Limited Edition – Mono no aware

The special edition Mono no aware was born from the meeting and support of two families of entrepreneurs deeply linked to the Franciacorta area and the fruits that derive from its processing. The Mazzocchi family, in the nineteenth century, operated in the sericulture sector and, with the same passion and dedication, the Caruna family has been involved in the wine sector for years Pompeo Mazzocchi during his fifteen expeditions to Japan for the purchase of seeds. Bachi was fascinated by the habits, customs and traditional artistic production of the population; so much so that he purchased numerous works which he exhibited in his home in Coccaglio, creating an extremely heterogeneous collection. The oriental art collection was then inherited by his son Cesare Mazzocchi, who chose to donate it to the local community allowing the creation of the Museum of Oriental Art - Mazzocchi Collection in Coccaglio. A legacy passed down, therefore, like that which is transferred from generation to generation in the Caruna family.

In addition to the label, the connection with the Japan it is also visually communicated by the name of the edition reproduced on the bottle, recalling Japanese lacquer.

Japanese lacquer urushi it is the most valuable lacquer of all'Orient. Urushi it is also there'tree from which the sap is collected through cuts on the trunk. A tree, over the course of 14 or 15 years, can produce only about 200 grams of lac; this fact determines its rarity and value. The lacquer is applied to objects of various types and shapes, creating an extremely resistant and shiny layer, also equipped with great adhesive strength, which is therefore also embellished with applications. Lacquering is carried out by hand by expert craftsmen, often working the material directly with their fingertips. During the Edo period (1603-1868) quest'art reached its peak with'addition of materials such as noble metals in powder, leaf or foil, white and iridescent mother-of-pearl or ivory to the surface of the objects which were incorporated and protected with l'urushi. Makie it is the decoration technique with powder d'gold (or'silver). These decorations makie, literally sprinkled paint, are the best known and most prized'specialized artist takes the name of makieshi.

A further connection between the wine produced and oriental culture is symbolized by the kintsugi, the restoration and repair technique through gold that gives new life and new value to objects. In the same way, even at the time of the birth of this winery, the idea of recovering and making what was grown and then harvested stronger and more precious was inspiring, leading to the creation of a quality product.

Gold crepe representing the kintsugi they also decorate the packaging carefully designed to contain each bottle.

Furthermore, the shade chosen is the color known as Prussian Blue or Berlin Blue. The woodcuts Ukiyo-e traditional Japanese in the past were made using pigments of plant origin. But in the second half of'nineteenth century, with l'beginning of trade between the East and the'West, a mutual exchange of products and processing techniques also occurred. L'opening allowed the Japanese to replace some colors of vegetal and mineral origin with chemical colours. The most famous example is given by'arrival in Japan of the Prussian Blue color which gave greater intensity and did not fade over time.

All this is what makes wine and its production approachable to Japanese culture.

It is well known that where there is wine there is also conviviality, so it is hoped that bringing a wine like that of this edition to the table Mono no aware can lead to dialogues that are a source of exchange of different traditions and cultures and also conversations on unusual and profound topics.

A QR CODE FOR A PROJECT IN THE EVENT

A QR code to link to a page with dynamic content, updated periodically: in it you can for example immerse yourself in the universe of waka, the Japanese poems, narrated and sung by Megumi Akanuma, in an experience that recalls the ancient traditions of the noble ladies of the imperial court of Kyoto, or explore the secrets of kintsugi, the art of repairing and fortifying with gold; From month to month, returning to the page dedicated to the project, owners of Mono No Aware bottles will be able to find new conversation starters and insights.
This code becomes the passport for a journey into Japanese culture, a door that opens onto a world of art, literature and history to give voice and shape to an innovative project that aims to bring art directly to the table, between conviviality and pleasure of good living, creating an experience that intertwines two worlds, giving the opportunity to talk about Japanese art and culture even while sitting comfortably at the table with friends, providing an unusual and stimulating starting point for conversation.

Mono no aware thus becomes a journey through time and space, allowing you to explore a territory and a cultural heritage that combines with the ancient splendor of the works of art of the Mazzocchi Museum and is intertwined with one of the most characteristic products of our territory.
Being able to talk about Japanese culture for an hour using the bottle as the only "slide" or simply instilling curiosity in diners is one of the objectives of this initiative in which every element blends harmoniously, offering a complete and engaging experience that goes beyond beyond simple written words and carries within it the hope that our table will never lack good wine and good conversations.

INSIGHTS N. 1

KINTSUGI HISTORY AND TECHNIQUE

Kintsugi is an ancient restoration technique for repairing broken ceramic objects. Its name comes from the union of two words, kin-oro and tsugi-reunion.
According to the most famous legend, kintsugi originated in the 15th century AD, when Ashikaga Yoshimasa, eighth shogun of Ashikaga, after breaking his favorite tea cup, sent it to China to have it repaired. Unfortunately, the repairs were carried out with unaesthetic and not at all functional metal bindings. The object now seemed lost, but its owner tried to entrust it to some Japanese craftsmen who, surprised by the shogun's tenacity in getting his beloved cup back, decided to try to transform it into a jewel by filling the cracks with lacquer and gold dust .
There are many anecdotes about the breakage of "famous" ceramics, especially linked to the first times after the birth of the tea ceremony (chado ̄).
The most famous tea master, Sen No Rikyū (1522 – 1591), is the protagonist of one of these episodes. It is said that he was invited by a rich gentleman who wanted to amaze the master by showing his latest purchase: a precious Chinese chaire (tea vase), an artifact from the Song dynasty, splendid for its shape and the quality of the enamel. The man, who hung on the master's lips, served the tea, but not a word was said on the chaire, Sen No Rikyū completely ignored the piece, probably due to his thoughts around the tea ceremony, which was supposed to be simple and without ostentation. When the master left, the rich gentleman, disappointed and embittered, threw the precious vase against an iron tripod. Some guests who were still there collected all the pieces and had the vase repaired with the kintsugi technique. When the master was invited again, he immediately noticed the vase and said: “Now it is magnificent.”
Then there is another legend, linked to the figure of general Toyotomy Hideyoshi (1537-1598). It seems that, during a rally, his teacup, called Tsutsui zutsu(1), broke into five pieces. Hideyoshi was known for his irascible character and Hosokawa Yusai, a famous and powerful feudal lord, loyal to the shogun, playing on the words of the famous poem of the Ise Monogatari took responsibility for the breakup to avoid more serious trouble (even execution) for the others diners.

筒井筒 / 五つに割れし / 井戸茶碗 / とかをば我に / 負ひにけらしな。

“Tsutsui zutsu / itsutsu ni wareshi / idojawan / to ka oba ware ni / ohi ni kerashina .”

``Well real. The well cup (shaped like a well ring) broke into five pieces.
I am responsible for this disaster! ``

As far as practice is concerned, the restoration process essentially takes place in three phases: gluing, stuccoing, gilding.
The gluing is done with urushi lacquer, which is the main "ingredient" to reproduce the real kintsugi technique. It is a resin that is extracted from the Rhus paintflua plant, native to Japan, which is also found in China, Vietnam and South-East Asia, although the most valuable variety remains the Japanese one. The first lacquerware artefacts date back to about 5,500 years ago, before the Jomon period, and were found in the Shimahama tomb in Fukui Prefecture. It is likely that the name derives from the composition of two words: uruwashi (beautiful, pleasant) and uruosu (humid and luxurious). The sap is collected between the months of June and November, when parallel incisions are made in the bark of the trunk at regular intervals, to make it flow. Each plant, in its "useful" life for harvesting, produces only 200 grams of resin, which is why urushi lacquer is very expensive.
Unfortunately this resin is stinging and very poisonous.
Since ancient times, urushi lacquer has been used for its strong bonding power in the construction of tools and weapons. To this day, lacquer is used to glue ceramics: mixed with rice flour it is called nori urushi, while combined with mugi wheat flour urushi. The product, once glued and put together with elastic bands, is placed in a cabinet called a wall for about three weeks. It seems like a paradox, but urushi dries with heat (20°) and humidity (80/90%).
Once the piece has been glued, we continue with the grouting. The stucco must then be sanded perfectly. Once this operation is finished, you can proceed to paint the cracks with lacquer, using a very fine brush. When the lacquer "is about to dry, but is not yet dry", as the shop assistant in Kyoto where I first purchased the urushi told me, you can proceed to gilding the crack with the dusting technique.
After a fortnight it is possible to burnish the gold with taiki (a tool made with a snapper tooth), to make it even shinier.
Wanting to leave aside the aesthetic discussion, which would imply a digression on the concept of Japanese beauty, we cannot however fail to take into consideration the precious message that this technique conveys to us: a broken object, which seems to be thrown away, is worth more than a new object. Scars thus become a synonym of wealth, and not something to be ashamed of. Kintsugi brings with it a wonderful message: the more you suffer, the more you are bent by life, the richer and more precious you become!
Anita Cerrato

1 - Sen Soshitsu XV: Chado Koten Zenshu. Kyoto: Tankosha, 1971, vol. 3, Choando ki, p. 357. Original text published in 1640.

CARUNA FRANCIACORTA

Our wines want to represent as clearly as possible the uniqueness of the territory from which they originate: Monte Orfano. Minerality and sapidity represent the distinctive trait given by the particular origin of these lands.

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