Capolino Perlingieri
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All organic viticulture, certified and labeled
Emphasis on high quality and low yields
A champion of ageable Campanian white wines
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About Capolino Perlingieri:
Alexia Capolino Perlingieri is from Naples; she told me: 'it was my grandfather who started [making wine]. He was a lawyer and member of the first Italian Parliament (when Italy became a Republic in 1946 and until 1963) and he had the hobby of viticulture and making wine. When he died in 1972 (and I was born) my mother continued his work. At that time she was one of the few wine producers in Campania together with Lucio Mastroberardino and Leonardo Mustilli. I am proud to say that, since babysitting was not an option in my house, I never went to school in September and October because my mother did not have anyone to leave me with, so I spent much of my childhood in Solopaca and I still have beautiful memories of that period.’
The Perlingieri vineyards are in Solapaca, which is near Monte Taburno, at around 300 meters above sea level. 100 % estate grown, the soil is predominately clay of partly volcanic origin with many stones. She plants at a density of around 5,000 plants per hectare, and typically picks in early September. Yields are extremely low, around 1 1/2 tons per acre.
Their wines are and made in the cellar of a beautiful old stone house they’ve restored, not far from their vineyards, and the house is on their label. The wines are made by Alexia with evident passion and attention to detail. For example, the grapes are checked on a sorting table after being de-stemmed in order to remove leaves and bits of stem, a technique that is normal for very expensive fine wines but not at all common in this area, or at this price.
Vinification is done at a controlled, low temperature in a stainless steel tank with no oak, no malo-lactic fermentation. The wines is aged for 7-8 months in the tank, then bottled.
Campania is now my favorite Italian region for white wines. Yes, they make great red wines there, especially from Aglianico, but the breadth and brilliance of the whites is unique.
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The Wines:
Falanghina ‘Preta’
Among the great variety of interesting white grape varieties grown in Campania are two different cultivars with the name Falanghina; Falanghina Flegrea from the Campi Flegrei (near Naples), and Falanghina Beneventana, from around Benevento, to the north-east of Naples. Both of these varieties can make delicious, distinctive wines, but the ‘cut’ and minerality of the Beneventana is particularly mouthwatering. Alexia produces the Benevento type of Falanghina. As is the often the case here in Campania, the wines don’t taste like they’re from a warm southern climate, in that they have excellent bright acidity and a strong mineral character.
'There’s a lot of great Falanghina in the U.S. but this one just has that marcia in più, that extra something special. Its acidity and citrus flavors were zinging last night (paired with burrata). But it was its intense minerality that really made it stand apart in my mind. I LOVE this wine.’ - Jeremy Parzen, from the excellent blog Do Bianchi.
I found it to have citrus and herbal notes, along with the minerality Jeremy mentions. It’s a delicious, bright and flavorful white wine; one of Campania’s classic whites.
‘Greco ‘Vento’
Alongside her Falanghina, Alexia also produces the better-known Campanian varieties Greco and Fiano. Her Greco (which is to say the same variety as is used for Greco di Tufo) is held in bottle for a year before release because the variety has high amounts of natural acidity. Fermented and aged in stainless steel.
Ian d’Agata says ‘Typical aromas and flavors include yellow flowers, honey, peach, pear, and ripe tropical fruit…’ and he also mentions an almost oily mouthfeel that is typical of Greco.
Pale yellow in color, very distinct in aroma and flavor (tropical fruit (guava?), and Mediterranean herbs (marjoram?), apricot. Fresh acidity, medium weight, very long finish; even outside of the classic growing area this noble variety can make excellent wine. Drink young or with a few years of age for additional complexity.
Fiano ‘Nembo’
Fiano is a distinctive, indigenous Campanian variety, that at its best it resembles this one. Pale yellow in color; aroma and flavor reticent at first, then opening to citrus notes (Meyer lemon?) and Mediterranean herbs, especially sage. Fiano is an outstanding white wine variety and Alexia shows here how good it can be outside of its classic growing area. Drinkable young but improves with 5-10 years of bottle age. Fermented and aged in stainless steel.
Aglianico ‘Brizio’
Very dark red; aroma and flavor of black plums, leather, Mediterranean herbs, perhaps the faintest hint of licorice. A combination of black fruit and fine tea-like tannins in the mouth, very savory, long finish. Drink with red meats or pizza (we are not far from Naples here, after all). Fermented and aged in stainless steel.