Luigi Mattiuzzo, an enologist - There are only four kinds of wine in the world

Luigi Mattiuzzo is the Italian enologist who visit Serbia at least once per month. The reason of his interest in our country is, among other things, wines which come from one of the most modern wine houses in Serbia, wines of the Sapat Atelier located in Slankamen. Using traditional methods of France and Italy, Mattiuzzo is trying to make a top quality wine typical for land features and conditions of the Fruska gora wine region.

In his interview for "eKapija", he is speaking about quality of Serbian wines, how to recognize the good one, why he chooses “suvarak” and what four types of wine are for him.

eKapija: How did you start cooperating with the Atelier Sapat?

- Cooperation was a result of my presence in Serbia for ten years now so it was not accidental.

eKapija: Does it mean you know wines and market of Serbia?

- I can say I know kinds of wine better than the market.

eKapija: How do you like wines you tried in Serbia?

- I would not like to say whether I like them or now, these are all valid products and it should be taken into an account that Serbia is pretty long and there are essential differences between some wine regions when it comes to features of wine.

eKapija: Does it mean Serbian wines can compete with foreign one such as Italian or French which are thought to be the best wines in the world? What should we do so that we could compete with them?

- Serbia has wines with features which can undoubtedly be compared with the Italian or French ones. However, I think it is a mistake to speak about Serbian wine since differences between regions are so huge. We can compare only wines from some similar wine regions. I think here, it is a common thing to forget that wine is born in vineyard, not in wine houses. Therefore, I think accent should on that since when a wine house gets quality raw material, it is much easier to make another quality wine.

eKapija: Your colleague, French enologist, Philippe Cambie, once said that the wine is the one drank in good company, there is no rating scale which can measure quality. What do you think about that?

- If an enologist, as an expert, should provide grade, then he should be alone when tasting wine. If he should enjoy wine, he should be in a company because when you taste it, you drink alone and when you enjoy it, you do it in a company.

eKapija: Which wine from the Sapat Atelier is awakening the most wonderful feelings in you, the one you would drink for pleasure? What are the wines you choose for your soul?

- When it comes to Sapat, all wines are undoubtedly good. However, if I should personally choose, I would start with nice, fresh, rose and then continue with su, Merlot and end with Pi wine.

eKapija: When we are speaking about the quality of equipment used in wine production, did the Germans take over the first position from the French and Italians?

- We should make a clear distinction here. The fact is that the French made the first pneumatics press which have been the best at the market still. However, Italian companies have entire range of equipment used from the start to the end until wine gets to a glass. I am not saying that the French and Germans do not have good equipment but when it comes to price, German equipment is more expensive and I am not sure whether it is more quality. However, two biggest fairs of equipment for wine houses are held in Milan and Paris, never in Germany. And, I am not saying that because I am an Italian.

eKapija: Can an average consumer make a difference between good and bad wine?

- I think an average consumer who is not regular wine consumer described it with “I like it”and “I don’t like it”. A consumer who drinks wine regularly can distinct from the features he likes in a wine and the ones he doesn’t. Still, in the world, there are only four kinds of wine: good, bad, rose and blanco.

J.DJ.