Zampaglione, Pierluigi 2022 Don Chisciotte Fiano
100% Fiano from Calitri, Campania. Calitri is about 70 km directly east from Avellino, sitting outside of the elevation limits of the Fiano di Avellino appellation and dubbed 'Alta Irpinia'. Pierluigi and his daugher Rita, consider their sole white wine 'mountain Fiano' as the elevation certainly informs the wine's gracefulness. Production of Don Chisciotte is very small, representing only 3 hectares out of their 100 hectares mostly dedicated to wheat and spelt. The soils beneath their Fiano contain yellow tuff, dark clay, and siliceous sands and the entire property has been organic since 1990. After a 10-12 day fermentation and maceration, the wine is moved to stainless steel for 1 year of aging, followed by more time in bottle.
This is an herbal, bright, and layered Fiano. Dill, lemon verbina, ginger, bergamot, and green tea tannins. While we find textured white wines to be flexible food pairings, Rita says her family drinks it with spaghetti alla Nerano, fish dishes, and white meat. This would also go particularly well with a Thanksgiving feast.