Visit to La Kiuva Coop

Please excuse the hasty iPhone furious note format, no time to edit:

5 or 7 years age capacity for Arnad Montjovet.
RE 2007 - they had the "la morra" enologist in house. From 2010 and on diff enologist.
Since 2010 easier, better vintages. Temperatures changing
From 5 degrees night to 25 degrees day. Perfume in skin of raisin w differing temp. If temp doesn't alternate like this, the raisin changes!!

Italy 70, USA 30 pct export.

Since 2011- our red is spontaneous fermentation

Petite arvine- vin de garde! 5 or 7 yrs

The fact that there is normally little color--similarity btwn Pinot and Nebbiolo. Pinot changes every 100m; Nebbiolo no.

Terroir-cailloux, no ocean here earlier than elsewhere in Italy like Gattinara

Terroir: "Marne verte" (green marl) of the Valle d'aoste

Roman origin to area. Long trips between countries when folks brought vines then planted here; this explains dispersed vines

80,000 ha pre phylloxera
WW1&2-lost workers
Vines just for personal consumption next to grazing cows. Field blends.

350ha now!

30-40yrs ago: coop method began. Growing last 25 yrs.

Once grapes are sold to coop, farmer has to shut up: he's done.

An organization surveys vines while growing! Should be herbes growing, etc. changes each year. This is only applicable to Kiuva coop--diff for each.

1544-"Picotendro" is name for Nebbiolo in an edict.

"Traverse"-spaces out here best for growing grapes.

Cornalin is perhaps the future for Valle d'aoste--opinion of winemaker.

Ernest Pavese--makes best prié blanc.

Pergola-higher yield, higher acidity! Guyot reduces yield properly. Last 25 yrs pergola has disappeared. Pergola too expensive too -- wood, labor etc. however pergola allows you to farm over rocks though!

About 100,000 bottles in all per year.

• 2011 La Kiuva Petite Arvine Valle d'Aosta

  Italy, Valle d'Aosta

  Nose less latex than is usual in my experiences with this grape. Slightly reminiscent of Pinot Gris. Grapefruit. Rose. Good length. Salt. Gras a bit. Super fresh! Tiny bit of muscat character, but great acid. Grosjean's has muscat intermixed thinks our winemaker host... but don't tell him that.

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• 2010 La Kiuva Chardonnay Valle d'Aosta Chateau Vallaise

  Italy, Valle d'Aosta

  Like Anselmet, Valle d'Aoste winemakers seem obsessed with imitating white Burgundy and this sees FR oak and undergoes bâtonnage. Reductive nose. Delicate wine all the same. Served too cold; just oak. He opened another room temp. Minerality arrives at room temp. 6-8 mos oak. Still; a bit too oaky for my taste. New fR oak. White flowers poke out. Bite of acid.

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• 2011 La Kiuva Chardonnay Valle d'Aosta

  Italy, Valle d'Aosta

  Now has blue label: nose has amaro green herbs, fresh corn/butter, all stainless. White flowers on palate. Slight heavy midpalate but finished w acid. Simple but nice and unique.

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• 2012 La Kiuva Arnad-Montjovet

  Italy, Valle d'Aosta, Arnad-Montjovet

  Great spice on nose. No booze on nose, good so far. Perhaps missing some red fruit from 07/10? Nice acid. Bottled in June, 8? mos after harvest. Good - could sell this. Unripe plum in a good way. 20yrs (?) ago they were allowed to write "Arnad Montjovet" below "Valle d'aoste doc".

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• 2009 La Kiuva Arnad-Montjovet Supérieur

  Italy, Valle d'Aosta, Arnad-Montjovet

  1 yr oak. Celery salt nose, sweet plum palate. I prefer standard Arnad Montjovet; our host agrees. "Not my wine". "We need to change process. Nose is problem". They are still learning to use the oak properly during elevage. Good finish though. Nose is a bit "bon bon".

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• 2011 La Kiuva Valle d'Aosta Picotendro

  Italy, Valle d'Aosta

  Heavy sweet cured meat on nose from afar. White flowers on nose too. Vanilla on nose? Pump overs and long maceration for round tannins. Low temp fermentations. Wood spices. Some greenness on finish. Good. Picotendro = Nebbiolo per 1544 edict.

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