What distinguishes white vinification from red vinification?

What distinguishes white vinification from red vinification?
The main difference lies in maceration, i.e. the contact of the must with the marc (skins and seeds) during fermentation: while in white vinification the solid parts of the grapes are removed immediately after harvesting through soft pressing to prevent the skins from releasing pigments and giving an undesirable colour, in red vinification maceration is essential for the development of colour, structure and longevity. The substances present in the grapes dissolve in the must due to the solvent power of the alcohol, which has a decisive influence on the character of the wine.

It only takes about thirty minutes by car from Parma, heading west, to find yourself immersed in the middle of the vineyards of a very young company that is at the same time steeped in history: Tenute Venturini Foschi.

The company, founded just six years ago, in 2016, by Pier Luigi Foschi and Emanuela Venturini, has once again given viticultural lustre to some of the land that stretches between the hills of Noceto and Medesano. Lands rich in history – just think of the proximity of the Via Francigena – and in rural tradition, where time slows down and nature dictates the rhythms.

I’ll give you five minutes to think about which grape varieties you would choose to cultivate on an inherited piece of land in the Parma hills to produce quality wine. Ready? If you answered Chardonnay or Malvasia, you may already be on the right track, but only if you specified which Malvasia grape variety.
If, however, you answered Nebbiolo or Vitovska, I am afraid I will have to take on the thankless task of crushing your dreams. Yes, because the land of Emilia is fertile and generous, but not all grape varieties are made for it.
Finding the most suitable vine clones for an area is a complex task that has to take into account many factors and implies in-depth knowledge of the territory, the soil and climatic environment and the composition of the soil.

In 1871 Giuseppe Verde, one of the most famous people from the Parma area, wrote, “Let’s go back to the past, it will be progress”. Who knows if Tenute-Venturini Foschi, founded in those very same lands (only a little further south), might have had this phrase in mind when they decided to use terracotta amphorae for the vinification of their Gemma Gentile.

Yes, because the use of terracotta amphorae for fermenting and refining wine is very old and it is surprising that in recent years, after the development of innovative machines and technologies for winemaking, many wineries have returned to such a simple and essential natural container.

With an eye on history, many producers have realised that a return to their origins, reworked in a modern style, could be a step towards the future. In particular, they study the Georgian tradition where wine-making in amphorae called qvevri began 8,000 years ago and has never really gone out of fashion. This method has been on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List since 2013.