Seeing Soreli

 

A bit of background: we chose Soreli as the main white grape for our small experimental vineyard in the Thames Valley when we grubbed up our old vine (early 1990s) Bacchus 3 or 4 years ago. No one tells you that Bacchus is very susceptible to mildew of one sort or another and requires more than a dozen 'treatments' in a season. That is spraying with chemicals. We weren't too keen on that hence the 'arrachage' and change of grape.

Francesco Visentin with his young Soreli vines

After a visit to the Vivai Cooperativo Rauscedo (VCR - the world's largest vine nursery) we chose 'Soreli' following a fascinating tasting of micro-vinifications from the various new resistant varieties obtained by the VCR. 

 

Soreli vine free from grass and growth on the trunk

Our Soreli is an offspring from (Tocai) Friulano and a resistance partner. There is another grape called Fleurtai with the exact same genetic make up which ripens slightly earlier. Soreli is Friulian for 'Sun' by the way.

Soreli and Fleurtai have been planted in Friuly by Azienda Agricola Obiz among others as well as in France (Languedoc) of which more later and even Sweden (Gotland).

Our friend Francesco Visentin of A.A. Obiz was kind enough to send us two sample bottles of Soreli a couple of years ago so we profited from a recent trip to Venice to pay him a visit at Obiz only an hour north of La Serenissima.

To be honest, our Soreli in England has been struggling. The hot dry conditions of the last two years have been disastrous for the baby vines. In 2021 we weren't able to water them because of the lockdown and this year it looked as if we had lost most of the replacement vines even with watering although many of them came back once the rain came.

Installing irrigation at A.A. Obiz

The soil at Obiz is heavy clay as is ours in the UK. During our visit we saw irrigation work being carried out. We felt a kinship there although we have no budget for such measures. The hosepipe is all we can use as long as there, bans permitting.

 

Baby Soreli grapes

 It is amazing how impervious heavy clay can be but Obiz is obviously on top of the problem. Francesco gave us invaluable advice on growing Soreli. It is especially important to ensure no grass ('the enemy of the vine' according to Francesco) is present at the foot of the vines and that the trunks are free of growth.

Obiz is an impressive operation and deserves to be well known more widely internationally.

Indeed things are moving in that direction. There was an Obiz stall at the London International Wine Fair 2022 for the first time.

Stainless steel tanks.

 

Obiz wines include Friulano, Malvasia, Pinot Grigio, Ribolla Gialla and Traminer Aromatico
(Gewurtztraminer) as well as Soreli for the whites and Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon, Merlot and Refosco for the reds. As well as still wines they make three sparklers.

Concrete or Epoxy Fermentation tanks

 

Soreli isn't listed in any of the blends on the website but may be included under Friulano.

Francesco pours samples from the Soreli tank.

At a tasting of 57 varieties made by only one or very few producers at the Athenaeum Club in London in 2021, the Obiz sample of Soreli was included and scored a respectable 16 on Jancis Robinson's Purple Pages site with the comment

Heady, furry-peachy aromas with the merest hint of Muscat. Clean and fresh but not the most complex wine. Though the persistence is quite impressive!

The sample Francesco sent us in 2019

Now to return to Soreli in the Languedoc, there have been some ructions thanks to an edict rather late in the day banning Soreli (even after plantings had been made) but allowing Fleurtai. When pressed the authorities claimed that Soreli ripened too early but the growers pointed out that Fleurtai is even earlier. No dobt the arguments will rage and hopefully Soreli may be re-established on the list of permitted varieties.

That Vitisphere report by Michele Trevoux dated 25.10.22:

The Vin de France Agrimer Specialized Council has just launched a 5th collective plan in Languedoc Rousillon. This plan will be put into effect from 2022/23 - 2024/25. Following consultations with representatives of the entire sector (independent winegrowers, cooperatives, nurserymen, negociants etc.) the list of winning grape varieties has been reviewed. Five grape varieties were ruled out including three resistant varieties: Artaban, Soreli and Prior, as well as Chenancon and Nielluccio. On the other hand, the resistant Fleurtai variety is making its debut, For the entire Languedoc-Rousillon basin, Carignan Blanc, Muscat a petits grains, Roussanne and Marsanne become eligible, but only in the AOP areas that have requested them.

"With each colleective plan, there is some questioning of the award-winning grape varieties according to market needs. This is why we include these in our thinking" Explains Guilhem Vigroux, Chairman of the RDQ committee. Chenancon and Nielluccio were discarded because they were not sufficiently planted. The exclusion of resistant varieties is due to the results of the initial plantings. Artaban has not the required quality, Prior and Soreli were considered to ripen too early, the latter being complicated to train because of its drooping posture. "There is a strong societal expectation of a reduction in chemical treatments, business of the region is therefore very favourable to the planting of resistant varieties but with one important condition: that they produce quality wines" says Magali Jelila, director of the EUVM.

For Loic Breton, Director of VCR France, VCR being the Italian nursery which breeds Soreli, this decision is incomprehensible. "All my customers who have planted Soreli are happy with it. It is a productive grape variety that makes quality wines with a typical Sauvignon Blanc character. I've never had any negative feedback. As for its earliness, it is less than that of Fleurtai, which has just been selected. It makes no sense." Jerome Vic, winegrower-negociant who operates a 220 ha vineyard in Vias and Portiragnes is just as surprised. He planted 10 ha of Soreli and vinified his first harvest this year. "We are super satisfied with the wines we have obtained. Aromatically, it is very interesting. It is a Sauvignon Blanc profile with thiolated notes. We made a 100% Soreli Cuvee in Vin de France, which is already finished. It is an early grape variety but no more so than Sauvignon. We harvested it in the week of August 16th," he said.

The RDQ committee specifies that the grape varieties excluded from this collective plan nevertheless remain eligible under individual plans and that at the end of this plan, the list of grape varieties will be reviewed again and that the re-introduction of the discarded varieties may be examined if industry representatives so request.