Exploring the excellence of Falanghina from Villa Matilde Avallone

Italy has long been celebrated as a haven for wine enthusiasts, boasting a rich tapestry of grape varietals and unique terroirs. Among the gems that grace the Italian wine landscape, Fillippo Bartolotta uncovers the white wines of Italy.

Following a stop over in Campania we begin our journey in a spot of the world which can be considered one of the “nurseries” of modern wine making. The third ingredient to Villa Matilde wines is the indigenous grape varieties of Falanghina and Fiano di Avellino here available with 2500 years old biotypes!

Exploring the excellence of Falanghina from Villa Matilde Avallone

Paolo Vallone describes his Villa Matilde estate by saying: “We are just a few kilometres from the sea, and close to one of the roots of the origin of viticulture. A Greek matrix viticulture that first settles on the island of Ischia and then arrives on the Phlegrean coast and slowly conquers more inland and hilly territories”.

The cultivation of the Greek-Mycenaean vine was born along the coast and climbed the hills. From the Tyrrhenian Sea it takes the healthiness of the sea breezes and the brilliant light of the coast. Factors that have contributed over the millennia to make these territories the ideal places for an effective and luxuriant agricultural system. From the inland side instead the open-crown mountain range of the Appennini in the Campania region, is the other contrasting ingredient of this ancient wine land where the Romans, after the Greeks had their wine, Fort Knox.

This ancient and strategical wine making land, located one hour drive north of Naples along the coast and a little over 1.5 hours drive from Rome, was called “Falerno”. Today the area is under DOC rules with Falerno del Massico Rosso DOC (Aglianico and Piedirosso grapes) and Falerno del Massico Bianco DOC (Falanghina grapes).

Vallone explains: “It’s a very dry and poor sandy, calcareous and volcanic soil of Mt. Roccamonfina. The vines have to root deeper to search for water and this brings more absorption of minerals such as phosphorus and potassium. So from our single vineyard Vigna Caracci we are able to harvest ripe and sweet grapes but with a mineral crispy character.”

He highlights: “My father, during the 60’s kept planting pre-fillossera vines of Falanghina which shows a greater structure and more ageing potential from its sister Falanghina varieties on the coastal and more giovane Falanghina of the Campi Flegrei and the more zippy and fresh Falangina del Sannio.”

I must confess that all this epical introduction brought some expectations to the tasting and the biggest question I had in mind was: can Falanghina be a true carrier of such a great sense of history and authenticity?

Its name could derive from “falangae,” – aka from Latin fingers – which were the stakes used to support vines in the past. The wine crafted from Falanghina grapes can be a testament to the enduring legacy of Italy’s winemaking tradition but would the glass support all of these theories?

Tasting journey of Villa Matilde Avallone, Vigna Caracci, Falerno del Massico Bianco DOC

With the first vintages we tasted, the 2002 I felt the wine had gone through a little too much oak resulting with some vanilla and butterscotch notes which covered the lovely almond and citrus fruit aromas underneath. Of course the palate as well showed some of that early 2000’s ambitious oak presence – which can be found in most (Italian white and red wines) – bringing some buttery and toasty flavours and a very ripe and round fruit presence. My first approach with these wines, which I remembered loving when first out in the market, was a little disappointing. Careful though, the wine wasn’t flabby or oxidised, just a little too rich and oaky with a very velvet glycerol touch and a lot of sweet spices. I understand why I loved them as a young taster 20 years ago and I can see how these types of wines still today encounter a lot of aficionados. So why the disappointment? Because it is flashy and round but it doesn’t show the explosive minerality of the volcanic soil, nor the salinity of the calcareous veins, nor the vibrant contrast of the mountains meeting the sea.

The earlier vintages of this wine were fermented and aged in barriques but later Paolo wanted to open up the character of its Falanghina reducing each year the presence of the oak to none with the latest vintages and increasing the fining in terracotta vats as the ancient Romans used to vinify this wine. Today, the wine goes for anything between 35% and 50% of Terracotta vases – 150l to 1500l capacity – and the rest is aged in INOX vats and a tiny percentage in used barriques.

Starting with the 2008 vintage Vigna Caracci shows much brighter fruit, cleaner fruit aromas, more aromatic complexity and a way deeper and reactive palate. The most striking wine of the battery was the latest vintage 2018 where the true potential of long living Falangina shows an exciting salty vein and the severe, strong and fiery character this wine should have.

Villa Matilde Avallone, Vigna Caracci, Falerno del Massico Bianco DOC 2008

An intense smokey trait is making this wine easy to spot among a million bottles. It’s just a hint of smoke, so elegant and light you might doubt you even smelled it at all. But it is there together with a refreshing perfume of lemons and lemon leaves and some juicy ripe peaches. The palate is clean, with a fantastic juice and a never ending finish of aromatic herbs, basil and lime. Fiery.

Villa Matilde Avallone, Vigna Caracci, Falerno del Massico Bianco DOC 2014

An austere licorice, cypress wood and an iodine nose. Introverted, with medicinal herbs, some citrus fruit and a very vibrant grape fruit acidity or rather grape fruit pips astringency and a powerful Mediterranean balsamic finish. Severe.

Villa Matilde Avallone, Vigna Caracci, Falerno del Massico Bianco DOC 2016

This vintage seems the purest distillation of citrus fruit both on the nose and on the palate. It’s a wine that smells like the perfumes of fresh, with the flavours of lemon juice and candied grapefruit. There’s lots of depth and possibly the most mineral of the battery. Needs time to open up.

Villa Matilde Avallone, Vigna Caracci, Falerno del Massico Bianco DOC 2017

This is the most mature style Falanghina packed with the usual citrus flavours but mainly with canned peaches, tropical aromas and ripe apricots and vanilla. Creamy, full bodied and round but with an almost tannic texture and a slightly buttery and alcoholic edge. The hottest.

Villa Matilde Avallone, Vigna Caracci, Falerno del Massico Bianco DOC 2018

While its 2008 sibling reminded us about its volcanic origin, this ’18 is all about the sea breeze, the gentle gentian and wild fennels crushed together with the finest earl grey, bergamot, cedar and tangerine. It’s clean, pure, juicy and salty. Still young and with a very strong inner core, with a severe acidity and a fiery juiciness. Drinks now/age three decades.

These wines showed how Vallone has mastered the art of preserving the grape’s natural freshness and vibrant character, generating wines which result in an harmonious symphony of floral aromas, citrus notes, and a delicate minerality that speaks to the vineyards’ volcanic soils and offer a glimpse into the history and soul of Campania’s winemaking heritage. Each sip seems to encapsulate the essence of the land, the dedication of the winemakers like Paolo, and the unique qualities that have made these wines beloved classics.