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The
wines of Azienda Agricola Inama, Via IV Novembre 1, 37047 San
Bonifacio (VR), Italy
I was glad to have the chance to revisit one of
Italy’s most interesting producers, whose wines I last reviewed in
depth in 2003. I met with Stefano Inama and his son (above) to
taste through the range. The winery was founded by Stefano’s father, Guiseppe
Inama, who began purchasing vineyard plots in Soave in the 1950s.
Guiseppe was convinced of the potential of Soave, and wanted to show
the world what old vine Garganega was capable of. However, it was
Sauvignon Blanc that first put Inama on the map in the early 1990s:
these soils express themselves in remarkable ways through this
variety, fashioning Sauvignon Blanc quite unlike any other. Currently,
Inama have 25 hectares of vineyards in the Soave vineyards, from which
they make both Sauvignon Blanc and also Soave Classico. The key to making great Soave? ‘Working with old vines from the best plots and being accurate with viticulture’, says Stefano. ‘You mustn’t over-crop, and you must use minimalistic oenology.’ Stefano adds, ‘I like Garganega, but it is difficult to control. You need to be a vine man and not a consultant: if you do it by the book it is a disaster’.
In the 1990s Inama branched out and began making red
wines from another special terroir: Colli Berici. Here, mineral-rich
terra rossa soils (red clay over limestone) and a hot, dry climate
make ideal conditions for growing red grapes such as Carmènere,
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The Carmenère was brought here by Italian workers
returning from Bordeaux in the 19th century. ‘We thought Carmenère
was Cabernet Franc’, says Stefano. ‘It has a similar leaf. We have
our own clones that have been adapted over 150 years, and I believe
that the Colli Berici is the best place to grow this variety: we can
do much better than Chile.’ He adds, ‘if you can ripen it, it is
simply magic: better than Cabernet and Merlot. The important thing is
to get rid of the green notes.’ In terms of viticulture, with red varieties Inama are
organic, but don’t bother with certification. ‘We are organic in
the way we grow wines, but don’t declare it’, says Stefano. ‘It
is not a marketing tool: the quality of the wine is the marketing
tool’. Inama Soave Classico 2007 Veneto Inama Vulcaia 2006 Veneto Inama Vulcaia Reserva 2005 Veneto Inama
Carmenère Più 2006 Veneto Inama Bradissimo 2004 Veneto Inama
Binomio 2005 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Wines tasted 06/08 Older
report from March 2003: Let me start by saying that I was very excited by this line
up of wines. It’s very rare to try through a producer’s range of wines and
rate as many as three of them as excellent, but Stefano Inama has put in a
near-perfect performance. Prices are still sane, also. Before I wrote
these stunning wines up I wanted to be sure about my judgements, so I
tried the majority of them again a couple of months later and
confirmed my ratings. Particularly exciting are the top Soave, the barrel-fermented Sauvignon
Blance, and the exotically rich Montepulciano. Inama Soave Classico 2001
Inama Soave Classico ‘Vigneti di Foscarino’ 2000
Inama Soave Classico ‘Vigneto du Lot’ 2001
Inama Sauvignon del Veneto ‘Vulcaia’ IGT Inama Sauvignon del Veneto ‘Vulcaia Fume’ 2000 Inama Bradisismo Cabernet Sauvignon del Veneto 1999 Aziendo Agricola Bionomio, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2000 |
