the freshness and lovely acidity, which slightly touch palate. The vine offers great complexity, full body, equilibriated, good persistence and elegance.
If we come back to my personal impressions , I really enjoyed Cuvée Tradition and Luigi Ghislieri Spumante , but my absolute favourite is Spumante Brut Ubaldo Rossi Riserva. I have an unforgettable experience as I had the chance to taste the 2009 year and, I have to say. That is how you can understand the difference.
Any additional year donates to this great Spumante other level of taste.
Another wine we shouldn’t forget to talk about is the fenomenal wine Cuprese, the wine which has become a benchmark inspiration for the other local producers of Verdichio, followed by Tùfico or Lyricus Rosso Piceno.
Cuprese , Verdichio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC Classico Superiore Biologico, was born at 1985. This wine is some quintessence of Verdichio, Verdichio how it should be. Fruity and floral, with the sense of flint at the finish. Straightforward, mineral, sapid wine, with nice almond aftertaste .
Tùfico,Verdichio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva DOCG is cultivated at the unique vineyard in Cupramontana. Fruity and floral, notes of peach, nuts, mimosa, broom and lime tree, at finish flinty notes. Dry, smooth, sapid, mineral wine with almond long aftertaste.
The next fascinating and particular thing of Cantina Colonnara is the presence of wine tower , which nowadays become the dominant of Cupramontana city, the symbol of cellar.
“Projected at 1961 according the design of Ing Luigi Spinolo from Piacenza but patented by enotecnic Emilio Sernagiotto and Ing P. Marchino.
The structure was constituted as a system of connected tanks which takes advantage of the gravitation forces to load down wine from upper tanks to lower tanks , decreasing in this way the use of idraulic pumps. Glassed cement from which the tanks are made is particularly suitable for wine conservation, thanks to their ability to keep constant temperature inside tanks.Nowadays this material is very apreciated in enological ambient.
The lower part of tower is used nowadays for some parts of vinification .
With this last impression we leave Cantina Colonnara with georgous sparkling wines and let’s move to the next place ….
