Perhaps, like me, when you first heard the term "Super Tuscan" Wines, you may have wondered just what these mythical sounding wines are. Well, like most mythical characters, the origins of the Super Tuscans are a bit of a myth themselves.

When the DOC laws came into being in the 1960s, the laws themselves stated, quite specifically and particularly, what strictures must be followed for wines to receive these special designations. In designing the wine laws, these are some of the rules that were developed by Italian politicians:

1. To receive a designation, the wines must be produced from only certain grapes, and the grapes must be planted in certain geographic areas.

2. Only very certain varieties of native grapes are permitted.

3. Maximum yield numbers are set.

4. Alcohol levels are strictly controlled.

5. To receive the very highest designation, the DOC and DOCG, wines must be presented to a strict tasting panel.

While these new laws were a great boon to Italian wine makers, and especially to the Tuscan producers of Chianti, whose wines were elevated to a new status, some good, and even great wines fell outside the rules. These were unable to receive the coveted DOC and DOCG designations because they included grape varieties not native to Tuscany! Although they could, by law, only receive the designation of Vino di Tavola, or Table Wine, they were some of the best wines then being produced in Tuscany.

How It Began

And so, these new wines had to make a reputation for themselves. But where did they come from? There were two men of ancient aristocratic European families responsible for the birth of the new Super Tuscan wines. They were the Baron de Rothschild of Chateau Lafitte in France, and the Marchese Incisa della Rocchetta of Tuscany. Collaborating, they brought the finest vines in France, those of Chateau Lafitte, to Tuscany.

The Marchese, according to the story, has long been experimenting with planting Cabernet Sauvignon grapes on land of his that he believed was much like the vineyards of Bordeaux in climate, soil and topography.

These experiments were successful, but not without setbacks. The problem of much lower yields had to be overcome, and the process of producing a new type of wine, combining the grapes of Tuscany with those of Bordeaux, was very expensive. Among other things, hand-hewn oak barrels from France, that had to be replaced every year in order to replicate the right aging conditions, were extraordinarily costly. Another setback came to be when word of the good new wines being produced through the venture of Marchese Incisa reached his fellow Italian wine makers. Their pride was offended: how could a fellow maker bring French grapes to their tradition?

And yet, because the wines were lovely, the new methods took hold. But what, exactly, were the vintners to call these new wines? Well, the name Super Tuscan took hold.

It simply meant a wine that was outside of the DOC designations, because of the addition of grape varieties that were not native to Tuscany, but was much more intricate and reliable for aging than the ordinary Vino di Tavolo that it shared a designation with.

The first Super Tuscans, Sassicaia and Tignanello, produced by Marchese Incisa, and his relatives, the aristocratic Antinori family, were wines that were complex and had the potential for evolving over the aging process. Quite different indeed than the Vino di Tavolo that the world was used to. These new wines were lush and silky, intense and full-bodied. Soon, every respectable winery in Tuscany was intent on producing a non-DOC serious wine.

Today, Super Tuscans are produced all over Italy, but they had their origin right here in Bella Toscana. These wines are not inexpensive, and are really only affordable when compared to the finest French and California vintages. But they are among Italy's finest wines. We hope you will try them soon.

Recently, several of our recipes have called for homemade types of pasta. I thought I would take this opportunity to share with you a very simple recipe for making Pasta Fatta in Casa, using just a few ingredients, but easily creating the real thing. Enjoy!

• 4 Cups Semolina Flour
  
  
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  
  
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
  
  
• 2 Tablespoons Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Measure the flour into a large bread bowl. Make a well in the middle, and pour in the lightly beaten eggs. Add the salt and the olive oil to the well. Mix well, bringing bits of flour gradually into the center.

Place the dough on a floured board and knead. We suggest keeping a cup of warm water at hand, and adding it just a tablespoon at a time to make the dough reach a rolling consistency.

Form the dough into a ball and cover it with bowl you mixed it in. Let it rest for 10 minutes, then divide into 4 parts. Keep the other parts covered as you work with one at a time. Using a rolling pin or pasta machine, roll the dough out very thin, and cut into desired shape. Let dry for 30 minutes.

Cook in 8 quarts of boiling salted water. This will cook in just a minute or two! Be careful. Drain and serve dressed as you wish.