Once upon a time in a small Piemontese village of Bionzo, a couple with Danish and Chinese roots settled with their two young sons with a dream of making great Italian wines. They created a brand called Qimisola, the spirit of the brand sits in the image of the zodiac signs of their sons - snake and rabbit can make lasting friendship with a glass of great wine. So they crafted 4 wines that are perfect for 4 seasons around the year. The name of each wine is inspired by one of the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales that matches the wines profile and aspiration...
Each wine bears a story. They hope, you drink more than a glass of wine when you drink Qimisola! Here is what they tell about the wines and stories...
1. Spring: L'Usignolo - The Nightingale
The Tale
Nightingale is a famous H.C. Anderson fairy tale. The Emperor of China learns that one of the most beautiful things in his empire is the song of the nightingale. When he orders the nightingale brought to him, a kitchen maid leads the court to a nearby forest, where the nightingale agrees to appear at court; it remains as the Emperor's favourite. When the Emperor is given a bejeweled mechanical bird he loses interest in the real nightingale, who returns to the forest. The mechanical bird eventually breaks down, and the Emperor is deathly ill a few years later. The real nightingale learns of the Emperor's condition and returns to the palace; whereupon Death is so moved by the nightingale's song that he allows the Emperor to live.
The Nightingale is about true friendship, unconditional love. The singing of the Nightingale resembles the music of life. We have chosen this name for the wine because this wine's most characteristic fragrant nose is like the singing of the Nightingale, elegant, rich. And it's rare and unique!
The Wine
L'Usignolo ("the Nightingale) Calosso DOC is made from 100% Gamba di Pernice grapes (leg of partridge birds, as the stems of the grapes bunch are dark red in summer). It is one of the smallest DOC wines in Italy. About 15 producers with 20 hectares of vineyards in total. Gamba di Pernice grapes is an antique local grape type with the first records found in 1700. It was almost extinct because of the popularity of the Barbera and Moscato in the late 90s. It got recovered by some of the vine cultivators in 2000 and in 2011 obtained the DOC classification.
The L'Usignolo: the first impression of the wine is its renowned fragrance. Just like Nightingale's singing, it has an elegant, complex nose. The gustatory softness is balanced with the verve of acidity and a fraction of tannins, perfectly wrapped in a soft and persuasive black cherry pulp. Finally, hints of dark chocolate that amplify the expressive roundness of the wine.
2. Summer: La Sirenetta - The Little Mermaid
The Tale
Little Mermaid is a popular tale from Hans Christian Anderson. The little mermaid from the underwater kingdom fell in love with a handsome prince she saved. In order to be with him, she is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a human soul. The witch gave her the human legs but took away her beautiful voice and leave her walking with excruciating pain. She endures and became the companion of the price. However, the prince declared love and married the neighboring country princess. The little mermaid had a chance to kill the prince so to get her life back to the sea as a mermaid and reunite with her family. But the little mermaid couldn't kill the prince and instead jumped in the sea and turned into foams. She transformed into the daughter of the air and obtained an eternal soul in heaven because of her selflessness.
Value: curiosity, broadening the horizon, love, and self-sacrifice.
The Wine
la Sirenetta ("the little mermaid") rosé is made from 100% Pinot Nero grapes. It has a beautiful salmon color with fresh acidity, hints of tropical fruits flavor.
The character of the Pinot makes this Rosé an "atypical" Rosé as it has more body structure and mouthfeel than the mainstream. While Rosé is perhaps more associated with feminine qualities, this Rosé certainly has the "masculine" tone that makes it appreciated also by man.
Also available from the spring of 2022 is our Sparkling Rosé, made with "metodo classico", which will find a great balance with its fresh, fruity notes with its enjoyable rich body.
3. Autumn: I Fratelli - The Brothers
The Tale
the Brothers (from H.C. Andersen's tale "to brødre" - two brothers) is a beautiful story about two very different brothers. Their mother had always taught them about right and reason, and to hold fast to truth, which she said is the face of God in this world.
The elder brother is bright and scientifically minded. The younger brother was quieter and a dreamer. Yet they both are seeking the truth that holds the world together. One night the mighty Genius visited them, carried the elder brother in the space to travel between far and near, and kissed the dreaming younger brother on the forehead. "Be strong in fame and strong in the battle of life! With truth in your heart fly toward the land of truth!" And who are the two boys? Hans Christian Ørsted became a famous physicist and chemist. Anders Sandøe Ørsted became a lawyer, politician, and jurist, and served as the Prime Minister of Denmark.
Qimisola's first flagship is named "the brothers", dedicated to our two boys. Hope two of them so different in their characters, pursue their journey to encounter the truth.
The wine
I Fratelli ("the Brothers") Barbera di Asti DOCG Superiore is made from 100% Barbera grapes. Those Barbera grapes are from the old vines aged 60-70 years in our biologically managed vineyard. After finishing the fermentation, the wine is stored 20 months in used medium toast French oak barrels. Transfer to stainless steel vats for 1 month before bottling, 6 more months in bottles before release.
I Fratelli wine: Intense ruby red. Aromas of blueberry with fresh cherry and raspberry, hints of spices. A dense and full-bodied wine due to its high and powerful concentration, where the persuasiveness of its taste prevents any aggressive palatal expression. The aromatic recall to a limpid and unoxidized fruit shows off a roundness and softness that make its taste silky and smooth. A majestic, harmonious, clear and strong wine in its powerful, persistent, balsamic texture.
4. Winter: Il Babbo - What the Old Man does is always right
The Tale
The name of this wine is inspired by the H.C. Andersen fairy tale "What the old man does is always right". In Italian - "il Babbo", the old man/father. The story: A farmer's wife tells him to exchange their horse for something more useful. After a series of trades, the farmer ends up with a bag of rotten apples. Two wealthy Englishmen make a bet that the farmer's wife will be angry when he comes home with the rotten fruit. But the farmer insisted that his wife will kiss him, and say, 'what the old man does is always right.' So the Englishmen followed the farmer home. While explaining his every trade for the worse, his wife always cheerfully sees the merit of every deed, even the rotten apple. So the Englishmen said "always going down the hill, and yet always merry; it's worth the money to see it." So they paid a hundred gold coins to the farmer, who, whatever he did, was not scolded but kissed.
Yes, it always pays best when the wife sees and maintains that her husband knows best, and whatever he does is right :-).
The Wine
Il Babbo (What "the old man" does is always right) Barbera di Asti DOCG Superiore is made from 100% Barbera grapes of very old vines (70-100 years old). The low production quantity is compensated by the rich, complex profile of the wine which makes it a top-quality Barbera to enjoy. Il Babbo integrates concentrated black fruit notes with the structure from aging in new French oak bariques for 18-24 months, making it a wine with great aging potential.
It's a rich, full-bodied wine with a high concentration and strength that give every sensorial reverberation a truly exceptional aromatic insistence and persistence. The gustatory softness is balanced with all the verve of acidity and the dense texture of tannins, perfectly wrapped in a soft and persuasive black cherry pulp. Finally, hints of sweet spice balms amplify the expressive roundness of this wine of absolute consistency.
5. New Arrival: Gianbabbeo - Clumsy Hans
The Tale
In 2023, Lars introduced a new addition to the Qimisola range: a red wine crafted from our versatile Pinot Nero. We named it "Gianbabbeo," inspired by H.C. Andersen's enchanting tale, "The Clumsy Hans." The story recounts the Princess's quest for a husband who can make her laugh, and it centers around an unassuming yet endearing young man. Through a series of serendipitous events and his knack for turning life's misadventures into uproarious tales, he ultimately reveals himself to be clever and resourceful, winning the heart of the Princess.
Although our Pinot Nero hails not from its original birthplace in Burgundy, we believe it has the power to captivate hearts with its innate beauty and simplicity. Another significant reason for this naming is Lars' desire to pay homage to his dear friend, Hans Christian, an extraordinary winemaker who once owned a winery in Burgundy and later also created a winery adventure in Denmark. In the art of crafting our Pinot Nero, Lars draws upon Hans Christian's resourcefulness. "The Clumsy Hans" serves as a tribute to their cherished friendship and shared devotion to the craft of winemaking.
The Wine The Gianbabbeo Piemonte DOC Pinot Nero is made from 100% Pinot Nero from our organic vineyard. It is characterised by a brilliant, translucent ruby red colour. The aroma is delicate and alluring, with notes of ripe red berries such as cherry, raspberry and strawberry, a subtle hints of floral petals, along with a trace of earthy undertones and a touch of liquorice.
On the palate, it offers a harmonious balance of fruitiness and acidity. Lars has been playing with this first vintage aging partially in new oak, old barrique and steel tank, to reach an integrated wood influence without over-powering the wine. While our newly released 2021 vintage still on the young side, it may showcase a graceful evolution, revealing additional nuances as it breathes.
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