William Younger’s “Gods, Men and Wine” offers compelling evidence that the 1,000 year Roman winemaking tradition did not involve sulfites, and we have been exploring with this ancient winemaking tradition since 2001, finding it well suited to high altitude Cab Franc from volcanic soils.
These wines seem to take care of themselves very well without added preservatives, offering up incredibly intricate aromatics full of mystery and soul. The difference reminds us of the extra flavor dimensionality one finds in the great unpasteurized French cheeses.
Remarkably stable, these wines require extensive barrel age and reward further cellaring. You will want to decant and breathe prior to serving, and will improve for several days after opening. Although suitable for current consumption with pork and cherries or grilled duck breast, this is really a collector’s wine which will benefit substantially from a few years in the cellar.
Two Jakes 2010 Roman Reserve Cabernet Franc Video