Testalonga

Antonio Perrino is one of those mythical figures in Italian winemaking whom everyone knows, but very few have ever tasted his wines. This is mainly because he owns just seven small barrels in which his entire production is stored. In other words, that's (7 x 500) / 0.75 = 4,666 bottles, which is a microscopic amount even for a garage winemaker.

Antonio, who sells his wines under the Testalonga label, has never made any attempts to change this. The vineyards he manages in the steeply sloping Arcagna area near Dolceacqua have not been expanded since he began as a winemaker in 1961.

The decision to be content with one hectare of vineyard was not just due to the desire to stay small. Dolceacqua is indeed beautiful but lies completely off the beaten path of viticultural trails or wine critics' attention in the far northwest of Liguria, just a stone's throw from the French border. Especially in times of American tasting dominance and the promotion of an expansive and voluminous wine style, Antonio's filigree and subtle interpretations were counter-designs understood and cherished only by a few individualists.

Instead of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, which some of his colleagues also planted in the mountains of Liguria, he stubbornly focused on Rossese and Vermentino, two grape varieties that, while having impressive potential, have limited popularity.

What is doubly unfortunate is that Vermentino, the more well-known of the two, develops an aroma profile in ideal cases (like Antonio's) that brings Mediterranean herbs (thyme, sage, rosemary) and floral notes (broom, acacia) to the nose. In Antonio's Testalonga interpretations, you can also add saline notes, terroir aromas that owe their existence to the thick layers of limestone, the very old vines (between 50-100 years), and possibly also the proximity to the sea. The worldwide total of 4,000 hectares of Vermentino (3,300 hectares of which are in Sardinia) is contrasted by a mere 80 hectares of Rossese, all located in and around Dolceacqua. Louis Dressner, one of the most renowned American importers with profound knowledge of Italian niche wines, once called Rossese "the most exciting grape I have never heard of." Indeed, Rossese belongs to that inexhaustible collection of Italian varieties that are worth (re)discovering.

Rossese is sensitive and complicated. Experience and old vines are therefore beneficial—Antonio has both. His Rossese, which he has been vinifying for 55 years now, is a testament to the winemaker's deep understanding of the variety and why it makes sense to care for each individual vine. Stones and salt, with pepper, thyme, red berries in between, a lively yet extremely fine and delicate texture, drinking flow, and an incredible length make it clear why the elderly man rightly enjoys cult status.

P.S.: Antonio Perrino's wines have been made in his garage since his first harvest. Unlike his Bordeaux counterparts, he has always refrained from exploiting this fact for marketing purposes and has also remained in price ranges that make his wines affordable for everyone.