Pollux Membership January 2024: Fal-lan-ghi-na! (Clap, Clap, Clap-Clap-Clap) and Carol’s Mom
The Fontanavecchia estate in Sannio.
“Fal-lan-ghi-na! (Clap, Clap, Clap-Clap-Clap)”
Fontanavecchia Falanghina “Libero” Taburno Falanghina DOC
Campania, Italy 2014
Sometimes in restaurant life, you’ll do anything to endure, and when you and your team reach double digits in terms of hours worked, it’s all you can manage to maintain an impeccable atmosphere in the front of the house as you begin a long, slow slide into delirium behind the scenes. Restaurant work is the epitome of “out of sight, out of mind” workplace culture, and I was raised in the industry at a time when how long you worked and how hard you worked were seen as synonymous. It took me around a decade of full-time industry involvement before I realized that I was actually doing a disservice to my staff when I stayed on for hour 12…14…and beyond. I found that, for me personally, 10-11 hours was my productivity max, and after that I was just a guy in a suit-capable enough, but certainly not the dynamic leader and wine director I aspired to be.
When I settled into these late hours, whether wrapping up out on the floor or squinting blearily at a computer screen to pull sales tax reports or write entries in the online logbook, shenanigans usually followed, and for me, that was often rooted in music/theatrics. At Central, in particular, we had a phone system with an all-phone intercom where I could reach all stations at once. This was never used for its actual purpose, but rather for very important late-night matters, such as inquiring about mock reservations as Sean Connery, announcing imminent natural disasters or alien invasions in my best “War of the Worlds” newscaster voice, or one of my personal favorites: chanting and singing grape varieties (these habits probably explain why, despite working for prominent DC restaurant establishments, I was never nominated for any Restaurant Association awards). I would like to be able to blame this all on my falling into the usual substance-related entrapments of the industry, but unfortunately for my employees I was just that strange naturally.
Now, when chanting/singing grape varieties, it is very important to respect regional decorums; one does not endeavor to pair Edelzwicker with Elvis, for example. No, it is best, rather, to keep it simple: who can resist, for example, “O Sole Mio” reconstructed as “Pi-Noooot Grigio”. Occasionally, the song itself will allow for a little genre blending, such as channeling your inner Toto by replacing “I bless the rains down in Africa” with “I’m growing Steen down in Africa”. Sometimes, however, a sudden stroke of genius will come through that cannot be ignored, like the time we had some professional athletes out in the dining room and I decided to cheer them on while paying homage to one of my favorite Italian white grapes: “Fa-lan-ghi-na! (Clap, Clap, Clap-Clap-Clap)”. Thankfully, my host team had by this point disabled the intercom function at the phone in front of the restaurant, but their lack of appreciation for my undoubtedly brilliant comedy just cost them a chance to learn a little more about this Southern Italian grape, one that, in the right hands, is worth cheering for.
Fontanavecchia owner Libero Rillo with his father Orazio and brother Giuseppe.
If your first name was “Free”, you’d probably be uninhibited about executing your vision, too. Armed with a family winemaking history dating back almost 160 years, Libero Rillo has inherited time-honored traditions at his family’s Fontanavecchia estate, located in the town of Torrecuso in the Sannio DOC in Campania. When most of us imagine the Naples region, we conjure imagery of the city itself with Mount Vesuvius in the background, or terraced meals of white wine and fresh seafood, enjoyed from a balcony clinging to the Amalfi coastline, but it is important to remember that just inland from Naples there are three regional parks, and most of the Campania wine region earns its “countryside” label. It is only fitting that Libero Rillo at Fontanavecchia harbors as well a desire to allow the world, through wine, to appreciate this green corner of the Campania region, and he has done this not only as a winemaker but also as chairman of the Consorzio del Sannio producers’ association. Total estate production at Fontanavecchia is a modest 8,300 cases per year, split amongst all of their cuvees.
The estate sits upon a hill near the Calore River that runs through the Sannio district, with views of Mount Taburno (which the relatively new Taburno Falanghina DOC, established in 2011, is named after). The hill has a thick vegetation of olive groves and vineyard, and the river’s presence make diurnal temperature shifts wide. The composition of the soil across Fontanavecchia’s 20 hectares of vineyards is clay and lime, and as we’ve seen in other parts of the world, the retentive clay soil is used for red grapes (Campania’s full-bodied bruiser Aglianico, in this case) while the mineral-rich limestone is planted to white varieties: the local Coda di Volpe, the fleshy Greco, and the star of Campania whites, Falanghina.
Falanghina on the vine.
Seen as the flagship white of Southern Italy, Falanghina is actually of Greek origin and has been cultivated for millenia. With its signature yellow berries that grow a thin layer of protective wax, Falanghina slightly resembles artificial table fruit, but thankfully the flavor profile doesn’t match the visual aesthetics. While the grape does thrive in the porous, volcanic soils in the immediate surroundings of Naples, it is important to reinforce again that Fontanavecchia’s more inland location does not see that soil type-instead, the grapes here in the Taburno DOC have the lime-rich marlstone outcrops referenced above, and finished products in the glass possess a trademark citrus/flower blossom aroma, often layered with pine/fresh forest scents (hopefully a background note, or the fruit isn’t ripe enough). The palate of Falanghina is apple/pear-based, as are many white Italian varieties, but where Falanghina sets itself apart are the secondary notes of high-toned varietal spices and the grape’s structure, which has the full roundness of its neighbor Greco but with more balancing acidity and noble character-well constructed Falanghina tastes, well, “serious”, and its aging potential also bears that ambition out.
For his flagship white wine, the “Libero”, Libero Rillo selects and hand-harvests in crates the best of his lots of Falanghina at vineyards that rise to 400 meters above sea level. The “Libero” is cold-soaked on the skins for 8 hours and then fermented, with 10% of the juice seeing French barriques. Aging is carried out mostly in stainless steel, but 20% of the “Libero” sees French oak for the first six months of the wine’s resting period. The strength of this fruit and the oak usage allow the “Libero” to gently aerate and contribute to its longevity-Falanghina adopts an intense golden color quite naturally even in the first few years of its existence, so seeing it on a wine harvested a decade ago is not a cause for alarm. And once you smell and taste the complexities that “Libero” has in abundance, the opportunity to enjoy this library vintage is both recognizably rare and most welcome-in fact, some chanting is truly in order, although for the sake of your family and friends, let’s just hope it’s only inside your head, and no intercom systems are readily available-D.
Fontanavecchia Falanghina “Libero”, Taburno del Falanghina DOC Campania 2014
Country of Origin: Italy.
Places and People: Armed with a family winemaking history dating back almost 160 years, Libero Rillo has inherited time-honored winemaking traditions at his family’s Fontanavecchia estate, located in the town of Torrecuso in the Sannio DOC in Campania. It is only fitting that Libero Rillo at Fontanavecchia harbors as well a desire to allow the world, through wine, to appreciate this green corner of the Campania region, and he has done this not only as a winemaker but also as chairman of the Consorzio del Sannio producers’ association. Total estate production at Fontanavecchia is a modest 8,300 cases per year, split amongst all of their cuvees. The select vines for their flagship “Libero” cuvee are grown at 400 meters above sea level.
Soil: Clay-based subsoil with prominent outcroppings of lime-rich marlstone.
Grape Varieties: 100% Falanghina.
Winemaking: The “Libero” is harvested by hand in the first third of October, with sorting in the vineyard and the chosen grapes collected in small crates. The juice is cold-soaked on the skins for 8 hours and then fermented, with 10% of the juice seeing French barriques during fermentation/vinification.
Aging: Aging is carried out mostly in stainless steel, but 20% of the “Libero” sees French oak for the first six months of the wine’s resting period.
Flavors and Foods: If you would like a stellar example of a white wine aging gracefully and even improving, look no further. The 2014 “Libero” has a stellar nose of varietally-correct asian pear, marmalade, spiced apricot, and dried lemons. The dried lemons continue on the palate with the addition of their lime counterparts, with the apricot and marmalade, some quince, and fresh yellow apple that moves more towards orange as the wine opens. Delicate hints of pine/retsina, and a fascinating earthy note of petrol that I usually find in Riesling are welcome secondary notes. Complexity writ large. Notice how I am not sharing notes of baked or bruised fruits, honey, etc., which would be understandable in a decade-old white wine-there just isn’t any evidence of oxidation here at all, and the natural color and palate weight of Falanghina seem to bear this burden of age with ease. A fantastic and exotic partner to high-level Chinese cuisine, roast chicken with dates and pineapple, or branzino grilled with lemon, garlic, thyme and rosemary, and a great olive oil. Finally, if you are in possession of a bottle of “Libero” and happen to stop at an Italian specialty store that stocks mozzarella bufala di Campana, run don’t walk.
Service and Cellar: I like the “Libero” being served at the upper end of the white wine cellar temperature spectrum (50-52 degrees F). The aromatics and delicate complexity of the palate deserve to shine and not be muted by excessive chill. This is one white wine that would actually benefit from decanting if you have the time. The bottle I tasted of the “Libero” suggests that it will be strong enough to grant you a second day of enjoyment if properly stopped and refrigerated. I think this 2014’s cellaring has been done for us by the winery; enjoy this year or next.
50 years of grapes: winemaker Carol Shelton.
“Carol’s Mom”
Carol Shelton Zinfandel “Rockpile Reserve”, Rockpile AVA, Sonoma, USA 2019
As parents of young children in this day and age, my wife Michelle and I are often in contact with others in our predica-ahem, I mean, life stage. And as much as we know that we do our very best to love and guide, I have to admit it can sometimes be a little intimidating/deflating to encounter another parent/s whose otherworldly devotion to their child seems impossible to achieve in the first place, let alone maintain. You know the ones: they’ve managed to teach their 5-year-old another language that wasn’t present in their home via heritage fluently, or they stay up overnight to sew the little tyke an intricate and ornate costume for their class presentation, or they write motivational notes to put inside the child’s lunchbox…every…single…day. Meanwhile, in contrast, I often become so wrapped up in the resolution of which of my two daughters gets to have the next turn wearing the Elsa from “Frozen” princess dress (and the tears/running off to some corner of the house by the non-victorious party that inevitably ensues from this crucial decision) that I sometimes have to stop and remind myself: Wait. We have a third one of these now. Is he still in the same place I placed-yes, yes he is, thank God…for wine.
But as impossibly “extra” as some of these parents can be, it appears that the majority of them couldn’t hold a candle to Carol Shelton’s mom, whose fantastic contribution to her daughter’s childhood began a wine story over 50 years in the making.
The Florence Vineyard in Sonoma’s Rockpile appellation, during the 2019 harvest. Elevation here is 1,400 feet.
Acclaimed winemaker Carol Shelton was six years old when her mother developed a special game to get her acquainted with ingredients in their kitchen. Dubbed “Identify the Scent”, the elementary-aged Carol was asked to blind-sniff herbs and spices from their cabinets. It quickly became apparent that Carol was a savant-as she writes, “it was probably the beginning of my path into the wine industry.” College at UC-Davis followed, and Carol was undecided on her study path until she walked into the cellar of venerable Sonoma winery Sebastiani while on a tour; the aromas of the red wine and oak barrels brought waves of memories from her childhood, and she decided right then to be a winemaker, changing her major to Fermentation Science and studying under Ann Noble (author of the Aroma Wheel). Graduating in 1978, Carol worked her first harvest that year; she has not missed one since.
Any women reading certainly don’t need me to tell them that their journey through their chosen industry is tougher than that of men, but I raise the point to underscore just how challenging in particular the wine industry is, both historically and still to this point. This is made doubly clear when you are a young winemaker-in Carol Shelton’s world in the late 70s/early 80s, women flat-out weren’t allowed to work in some cellars, the prevailing thought being that the labor was too physically demanding. Carol takes great pride in her breaking down of that particular barrier: “I think many of us proved this conception to be dead wrong: by hauling hoses, pushing around pumps, shoveling out a tank full of grapes-and yes, it’s hard physical labor, but women can do it.” Working with winemaking legends Andre Tchelistcheff at Buena Vista and Peter Lehmann at Saltram in Australia (before he started his own eponymous winery) furthered Carol’s ambition, and she landed a job as winemaker at Windsor Vineyards with Rodney Strong in 1981. Windsor’s output was tremendously varied, and Carol bottled 45 different cuvees each year, fleshing out her expertise and drawing her closer to her favorite varietal: Zinfandel.
Vineyards in the Rockpile AVA.
Croatian in origin, the grape known as Zinfandel in the US and Primitivo in Italy has a Croatian name: Tribidrag (imagine the sales opportunities with that one). A high-yielding red grape, Zinfandel thrives in well-drained, elevated soils. Immigrants from Europe found that in aplomb when they searched north of Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley, eschewing the wetter climate for sites above the fog line. In the area that would come to be known as Rockpile AVA (this area wasn’t separated from Dry Creek with its own appellation until 2002), the conditions for Zinfandel become increasingly perfect-a prolonged sun exposure due to early burn off of the fog, iron-rich soils that are shallow and steep. Zinfandel grape bunches are notorious for being unevenly ripened, even within the same bunch, berry-to-berry. When I first studied deductive tasting in preparation for Court of Master Sommeliers exams, we talked about Zinfandel being “the only red wine to have white wine fruit in it”, and it was borne out in our weekly practice sessions-Zins invariably had a white peach/citrus element to them that just didn’t seem like it belonged in a high-octane red, and I attribute the characteristic to that finicky, variable ripening of individual berries.
Carol Shelton finds Zinfandel to be “unpretentious”, and this and the sheer variety of flavor profiles led to it being her favorite grape, a passion that she has explored by making countless expressions of Zinfandel in many varied terroirs throughout Sonoma. Founding her own winery in 2000, she now enters her 46th growing season as an acknowledged master of the variety, sourcing impeccable fruit for her boutique production bottlings (the Rockpile Reserve featured this month comes from a run of just 581 cases). For her Reserve-level, she went to a site that is most highly prized-the Florence Vineyard, 1400 feet above Lake Sonoma. Planted in 1997 by Jack Florence Sr. and Jr., with the fog burning off at least two hours earlier than down in the Dry Creek Valley, the Florence vineyard attains fantastic sun exposure, alleviating the even ripening issues I alluded to earlier. Indeed, the fruit profile of the “Rocky Reserve” is deeper than expected, while still possessing the white fruit influence (it’s more like blood orange and star fruit here) and brightness of acid that is necessary to balance Zinfandel’s alcohol. With a glass of Carol’s Zinfandel in hand, it’s easy to concede defeat to Carol’s Mom, and all the other “extra” parents out there. And so, here’s to you, overachievers: keep right on keepin’ on, because there will undoubtedly be more Carols as a result. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m sure there’s some overnight sewing to be done-D.
Carol Shelton Zinfandel “Rockpile Reserve”, Rockpile AVA, California 2018
Country of Origin: USA.
Places and People: Carol Shelton’s mother deserves credit for setting her on a path to winemaking; at age 6, Carol was asked to play a game of “Identify the Scent” with herbs and spices from the family’s kitchen. Proving so adept that she started to outpace the ingredients, Carol maintained a strong nose and palate, and while enrolled at UC-Davis changed her major to Fermentation Science after a visit to the cellar at pioneering Sonoma winery Sebastiani. Carol worked with luminaries in the wine world upon her graduation in 1978 before embarking on a 9-year stint with Rodney Strong at Windsor Vineyards in 1981. In 2000, she founded her own winery and still works with many of the same small growers she began with to source the fruit for her wines, including the Jacks Florence (Sr. and Jr.) whose Florence Vineyard was planted in 1997 in what would become Sonoma’s Rockpile AVA. At 1,400 feet of elevation, Florence Vineyard sees the fog burn away a good two hours prior to the Dry Creek Valley below. Only 581 cases produced.
Soil: Iron-rich red clay, typical of Rockpile AVA.
Grape Varieties: 80% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 5% Carignane.
Winemaking: Following Harvest, the “Rockpile Reserve” goes through a 5-day cold soak prior to fermentation. Fermentation is carried out in 1-ton bins, with a 10% bleeding of the juice and hand punch-downs occurring twice daily.
Aging: The 2019 “Rockpile Reserve” spends 18 months in barrels, but only 28% of this is in new oak (18-10 split between French and American). The remainder is aged in used barrels, including some large Hungarian casks.
Flavors and Foods: A very heady nose of high-toned herbs (eucalyptus, thyme) is accompanied by a mix of red, black, and blue fruits (raspberry, blueberry, red and black currants). The small percentage of American oak makes its presence known on the nose and palate with hints of dill and cedar; these are noticeable enough at this point in the wine’s development, but not a hindrance and also something I see melding seamlessly with cellaring. The acidity and white fruit that begin the palate’s journey are 100% on-brand for the varietal, with notes of blood orange and starfruit puckering the sides of the mouth. Beyond that, a melting pot of blackberries, black and red currants, blueberry compote, and pomegranate seeds takes over. Contrasting with the racy acid, the texture of the wine is soft and silky, with a slight tinge of grilled meat savoriness for good measure. This is an excellent example of both Zinfandel and the Rockpile AVA’s distinctive characteristics, and Shelton’s mastery of the variety leaves the elevated alcohol content far from the finish on your palate. Wood-fired lamb or Jalal-style beef, tomato-based pasta dishes, and fire-roasted zucchini and eggplant would all play well here.
Service and Cellar: The 2019 Carol Shelton “Rockpile Reserve” Zinfandel does have notes of new wood and gamey grilled meat present on both nose and palate; as noted above I expect these to resolve with aging and don’t find flaw with them now, but I do recommend a solid decanting of 45-60 minutes if you enjoy a bottle of this immediately. Serve the wine at red cellar temp (56-60 degrees) to avoid the natural ripeness of Zinfandel causing heat on the palate’s finish; when this is adhered to, you don’t notice the wine’s warmth at all. The 2019 invites cellaring; I feel you can comfortably store this for the next decade.