The book “The sense of place of a wine and the aromatic signature of Tedeschi’s cru wines” reveals – using scientific methods – the capacity of a wine to bring to mind provenance, variety, and territory not unlike the experience Proust had in his work “In Search of Lost Time” in which the act of tasting a madeleine served as a sensory trigger that unlocked past recollections.
The book “The sense of place of a wine and the aromatic signature of Tedeschi’s cru wines” reveals how the “sense of place” of a wine is a concrete and measurable value and not just a poetic suggestion. The results from seven years of research initiated in 2017 have transformed an intuition into a scientific reality that establishes the link between the aroma of a wine and the land on which the grapevines are grown.
The work carried out by Professor Maurizio Ugliano, professor of Enological Technology and Processes as well as Wine Identity and Typicality in the Department of Biotechnology at the University of Verona, is described in the book and addresses the identification of four main olfactory dimensions that make up the wines of Valpolicella: fruity, balsamic, spicy/peppery, and sweet spice. For example, wines from the Monte Olmi cru are distinguished by their citrus and fruity aromas whereas those from the Maternigo Estate express notes of ripe fruit and sweet spice. These aromas, which vary according to the provenance of the cru, are the result of a complex interaction between the soil, grape variety, and vinification technique. As a result, it is perfectly reasonable for you to suddenly find yourself experiencing familiar aromas as you taste a local wine.
The “sense of place and the aromatic signature” of a wine is, therefore, not just a metaphor. Just as when Proust tasted his madeleine, wine is also able to evoke recollections. A single sip of a wine can make reemerge memories linked to the territory of origin. “The taste of the madeleine described in “In Search of Lost Time” is a perfect example,” affirms Professor Ugliano. “A taste of wine can recall the provenance, the variety, and the territory in which it was born similar to the way the French cake is able to evoke the memories of childhood for the protagonist.”
Professor Ugliano’s research permitted the scientific definition of the “aromatic signature” of Tedeschi wine, which clarifies that the signature is not solely attributable to the grapes but to the manner in which the grapes interact with their environment over time, creating a unique and singular identity for every bottle. The aging process, for example, plays a fundamental role in strengthening the aromatic characteristics.
The aromas of wines tell stories that transport the taster directly to the heart of the territory that has given them life. The Tedeschi family continues to explore new frontiers for wine with passion and dedication, demonstrating in the process that tradition can be innovative, and science can be poetic.
A toast to this “sensory and evocative” journey that should be savored sip by sip.