Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina Sannio `09 $13.99 (not TJ's) ***

My first comment:  "pretty".  I smelled the glass and it was fragrant.  Flowery. Delicate.  Pretty.  Then I sipped the wine and it was full of fruity goodness.  Apples and pineapple.  Not too tropical, and there was a distinct minerality that gave the wine a finish.  It wasn't sweet, but it wasn't dry.  It was in two words.... Just. Right.

But the truth is, the label had me at Vesuvius.  There is something about those Italians. So much history tied to food and drink. I was drinking a wine made from a varietal (Falanghina) that has been around since the Romans (the toga wearing, multi-deity worshiping kind, not the vespa riding, coffee drinkers of today). I think that it was fitting that JPH made Marcella Hazan's Zuppa di Pesce, it went perfectly with the rich spicy seafood stew. This wine not only cut through the spice, but it heightened the fish (shrimp, cod and calamari). I liked it.

Feudi di San Gregorio is the producer, Sannio is the region (the hilly region of Napoli) and Falanghina is the ancient grape that has historically produced good white wine; from the Romans right up the time-line to me, right here on the North Shore of Long Island. It is great to drink outside the box.  Trying a "new to me" varietal that not only tickled my palate but give me a history lesson as well. I say step outside the Pinot Grigio/Chardonnay rut every once in a while.  Expanding my horizons is fun!

Now, back to Vesuvius.
Pompeii is one of those places that has always intrigued me.

There is something about that ancient event that froze a city in time.  

It is on my list of places to see.  

Until then, I will leave you with a picture of relics from a Pompeii wine shop.  

Frozen in time in 79AD.