What a joyously fruity and happy frappato this is! Just like the New Year.
This bottling comes from Lamoresca, a decade-old polycultural farm bursting with biodynamic olive trees, fruit trees, grain fields, and vines. In the past, most vineyards thrived on farms that produced other products. But in the last century, in the wake of industrialism and as the financial kickbacks from wine outgrew other products like grains and fruits, the winery paradigm moved toward more monocultural philosophies. In the last few decades there has been a revival of winery-farms that produce many products, and it's great to see this (Ngeringa, Millton, etc.). With a focus on a diversity of plants, pollination is often easier, and these types of farms attract unique communities of microorganisms, insects, and animals that can enhance the growing environment.
Frappato's genetic parentage is likely Sangiovese X Unknown (Di Vecchi Staraz et al. 2007:514-524; Harding et al. 2012:365). It doesn't remind me much of sangiovese, though. This is one of the juiciest and fruitiest wines I've had in a long time-- like biting into a ripe and fresh, sun-warmed black cherry. It's farmed pesticide-free, no sulphur is used in the vinification, macerated at least 3 weeks, and aged in large, neutral barrels. The name 'nerocapitano' is a hail to one of frappato's synonyms. Frappato is plentiful in Sicily, and is usually used as a blending grape with heartier varieties. The grape variety dates back to at least 1760, when the first known record of it occurred (Harding 2012:365).
This bottling comes from Lamoresca, a decade-old polycultural farm bursting with biodynamic olive trees, fruit trees, grain fields, and vines. In the past, most vineyards thrived on farms that produced other products. But in the last century, in the wake of industrialism and as the financial kickbacks from wine outgrew other products like grains and fruits, the winery paradigm moved toward more monocultural philosophies. In the last few decades there has been a revival of winery-farms that produce many products, and it's great to see this (Ngeringa, Millton, etc.). With a focus on a diversity of plants, pollination is often easier, and these types of farms attract unique communities of microorganisms, insects, and animals that can enhance the growing environment.
Frappato's genetic parentage is likely Sangiovese X Unknown (Di Vecchi Staraz et al. 2007:514-524; Harding et al. 2012:365). It doesn't remind me much of sangiovese, though. This is one of the juiciest and fruitiest wines I've had in a long time-- like biting into a ripe and fresh, sun-warmed black cherry. It's farmed pesticide-free, no sulphur is used in the vinification, macerated at least 3 weeks, and aged in large, neutral barrels. The name 'nerocapitano' is a hail to one of frappato's synonyms. Frappato is plentiful in Sicily, and is usually used as a blending grape with heartier varieties. The grape variety dates back to at least 1760, when the first known record of it occurred (Harding 2012:365).
It's such a my me how wine can taste so fresh and juicy years after it was produced...
Bibliography
Di Vecchi Staraz, Manuel, Patrice This, Jean-Michel Boursiquot, Valerie Laucou, Thierry Lacombe, Roberto Bandinelli, Didier Vares, and Maurizio Boselli. (2007) 'Genetic Structuring and parentage analysis for evolutionary studies in grapevine: kingroup and origin of cv. Sangiovese revealed.' Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 132, 4: 514-524.
Harding, Julia, Jancis Robinson, Jose Vouillamoz. (2012) Wine Grapes. New York: Harper Collins.
Di Vecchi Staraz, Manuel, Patrice This, Jean-Michel Boursiquot, Valerie Laucou, Thierry Lacombe, Roberto Bandinelli, Didier Vares, and Maurizio Boselli. (2007) 'Genetic Structuring and parentage analysis for evolutionary studies in grapevine: kingroup and origin of cv. Sangiovese revealed.' Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 132, 4: 514-524.
Harding, Julia, Jancis Robinson, Jose Vouillamoz. (2012) Wine Grapes. New York: Harper Collins.
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