Italian Interview: Michele Satta

In 1988 Michele Satta bought the best terrain he could that was available and started building a cellar. Prior to that Mr. Satta had been studying agriculture in the University of Milan, after that Pisa, and then worked as a student on a fruit and vegetable farm. His passion for the land brought him from Varese to Castagneto after finishing his studies and from then on he become fascinated with wine and wine production.

The winery is located in the heart of DOC Bolgheri, in Castagneto in Tuscany and makes wines from both local indigenous grapes and wines from international varieties – “Super Tuscans”. There are plantings of Vermentino, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc that make up his white wines and plantings of Cabernet, Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah and Teroldego that make up his red wines.

His first experimental vineyards were planted in 1991 with 15 hectares of Cabernet and Merlot (grape varieties that he believes show great expression and character in Bolgheri), alongside Sangiovese – his favourite variety. He also wanted to experiment with Syrah, which he did and now blends it into a number of his wines.

In Hong Kong recently, Michele Satta sat down with Wine Times for a quick interview to talk about, and taste, his wines whilst explaining to us why he was inspired to build vineyards, what Cabernet and Merlot add to Sangiovese and whether or not he thinks the other, big name super Tuscans have aided in the regions ability to sell more wine.

WTHK: What originally inspired you to buy the vineyards and start making wine?

MS: “Well, actually, my first harvest was as a student in 1974 – I was like a boy cleaning the cellar! I have been very lucky as I witnessed the traditional way of making wine in Italy. Every family was producing wine in Italy at the time and every family was consuming its own wine – no one was making the wine to sell. After my degree at university I began to work on a farm producing fruit and ten years later I decided to do something for myself. I began to make wine in my own name as I had the old cellars and vineyards - and land was cheaper in Bogheri! One important factor was that I had a job at Ornellaia when it was just beginning its production and I worked the vineyards. I also planted a part of Ornellaia!! But it made me realize that people wanted the wines from Italy, they came from all over the world to buy this wine and I suddenly understood the value of quality Italian wines – and what quality is, which is the character of the single variety from a specific place”.

WTHK: Do you think the fame of Sassicaia and Ornellaia has helped the region in general to sell more wine?

MS: “Sure! I think that Sassicaia, the first most important wine from Italy, showed it was possible to drink a wine you can compare with Bordeaux. It was like opening a door. All the Italian producers understood that they had to change the way they looked at wine and not just make wines for their own consumption but for the rest of the world. If you have this treasure in your hand you must do something significant with it. The two most important things for Italian wine for me have been the reduction of quantity – we were producing too much and not of that high quality – and the cleaning of the cellars to create the right environment for the production of great wines”.

WTHK: What do Cabernet and Merlot offer to Sangiovese?

MS: “Cabernet gives concentration because the texture of the wine is very deep and it gives good structure. It adds a familiar flavour that most people know also. We can produce very elegant Cabernet in the central part of Italy. I do not agree with the value of Merlot as it’s more so put in wine for Parker. It adds sweetness but it has no depth or character. I think Syrah is much better as a grape and adds more to the acidity of the Sangiovese”.

WTHK: You son studied, much like you did in Milan and Pisa. Is he going to follow I your footsteps?

MS: “Yes (laughs). But actually now I am learning from him! In modern times you need to evolve every year. The wines are good now because of the way you change the way you harvest say five or six years ago. My son helps me in the vineyards these days which is great”!

WTHK: Is the winery more like a family with everyone helping out and keeping close relationships?

MS: “Yes, I believe it is. I believe in the connection of humanity. We need to work with the mind and with the heart, always. I believe that you need a working team that has a great relationship, and if they feel like a family – that is, sorting out problems and working together -  then everything will run much more smoothly”.

WTHK: What is it that you, personally love about wine?

MS: “I love wine when it is giving me harmony and energy. I do not love the wine when it is technically perfect and does not give me any emotion. I want to know the provenance of the wine and connect it with humanity and where it came from. I love wines from the Rhone, Burgundy and Alsace in France – also German wines too”.

WTHK: What are your first impressions of Hong Kong?

MS: “I Love it a lot! It’s the meeting point between two different worlds, the West and the East. Here you can see the East is helping the financial powers of the West and creating strong bonds between each other. I like this place very much, it’s well organized and the people are fantastic”.

 
Michele Satta wines are available in Hong Kong from Liquid Assets and can be contacted by e-mail on info@liquidassets.com.hk or by phone on 2893-1074. For further information you can go to their website – www.liquidassets.com.hk