Enrico’s ‘Martina’ may well be considered a light red – it has almost no extraction and is pressed quite early, so call it what you will; most important is its brighter performance at a cooler temperature. Made of 100% Erbanno – a hyperlocal grape related to Lambrusco, and sharing the common characteristic of high acidity – it’s aged in concrete tanks and partially in barrel, the latter definitely adding to and rounding out the wine’s medium-weight body. Savory, earthy, and honestly pretty darn fascinating, it opens with juicy aromas of strawberries, plums, and cranberries, along with floral notes of roses and gardenias. Tangerine, pomegranate, and white tea intertwine on the palate, with a mineral-driven spine of salty granite keeping things taut and fresh. A perfect wine for this shoulder season, and the first crops of spring veg – here comes the sun!
A true iconoclast and dedicated naturalist, Enrico Togni stands alone in Lombardia’s nearly forgotten wine region of the Val Camonica. With his appearance resembling something akin to an outback Aussie bushman crossed with a Colorado granola-type, Enrico has staked his livelihood on crafting highly intriguing and experimental wines in a region with an indentured history of producing bottles geared toward nothing more than putting food on the table. Inspired by his grandfather (a man who worked the region’s vineyards after World War II while making a living by producing electrical tools), Enrico quit his pursuit of a law degree in search of a life with a deeper connection to nature. Prior to planting his vines, he undertook extensive viticultural studies (though not a formal education in wine or agricultural sciences) before delving head first into the development of a parcel of land centered around polyculture and biodiversity. Today, he, his wife Cinzia, and their 14 year old daughter Martina (one of Enrico’s most trusted quality-assurance palates) oversee a patchwork of vineyards, heritage grain fields, fruit orchards, and sheep paddocks, all of them located within the cradle of a striking, Jurassic Park-like glacial valley.