Love Fish? Try Falanghina

I don't know why, but recently my largely-chicken diet has turned in the direction of fish. This means my white wine preferences are shifting subtly, too. It's harder and harder for me to find a Chardonnay that doesn't overwhelm fish's delicate flavors. Sauvignon Blancs can be too assertive. Riesling doesn't work for my tastebuds for some reason, unless the fish preparation is quite spicy or I'm having shrimp.

So I kept searching for whites that would pair well with my fish tacos, linguine alle vongole, grilled tuna, halibut, scallops, and shrimp. And I found Falanghina. This wonderful grape is native to the southern Italian region of Campania, and is especially well-known in the vineyards around Naples on the Amalfi Coast.

The wine that knocked my socks off and won a permanent spot on my table is the 2009 VIVI Falanghina Campania IGT. And the suggested retail price? $9.99 (available in the market for $8-$13). You will find that the wine smells fresh and floral, like sitting in a garden by the seaside on a summer's day. As you swirl it in your glass, you may notice some citrus notes, too. Flavors of lemon and honeycomb round out the wine. And while there is plenty of zip and acidity in the juicy aftertaste, it will not overwhelm the delicacy of the seafood or fish you might be serving. Excellent QPR.

Full Disclosure: I received a sample of this wine for possible review.

New Grape of the Month: Falanghina

It's time for another new variety, grapehounds.

Falanghina is ancient white wine grape that is (as near as we can tell) native to Campania. According to Jancis Robinson, there are just under 800 acres of the grape in cultivation which makes it a relative rarity.

The 2008 Mustilli Falanghina is a joyful, fresh white that was a welcome change of pace for my tastebuds. (suggested retail, $18) Aromas of lemon curd, stone, and hay suggested the last days of summer, while the intense lemony flavors had mineral notes that added a nice complexity. The wine's juicy acidity will make it a good food wine, and the bit of salt in the aftertaste gave a final, savory quality to the aftertaste that had me reaching for the glass again and again. Excellent QPR on this complex, versatile white.

It's hard to imagine any fish, shellfish, vegetable, or chicken dish this wine wouldn't complement, but if you're searching for inspiration try this shrimp pasta dish from Rachael Ray. It's a riff on Puttanesca, with olives, capers, garlic, and red peppers along with shrimp and fresh cherry tomatoes. The salty notes in the wine were a brilliant accent for the olives and capers, and the lemony freshness was terrific with the shrimp and tomatoes.

(for availability, contact the importer: Domenico Selections)

Full disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

The Red-Footed Grape from Campania

Some Italian reds stomp onto the stage with heavy boots and demand your attention. Others slip in on little, red feet and steal your heart away.

Piedirosso fits into the second category. It's an exciting red grape variety from Campania, the region that is home to Naples and the Amalfi coast. And it is yet another surprise--in a string of surprises--that have come my way since setting out to explore the wines of Italy.

The 2005 La Sibilla Piedirosso is made from grapes grown in the volcanic soils of the Campi Flegrei appellation. ($14.99, K & L Wines) Campi Flegrei has bragging rights to claim it is the home of the ancient god of fire, Vulcan. It is also a region that has preserved some of Campania's wine heritage, in the form of plantings of the white variety Falanghina, and the red variety Piedirosso. Phylloxera devastated the grape stock by the early 20th century, but today the Piedirosso grape (which is named for the striking red stems that connect each grape to the cluster and some say look like the feet of doves) is making something of a comeback.

When you pour it, it has a striking clear garnet color, which is very clear and bright. Startling aromas of bacon fat and smoke make the first impression, and you can reach for some high-toned black cherry fruit aromas underneath. There is a silkiness on the palate, accompanying flavors of leather, black cherry, tar, and earth. Some will find this a bit bretty and barnyardy, but I liked the funkiness and thought it in no way overpowered the wine's fruity complexity. Given all this wine delivers in the flavor department, I'd say this is excellent QPR.

With your Piedirosso, I'd try a fresh and post-modern take on good old eggplant parmesan. Toss some farfalle pasta with sauteed eggplant, cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic, parmesan, and fresh ricotta. Eggplant is common in the traditional food of Campania, but this recipe is a little less labor-intensive to pull together and put on the table at the end of a long day at work than many of the time-tested alternatives. The bitterness of the eggplant is a nice counterpoint to the juicy black cherry fruit, and the smokiness of the wine picks up the smoky notes that emerge from a nicely caramelized eggplant, too.

As with any unfamiliar grape, it can be useful to know a more familiar grape variety reminiscent of the Piedirosso's flavors, aromas, and textures. To me, this is like a Burgundian Pinot Noir, and I think this is an Italian red that will appeal to Burgundy fans. In a time of the dipping dollar, it's good to have a backup. My guess is they may not realize they are drinking an Italian wine at all, if you don't tell them.

Sparkling Wine from Campania

Alessandro de Conciliis likens making wine to playing jazz. The analogy is a good one. Both take specific elements, put them into new combinations, mix the old with the new, and improvise when necessary to make things sing.

Based in Campania, de Conciliis makes a number of great wines, but I wanted to taste his sparkling wine because of the shared Roman heritage that this Italian region has with the French region of Champagne. When I think Italian sparkling wine I think Prosecco, but I'm learning that there's a whole world of choices out there in Italy if you like bubbles.

The 2005 Viticoltori De Conciliis Selim sparkling wine is just one example. ($19.99, K & L Wines; available elsewhere for between $15 and $20) Named after the jazz musician Miles Davis, it's made from 70% Fiano (variety #97 in my Wine Century Club) and 30% Aglianico grape varieties--the first native to the region, the second brought to Campania in ancient times by the Greeks. This was a good QPR sparkler, with a pronounced yeasty aroma. Citrus and nuts played a duet in the flavors, and the wine was active in your mouth with its abundant small bubbles/bead. This wine was better with food, given its yeasty aromas, and it went especially well with appetizers--especially those that involve bread like thin grissini, or nuts (I loved this with a handful of cashews).

It was a treat to try this interesting Italian sparkling wine, and confirmed my suspicion that Italian whites are going to play a significant role in my top wine discoveries this year.

Italy's Fortunate Countryside: Campania

When the ancient Romans entered into a new territory, hell-bent on conquest and empire, they would sometimes describe the land that they saw before them as "the fortunate countryside" or "Campania felix." Needless to say, the countryside was not fortunate because they were about to face a Roman legion. It was about the land's beauty, its fertility, and its ability to provide all the things that make life worth living. Champagne was one such region, and its name derives from the phrase --a fortunate region, indeed. (photo of Ravello in Campania by heavenuphere)

The other major wine region to have earned the phrase is Italy's "fortunate countryside": Campania.

This month we move up the boot of Italy to the front shin area and tackle the land that brings you seafood, fried calamari, pizza--and lots of great wine. Famous for its reds, and its whites, Campania also makes sparkling wine--just like France's Champagne region.

If you want to get in the mood for some of the best that Campania has to offer in the food and wine department, here are some things to get you started.

Wine Resources on the Web That Focus on Campania: WineCountry.it has a more detailed map of the region, a good overview of the area's viticulture, and description of Campania's indigenous grapes. Still looking for some wine from the region? Check out this directory of more than 100 wineries from Campania, with links to retail sources can be found.

Movies Filmed in Campania: The Life Aquatic, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Il Postino

Music to Listen to When Drinking Wine from Campania: Alessandro Scarlatti, music played on the zampogna and ciaramella (Campanian bagpipes), the amazing Almamegretta.

Books Set in Naples: Shirley Hazzard's The Bay of Noon; Carlo Levi, Christ Stopped at Eboli; Susan Sontag, The Volcano Lover; Robert Harris, Pompeii, A Novel.

I'm looking forward to exploring this region of Italy with you, and as always if you have some recommendations of specific wines, please let me know.