Lincoln, NE – On a recent visit to the Amalfi Coast South of Naples on the Adriatic Sea I was walking along the two-lane road that goes from Amalfi to Positano. The road consists of switchbacks etched into the rugged cliff like terrain. I looked up and noticed a vineyard. It’s worth noting that it would be nearly impossible to walk in that vineyard, not to mention harvest grapes from it. Thus, my first true awareness of “Heroic Viticulture” emerged.
Italian wine importer, Nicola Biscardo, who has become somewhat of a revolutionary wine force by identifying and working with wineries and winemakers who are in locations I’d never been; producing wine varieties I’d never tasted; and with personalities that compel one to pay attention for years has lectured me about heroic viticulture” and for years I didn’t pay attention. I now know that was my error. I’m paying attention now!
Heroic viticulture implies producing wine grapes in areas extremely difficult to navigate due to terrain, altitude, remote access, and other barriers making viticulture difficult. I will add that in every example I’ve seen the people behind the winery are driven by purpose and passion. It’s as if it’s in their DNA. What’s perhaps most impressive about the whole concept is that the result in the glass is beyond excellence. It’s an adventure in a bottle and it truly transports you to the place where the whole process started. For this article that includes, the Amalfi Coast, the island of Ischia, and the steep slopes of Cinque Terre. Not a single person will argue that these three locations require heroism to make wine there.
For wine I start with Tenuta San Francesco. The vines all grow in volcanic soil and many of these vines are ancient. According to the owner, Gaetano Bove, some of the wines existed before Columbus sailed to “The New World”. The winery is located in Tramonti, a few miles inland from the Amalfi Coast. This is a family operation. When visiting their tasting room you see every member of the family scurrying about the room tending to guests and making the experience a life memory. The Neapolitan cuisine they prepare is authentic and beyond what I can describe as delicious.
The Tenuta San Francesco Tramonti Costa d’ Amalfi Bianco, 2024, Campania, Italy, $30.00, is made from indigenous Campania varieties Falanghina, Biancolella, and Pepella. The wine is pale yellow with vibrant scents of peach and sage. On the palate it is crisp, mineral driven with layers of citrus infused with undertones of mango and a hint of herbs. It’s fresh with a compelling complexity. This is a memorable wine.
90 points
Next, Cantina Possa, located in Riomaggiore is so tiny that the operator of a wine bar in the tiny Cinque Terre Village of Riomaggiore was unaware of its existence. The winery is essentially a workshop in a garage-like structure. The vineyard is located on a cliff so steep that one wrong step could put you in serious danger. The owner Heydi Bonanini has installed a monorail that is used during the harvest to mechanically transport the grapes from the steep slopes to the top of the cliff where they can then be taken to the winery in town. Bonanini is a rugged and passionate human being as committed to the future of viticulture in his region as he is to producing amazing wines from rare local varieties. He brings local elementary school students to his vineyard once a week and gives them their own vine to cultivate over a vintage. It’s at the same time heartwarming and logical as he wants to install passion for the land in young people.
I tried Bonanini’s Cantina Possa Cinque Terre Bianco, 2023, Liguria, Italy, $43.00. It’s a blend of Albarola, Bosco and two other nearly extinct varieties. It is straw yellow in the glass with expressive aromas of citrus, melon, and herbs. The wine is vibrant, it lights up the palate with lemony citrus, but also has a herb and balsamic note that is enhanced with a salinity that makes this wine unique and memorable.
91 points
The final heroic viticulturist is Nicola Mazzella, the current owner of Antonio Mazzella winery on the island of Ischia. Ishia is an undiscovered paradise off the coast of Naples. Mazzella is regarded as one of the greatest winemakers in all of Italy despite his youth as he is in his early 40s. He took over the wine operation from his father and will likely turn it over to his someday but for now he harvests from majestic vineyards that grow on steep slopes that must be harvested downhill with the grapes passed down a cliff to boats. The boats take the grapes to a cave for the press. The juice is then taken to the winery for production.
Mazzella is a kind, pleasant man who is proud of his family, his vineyards, and his wines. The only thing he may be more passionate about is spearfishing in the crystal blue waters surrounding Ischia. Ischia is one of the most beautiful and enduring places I’ve had the pleasure to visit. The final wine I tried is Antonio Mazzella “Vigna del Lume”, 2022, Campania, Italy, $50.00. This wine is 100 percent Biancolella from the most prominent vineyard site, steeply sloped toward the sea. The wine is floral on the nose. It is pleasant and enticing. The first sip draws you in with a rich smoothness and a firm mineral core. It has ripe fruit flavors with juicy pineapple, white peach, and salty herb note. The wine’s textures and flavors envelop the mouth. It’s one of the best white wines I’ve ever tasted.
94 points
For food, each of these wines were tasted at the winery with local prosciutto, cheese, and bread. While these were rare treats in their own way, my focus was on the wines and the people who produced them. Perhaps in a future column or tasting we will drill down deeper to the wines of these impressive places, and we can put appropriate emphasis on the very distinct cuisine that comes from the areas where these wines are produced. For now, we can enjoy these spectacular wines and let them transport us in our minds to these remarkable lands.
Mark McDonald and his wife Kim own The Italian Vine, a Lincoln-based wine distributorship.
For more information on these wines including where you can find them in Lincoln or Omaha, email mark.italianvine@gmail.com
