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Falanghina - An Ancient Varietal Revisited
08/01/2016
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Ever heard of the wine grape varietal Falanghina? Honestly, neither had I before I began researching for this article. I’ve heard of Falernian wine, which is related to the varietal, but we’ll get to that later. And I’m very familiar with Monterey County’s dynamic Wrath winery, which has graced us with a new form of this ancient varietal, but we’ll also get to that later. For now, let’s start with the ancient varietal part. Falanghina is an Italian white wine varietal native to the coast of Campania, north of Naples. In southern Italy, it’s frequently paired with seafood. Although it’s been common in Italy since antiquity, it was only approved as a recognized varietal by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau for use in the United States in 2014. So unless you are particularly well-versed in Italian varietals, don’t feel wine- ignorant on this one. As for modern wines produced with the varietal, they are well-rounded and juicy with peach and tropical fruit characteristics. They often then have a crisp lemon zest finish. Sound intriguing? It is. This is not your average white wine. Familiar aromas from Falanghina wines include ripe peach, mango, and yellow plum, underlain by a subtle mineral element. The full mouth-feel will have juicy pit and tropical fruit flavors punctuated with that burst of lemon finish. Traditionally, these wines are aged in stainless steel which substitutes for the earthenware winemaking vessels the Romans would have used; so don’t expect any oak in these wines. A fruity, yet not sweet, white wine with a zesty finish…sounds not all that dissimilar from wines made with the Albariño varietal to me. And, like with that Spanish varietal, food pairings are varied and wide based on the flexibility and liveliness of the wine. Spicy food, such as Thai or Indian, would be great to pair with Falanghina wines as the wine will tame that raging spice. The southern Italians, and one can assume the Romans, seemed to have figured out long ago that Falanghina wines are perfect to accompany shellfish and seafood in general. As we’re still in grilling season, this is an excellent patio wine to pair with grilled fish. Our last food recommendation would be to pair with fresh salads or vegetable creations. The touch of fruitiness should be delightful with the vegetables. Now to that Roman connection. Falernian wine was produced from the slopes of Mt. Flernus, near the border of the Latium and Campania regions. It was the most renowned wine in ancient Rome and was highly sought after. One could even call it an ancient “cult wine.” The wine was produced primarily from two varietals: Aglianico and Falanghina. Falernian was a white wine high in alcohol content and was amber to brownish in color because of oxidation which occurred during its aging process. This was one of the first wines to be exported outside of Italy to other realms of the Roman Empire. As with the empire’s decline of influence after its fall, so did the popularity of Falernian wine. Thankfully, pioneering wineries today, such as Monterey County’s own Wrath, occasionally surprise everyone by producing wines which keep even the most educated vinophiles on their toes. And Wrath has an interesting story as well. In 2007, the Thomas family bought San Saba Vineyards. From the start, the new owners set out to change the culture of the wine and viticulture of the winery. A goal of Wrath is to create wines that express the pure flavors of varietals and vineyards. They started with replanting large sections of their estate vineyard, San Saba Vineyard, with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah. Wrath sources the fruit for their wines from their own estate vineyard and from a select few other elite county vineyards, such as Doctor’s, McIntyre, Tondre, and Boekenoogen.  Wrath has an inviting tasting room in Carmel-by-the-Sea and is a team of owner Michael Thomas, winemaker Sabrine Rodems, consultant Byron Kosuge, and grower Steve McIntyre. Sabrine has an interesting story of her own.Born in northern California, the wine world is a second career track for her. After years dabbling in other professions, she started as an intern with Gloria Ferrer Winery before joining San Saba Vineyards in 2004. Now the full-time winemaker for Wrath, she’s also started her own label called “Scratch.” Sabrine’s view on winemaking is: “Let the wine tell you what to do, don’t try to tell the wine what to do.” We’re certainly glad to have a winemaker with the skill and focus on quality as Sabrine in Monterey County. The Wrath Ex Anima Falanghina included in our club selection this month is a shining example of how our top notch growers and winemakers in Monterey County can produce new wines from different, and perhaps obscure, varietals. We’re proud to have pioneering wineries in our county producing intriguing wines such as the Wrath Falanghina. |
Post By:
Bryce