Michael Sexton and the Super Tuscans

NSW solicitor general Michael Sexton discusses Italian reds and whites with Justinian's wine correspondent, Gabriel Wendler ...  Region by region, grape by grape, they let their taste buds do the talking 

MICHAEL SEXTON has been the NSW solicitor general since 1998.

Apart from being the state's second law officer, Sexton is well regarded as a book reviewer and an author - including his most recent work, Gough Whitlam: The Rise and Ruin and a Prime Minister. 

He's a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and a member of the council and adjunct prof at the University of Technology Sydney.

He's also been on the boards of State Library of NSW and the Sydney Writers' Festival.

Justinian's wine man Gabriel Wendler caught-up with Mr Solicitor to talk about Italian wines, and kicked-off the chat by asking how long he proposed to continue as SG, forsaking a life of letters, music and travel? 

Sexton: I have very much enjoyed my time as solicitor general and I have been able to keep up a fair amount of writing -legal and non-legal - in this post, so I don't need to retire for that reason.

At some stage I will have to think about this question, but just for the next few years I am very happy in this role.

Wendler: It's perhaps not widely known that you are a lover of Italy, specially her wines - of which you have been an avid collector. Wine writer Huon Hooke wrote that about 30 years ago, "it was virtually impossible to procure an Italian red that was not volatile brown and tired, or a dry white that wasn't oxidised and devoid of fruit flavour". Of course today overall quality is superb. Do you agree with Hooke?

Sexton: It may be that 30 years ago there were some very good wines available in Italy but certainly very few were exported. The sharp increase in quality originated in the most traditional regions like Tuscany and Piedmont, but has now spread to almost every part of the country. 

Wendler: As you know there about 300 officially recognised wine zones or Denominazione di Origine Controllata in  Italy - demonstrating every wine style from  still red and white, dry, sweet, sparkling and fortified.

However, in broad terms Italy's wine making regions can be divided into North, Central, Southern Italy and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. For me the wines of Piedmont, Tuscany and the sub-region of Brunello di Montalcino are the most attractive.

In the last 10 years  improved wine quality from the regions of Umbria and Emilia-Romagna has made significant commercial impact upon consumers. Which wine regions do you prefer?

Sexton: Overall I think the Italian reds are stronger than their whites, although I am very fond of the whites from the far North-Trentino and the Alto Adige.

For everyday drinking, it's  hard to go past the Sangiovese - Chiantis and Toscanas - from Tuscany.

The Brunellos are of course magnificent wines, but much more expensive. At their best the Barolos and Barbarescos from Peidmont are great wines, but they are variable and expensive.

My favourite region at the moment is the Veneto where vineyards on the outskirts of Verona produce Valpolicellas, Ripassos and Amarones all based on the Corvina grape.

Valpolicella was once thought of as a thin light red but the best of these wines have a superb texture and flavour.

Another region I particularly like is Lombardy, which produces some very rich and stylish reds, although they are seldom seen in Australia. 

Wendler: In Piedmont, northwesten Italy, the Nebbiolo grape is predominate. The red wines of Barolo and Michael Sexton SC: law, writing and wineBarbaresco are most sought after and have a high international profile, whereas in the Chianti-Tuscany region of central Italy the Sangiovese grape predominates.

Is your preference for full-bodied wines from Piedmont or the medium-bodied and elegant wines of Chianti?

Sexton: I would be more than happy with a good wine from either of these regions. As I have suggested, I think the Nebbiolo grape is more difficult to work with than Sangiovese, but the results can be splendid.

Interestingly, the character of some of the Chiantis has been changing in recent years to a slightly lighter style. I suppose, on balance, I prefer the wines of Tuscany to Piedmont, but I would say I need to do more research on both regions. 

Wendler: You will remember the controversy that arose on the advent of the so described "Super Tuscans" of which Tignanello, made by the Marchesi Antinori, was the first, then followed Sassicaia, produced on the estate of the Marchesi Incisa della Roccetta.

Sassicaia is  a Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc blend, whereas Tignanello is a Sangiovese Cabernet blend.

Both wines are well regarded and expensive. My taste memory recalls the 1983 Sassicaia as delicious, but my experience of "Super Tuscans" is limited. What about you?

Sexton: I've had some of both these wines and they are certainly a delight. I think there is a trend among the so-called Super Tuscans to move to a Cabernet Sauvignon base rather than Sangiovese.

The Bolgheri area which is located on the Ligurian coast and so on the western edge of Tuscany is a prime source of Super Tuscans including Sassicaia and Ornellaia.    

Angelo Gaja: the solicitor general would be happy to test his wines

Wendler: In Piedmont the most high profile and indefatigable marketer of his wines is Angelo Gaja. It is said his 1997 Barbaresco is a red wine of such power and intensity that its earliest drinking will be in 2017!

Do you chase his wines and if so what attracts you to them?

Sexton: The Gaja wines are so expensive, by which I mean $300-400 a bottle, that they are outside most people's drinking range. So I don't chase them, but I'd obviously be happy to test them if the opportunity ever arises. 

Wendler: I have great interest in Recioto della Valpolicella Amarone from the Veneto region. This unique wine A Super Tuscanstyle presents as dense, powerful, and subtly bitter sweet. It is also very alcoholic,  usually a minimum of 15 percent.

Are you interested  in Amarone?

Sexton: I've had Recioto occasionally and it is certainly an amazing wine, and highly alcoholic. I would not drink it often because it is not really a wine to go with food, but I have a serious bottle sitting around at the moment that awaits the proper moment for drinking.  

Wendler: Do you drink much Italian dry white wine, for example: Gavi, Soave and wines made from Pinot Grigio?

I have always thought Proseco was much underrated. It is an excellent aperitif, especially if its Proseco Superiore di Cartizze - crisp, acidic and refreshing.  

What are your favourite Italian whites ?

Sexton: I mentioned that I particularly like the whites from the Tyrol region that borders on Austria, although it seems to me that the range of whites do not have the depth of the reds.

Soave from the Veneto had a reputation for many years as being extremely bland but there are now some quite good examples of this wine being made.

I have occasionally had some excellent Chardonnays from Friuli and the Valle d' Aosta, but this grape is something of a rarity amongst Italian wines. 

Wendler: The quality of wines, in particular Vino da Tavola, red and white, produced in Sicily in the last 10 years has been extraordinary.

Do you have much experience with Sicilian wines?

Sexton: I've had quite a few Sicilian reds and the rising quality in recent years is quite remarkable.

The flagship wines are probably those from the slopes of Mount Etna, which go under the broad name of Etna Rosso, but come from a number of producers in that area.

Wendler: Name your favourite Italian wine producers.

Sexton: I've referred to the wines from the Veneto - Valpolicellas, Ripassos and Amarones - and I think one of the most exciting producers of these wines is Giuseppi Quintarelli whose labels carry his name.

On the Tuscan side I can recommend the Merlots – an unusual grape for this region - of Tua Rita and the Brunellos of Casanova di Neri.