Cave Spring’s La Penna a labour of love for winemaker

What: Cave Spring Cellars La Penna
Where: 3836 Main St., Jordan
Winemaker: Angelo Pavan
Proprietors: Pennachetti Family, Pavan.
Availability: Winery only.
Website: www.cavespring.ca

By Rick VanSickle

La Penna is a labour of love for Angelo Pavan. That’s a given.

But it’s also a strong reminder of the winemaker’s roots, back to Treviso in Veneto, Italy, where the local wine is made in the appassimento style of air-drying the grapes following the harvest.

Pavan’s family is from Treviso and it was during a visit back home that “a light went on.”

The iconic winemaker, most famous for his benchmark Rieslings, came back to his Cave Spring Cellars winery after talking to key Veneto wine producers and decided the style could work in Niagara — maybe not with the traditional grapes the Italians use, but certainly with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The name La Penna — “feather” in Italian — is in reference to the migratory hawks that ride thermal updrafts along the steep limestone cliffs at the Cave Spring Vineyard. The breezes enable Pavan, in the traditional Veronese method, to naturally concentrate a portion of the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes used to make the current 2006 version of La Penna. The process of open-air drying enriches and adds complexity to the final wine blend.

Pavan is quick to point out that this method of concentrating the grapes is not a cure-all for a weak vintage. “We’re not trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear,” he says, smiling, adding you cannot get rid of “green” flavours by drying the grapes. They are only amplified.

The trick for Pavan, who first made La Penna in 2005, is when to pick the grapes, as they can’t be harvested too ripe or too green. He generally picks based on alcohol (looking for 15%) at about 25 brix (a measure of sweetness in grapes).

From there the hand-harvested grapes are transferred in bins onto drying racks in a naturally ventilated barn high up on the Beamsville Bench. The fruit is picked in a slightly under-ripe state to allow for extended drying without spoiling. Strong, natural air flows at the site allowing for a gradual desiccation of the grapes over a period of 60 to 120 days.

The grapes are then pressed and barrel-aged for 20 months in new French and older Hungarian oak.

Pavan says every vintage and every blend is different. The first vintage in 2005 consisted of nearly 100% Cabernet Franc, 2006 was two-thirds Cabernet Franc/one-third Cabernet Sauvingon, 2007 and 2008 are both 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2009 La Penna will introduce Merlot to the blend to go with Cabernet Franc.

Pavan says there isn’t a recipe he follows for La Penna and is always trying different blends, drying times and barrel aging. One thing is certain, each vintage brings an exciting wine that’s fun to taste as they mature in bottle.

I was treated to a full tasting of the entire vertical of La Penna from the debut wine to barrel samples of the 2009 components.

The 2009 Merlot will bring sweet black cherry notes and vibrant acidity to go with the Cabernet Franc’s chocolate and plums.
Here are my tasting notes for the rest of the La Pennas, only available at the winery ($35).

Cave Spring Cellars La Penna 2008 (barrel sample, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon) — Not the greatest of vintages in Niagara for red grapes, but this appassimento style wine shows promise with blackberry, plum and warm red fruits to go with sweet spice, chocolate and dried herbs.

Cave Spring Cellars La Penna 2007 (100% Cabernet Sauvignon, bottled but not released until the end of the year, 4.5-5 stars) — This is the class of the La Pennas, a gorgeous wine with a fine nose of cherry-kirsch, red plum, prunes, sweet spice and vanilla. Even in its youth this wine explodes with flavour on the palate — from sweet red fruits to roasted coffee bean, chocolate and layers of spice and toasty oak that all comes in wave after wave. Built for the long haul in the cellar.

Cave Spring Cellars La Penna 2006 (current vintage, two-thirds Cab Franc, the rest Cab Sauv, 4.5 stars) — Still tight and youthful but opens up to array of aromas from dried herbs, plums, mature blackberry and cherry fruits to smoky oak and spice notes. The palate reveals currants, plums, cedar, cocoa and spice on a bed of tannins and toasted oak that hints at years of pleasure to come.

Cave Spring Cellars La Penna 2005 (first vintage, mostly Cab Franc, a bit of Cab Sauv, 4.5 stars) — This shows where this wine is headed as it matures. Nice ripe red fruits to go with raisin, prunes, earth, dried herbs and roasted meats on the nose. It’s concentrated on the palate but still screams out for a nice hunk of red meat to match the tannins, oak and spice. As Pavan says: “I’m not trying to make New World fruit wines. These are meant to be enjoyed with food at dinner.”

•••

And one to watch for at Vintages:

Jackson-Triggs Proprietors’ Grand Reserve Methode Classique 2005 ($20, Vintages on Sept. 18, 4 stars) This is a gorgeously aged bubbly from Jackson-Triggs at a fabulous price. On the nose look for fresh citrus, toasty vanilla and hints of almonds. It’s creamy but still vibrant and exciting in the mouth with a lively bead. An exciting sparkler from one of Niagara’s best at this signature style.

Enjoy!