Italy
Villa Matilde
Cellole
Winemakers: Fabio Gennarelli & Riccardo Cotarella
In the 1950s, Francesco Avallone, a successful young lawyer in Naples, set out on a unique mission to bring back to life the 'immortal Falerno' sung by the great poets of ancient Rome. The wine, Italy's oldest, is recorded back to the first century A.D., but phylloxera wiped out the production in the late 1800s. In synergy with the University of Naples, his research team found the best surviving vines and patiently grafted cuttings onto new rootstock, obtaining twenty original clones of Falanghina, Aglianico and Piedirosso. The estate's first official vintage was 1976 and the wines are styled by Riccardo Cotarella, the leading consulting oenologist in southern Italy.
Today, Salvatore and Maria Ida Avallone manage 150 hectares of vineyards across three distinct estates; the 'home' vineyards of Parco Nuovo and San Castrese in the province of Caserta, Rocca dei Leoni in the province of Benevento and Altavilla near Avellino. The two vineyards of Parco Nuovo and San Castrese provide 90% of the Falerno appellation total production and are surrounded on three sides by the Massico hills, formed by the ancient eruptions of the nearby volcano of Roccamonfina.
Falerno Bianco, made from Falanghina, is fruity and floral with aromas of pear, grapefruit and peach. Caracci, Falanghina from a single vineyard planted in 1968, is aged in barrique and full of ripe tropical fruit with a silky, honeyed palate and a long finish. Both are a great match for seafood or, for the traditionalists, Mozzarella di Bufala. Falerno Rosso, made from 80% Aglianico and 20% Piedirosso, is rich and complex with black cherry fruit, spice and violets, the palate elegant with smooth tannins.
Visit the wine-maker's website
Wines
Falanghina IGT
Falerno del Massico Bianco DOC
Falerno del Massico Bianco DOC 'Caracci'
Falerno del Massico Rosso DOC