INTRO: THE SLOW FOOD MOVEMENT
If you have ever been to Rome, you know the feeling of wonder that overtakes you when you realize the millennia of history surrounding you. You might also be able to imagine the feeling of sadness and shame when you learn that McDonald’s, the anti- culture, wants to move in among one of Rome’s most historic landmarks, the Spanish Steps. This is exactly the situation that catalyzed the Slow Food movement in 1986. A protest was staged and a large table was erected in the Piazza de Spagna (Spanish Square) filled with traditional Italian dishes to promote the quality that a McDonald’s would be insulting. The McDonald’s did in fact move in, and the Slow Food movement was born.
The Slow Movement’s goal is to promote, encourage, and support the natural products of the land without intervention, through biodiversity of plants and animals. Those who participate are a mighty list of small manufacturers, makers, and artisans who feel that naturally grown and cooked food is the best way to really know a place and its people. This Slow Food philosophy really speaks to us at Caravan as we also feel that naturally made wine, beer, and spirits are our tickets to travel the world. Without added chemicals during the growing process or during production, we are able to actually taste the land from whence it came. The largest motivation to add chemicals to food or drink comes from the need to create an obscene quantity and wanting that obscene quantity to last an unnatural amount of time. Therefore, when you eat and drink natural products, you are always taking in something rare and special because it was made in small batches. As much as Slow food aims to advance local foods and traditional cooking, it also is here to oppose the existence of Fast Food as a threat to the integrity of food and eating.
Although inspired by a fast food threat in Rome, Slow Food is considered a Piedmontese movement because its founder, Carlo Petrini, is from Piedmont himself and planted the Slow Food headquarters in Piedmont’s capital, Turin. Three years after his first protest, the international Slow Food movement manifesto was signed in Paris by delegates from 15 countries. Today the Slow Food movement has blossomed to include 150 countries and over 100,000 members.
As we stay in Piedmont through August, we continue to investigate the question proposed in July, “How does food explain people?”. Last month we learned about the effect of the ancient tradition of truffle hunting on the Piedmontese culture. This month, we look to a more modern movement that asks us to look back to the traditions of the past to create a healthy and authentic future.
SLOW FOOD SLOW PEOPLE
“Our century, which began and has developed under the insignia of industrial civilization, first invented the machine and then took it as its life model.
We are enslaved by speed and have all succumbed to the same insidious virus: Fast Life, which disrupts our habits, pervades the privacy of our homes and forces us to eat Fast Foods.
To be worthy of the name, Homo Sapiens should rid ourselves of speed before it reduces us to a species in danger of extinction.
A firm defense of quiet material pleasure is the only way to oppose the universal folly of Fast Life.
May suitable doses of guaranteed sensual pleasure and slow, long-lasting enjoyment preserve us from the contagion of the multitude who mistake frenzy for efficiency.”
An excerpt from the Slow Food Manifesto
The Slow Food Movement’s motto is “Buono, Pulito, e Giusto” which means, “Good, Clean, and Fair”. Good is for health and taste. Clean is for the low environmental impact and animal welfare. Fair is for the respect towards those who produce Slow Food. These tenets are at the heart of the Piedmontese.
If the Slow Movement asks us to look at the traditions and gastronomy of the food made from what naturally grows in a region, let us look at the story Piedmont tells. Aside from its outstanding wines (Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, Moscato, Dolcetto), Piedmont is known for its fruit orchards of apples, pears, and plums. It is also the home to a variety of rice and sweets like Nutella. Most notably however, are its meat and dairy products. Milk and cheese production has a long and respected history here because of the wide highlands of Piedmont that allow for ample cow, sheep, and goat grazing. Therefore, you can find over 50 different varieties of cheese produced, ten of which meet the EU Denomination of Protected Origin (DPO) standard like Gorgonzola, Taleggio, Grana Padano, Castelmagno, and Murianengo.
The fact that the same people who revere the Trifulao, the truffle hunter who forms a natural bond with the forest in which they forage, have also created a movement to protect the bond created between human and nature, says so much. Perhaps it is the uniqueness of the landscape of Piedmont that has embedded a sense of pride and preservation in its people. They are not afraid to question and sometimes reject the influence of technology and productivity in order to maintain the qualities that made Piedmont and the Piedmontese so distinct. If you are to visit the major cities of Piedmont, you will find Fast Food chains. But that is not why you go. You go for the wine grown on hills surrounding the forest where the truffles hide. You go for the fog that covers the plains where livestock graze. You go for the view of the Alps behind the Po River. You go for the people who can tell you how their ancestors harvested rice. You go to get that feeling that is so rare- the long stretch of history that is only made possible by the peoples’ determination to honor it.
THE PRODUCER
Tenuta Il Nespolo is a winery in the small province of Asti in the northern region of Piedmont in Italy. Home to delicious Barbera and Moscato based wines, Tenuta Il Nespolo is a multi-generational winery using minimal intervention in the vineyards, as well as a hands-off approach in the winery. One of the great factors of the Slow Food movement is that one can taste the food of the region as crafted by those who care about its health and integrity. We see the same here with Luca Amerio, head winemaker at Nespolo.
Luca has always had a natural affinity for vineyard work since he was a young boy and is steering the family winery into more terroir driven wines that allow for this expression of place in combination with the talents of the producer. Like an excellent meal prepared by a talented chef, the finished wine celebrates its earthly source through creative expression and design by the winemaker.
These two wines are both called "Vino Da Sete", translating to "Wine Of Thirst". This is a play on the french wine term "Vin de Soif". Some wines are meant for slow, contemplative consumption, because of their structural design, aromatic complexity, highly tannic finish, etc. The Vino Da Sete wines are not that. This does not make them any less interesting. In fact, one could argue it makes them more interesting to more people because of their approachability. It's as if the winemaker, with his minimal intervention, litre bottling and crown cap, were saying "Quick! I have delicious juice here for you. And lots of it. So, drink it now!" We don't think this should be too difficult.
If there were to be a house-style of Caravan, both of these wines fit that category. They are interesting, without being off-putting. They are friendly, without being dull. They are natural, honest, confident. They are not boastful. They are not brooding. They are lean, and not overly built. They are versatile and able to hangout at almost all meals. They have a slight mystery about them, and are happy to be questioned. So, ask away!
WINE 1
"Vino Da Sete" Vino Bianco
Tenuta Il Nespolo
Italy, Piedmont, Asti
grapes: Cortese, Favorita, Moscato
These grapes are grown at higher altitudes and on cooler northwest-facing slopes, meaning they ripen more slowly. We often talk about the balance between sugar and acid with regards to ripening and its impact on the finished wine. In this bianco from Nespolo, the sugar levels in the grapes remain low, while the acidity stays high. This is felt on the palate as a brightness and sharpness (aka: refreshing zing!). The grapes are fermented separately and then blended together for 4-5 months of aging in stainless steel tanks before being bottled in litre bottles and topped with a crown cap.
WINE 2
"Vino Da Sete" Vino Rosso
Tenuta Il Nespolo
Italy, Piedmont, Asti
grapes: Barbera, Freisa, Sangiovese
Again, here we have grapes grown in cooler, high altitude sites that provide for a bit less structure and sugar in the grapes. In the end this helps lead to a red wine that is light and juicy, and perfect with some chill on it. Unusual for the region, there is a small amount of old-vine Sangiovese being grown here that was planted by the winemaker's grandfather. All the grapes in this blend are co-fermented in stainless steel with native yeasts. The fun, litre--sized bottling and crown cap indicate this is a wine for ease & joy of consumption.
SLOW FOOD FESTIVALS
Because Slow Food is a far reaching international movement, there are chapters hosting events all the time. In the USA alone, you might be able to go to a different Slow Food seminar every day of the year. The list below are some of the larger international gatherings. Visit slowfood.com and slowfoodusa.org to become a member, find events, read articles, and donate to the movement.
-
Salon Del Gusto: Turin, Piedmont, Italy- The Salon Del Gusto takes place every 2 years and invites international gourmets to share their regional delicacies. Try to make the next one- September 26- 30, 2024!
-
Bra Cheese Festival: Bra, Piedmont, Italy- The Bra Cheese Festival takes place every 2 years promoting regional cheese makers and other local dairy who are under threat of the global market forces. Always on the third weekend of September, the next one is in 2025.
-
Slow Wine Fair: Bologna, Italy- An annual display of winemakers that align with the Slow Food manifesto and create “good, clean, and fair” wines. Come see over 400 international wineries at the next fair from February 23- 25, 2025.
-
Slow Fish Coast to Coast: Genoa, Italy- This Slow Fish festival also takes place every two years and primarily focuses on the gastronomical culture of Genoa. This fest also recognizes the role of all port cities in the exchange and preparation of seafood culture, so you may also find seafood displays from places like Marseille, Taranto, and Venice. Next one is June 1- 4, 2025.
-
East Africa Agroecology Conference: Nairobi, Kenya- The first of its kind is happening this year on the subject of fostering innovation in Africa. Coming up this month, August 8-15, 2024.
Our aim is to give a glimpse into the many roles wine has played throughout history. All subjects mentioned deserve more attention and research and we encourage you to keep exploring. We are only here to pop the cork.
Many Thanks, Caravan Wine Shop
