Ep. 1289 Silvia Fonzone | Wine, Food & Travel With Marc Millon

By now, you've all heard of Italian wine Unplugged two point o. The latest book published by Mamma jumbo shrimp. It's more than just another wine book. Fully updated second edition was inspired by students of the Vin Italy International Academy and painstakingly reviewed and revised by an expert panel of certified Italian wine ambassadors from across the globe. The book also includes an addition by professor Atilio Shenza. Italy's leading vine geneticist. The benchmark producers feature is a particularly important aspect of this revised edition. The selection makes it easier for our readers to get their hands on a bottle of wine that truly represents a particular grape or region to pick up a copy, just head to Amazon dot com, or visit us at mama jumbo shrimp dot com. Welcome to wine food and travel. With me, Mark Billen, on Italian wine podcast. Listen in as we journey to some of Italy's most beautiful places in the company of those who know them best, the families who grow grapes and make fabulous wines. Through their stories, we'll learn not just about their wines, but also about their ways of life, the local and regional foods and specialities that pair naturally with their wines. And the most beautiful places to visit. We have a wonderful journey of discovery ahead of us, and I hope you will join me. Welcome to wine, food, and travel with me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Today, we travel to Irpina in inland Campania to meet my guest, Sylvia Fonzone. In Paterinolfoli, who's going to share with us her family story, tell us about wine, food, and life in this beautiful and less well known part of Campania. Welcome Sylvia. How are you today And is the sun shining? Hi. Oh, today, not. It's rainy. Okay. You're actually in Naples today. Is that right? Yes. Today, I'm in Naples, sir. And, I am not so close to Paternopoli, but, I know that also in Paternopoli today, it's rainy. It's a rainy day. Yeah. Okay. How far is it from Naples to Paternopoli? It's more or less one hour. One hour. One hour, but a different world completely. Yeah. It's different. Yes. Because Naples is on the sea, and Paternopoli is in the art of the Armenia. So near Avelino, in the inner part of companion. Okay. And it's a really beautiful majestic land. I've been, to Urpina on a number of occasions, and it's an area that I really, really love. Before our listeners who haven't been there, can you please describe where you are and give us a picture in your minds of the countryside of Eterpena? What is so special about it? Okay. Eerpena is fantastic land and not only for wines. You know, that, in her opinion, we have the the three d o c g. We have Taurazi d o c g, a fiano, the Avilino d o c and Greco d o c g. So it's very important for wines, but also, for food and, for this beautiful green terroir, you know, if Pinai is very special because, when you think that you go in South Italy, you can't imagine that this, this terrace, because, it has, hills mountains. So it's very, very, very particular. Okay. Yes. It's it is a different world from the coastal campania. Yes. And also an very ancient land for wine. This is where grapes Those same grapes you mentioned, which we'll talk about in more detail in a minute, were planted since the time of the ancient Greeks, certainly the Romans. Exactly. Yes. Now, Sylvia, can you tell us about the the state and how your family came to create this very special place. It's a beautiful winery from what I can see. I haven't had the chance to visit you, but I look forward to doing so one day. And I hope that you can come, to visit us as soon as possible. Our state, as I was telling you, is located in, internationally, in the docG area. And, our date was founded from my father-in-law in two thousand five. I used to say that, we choose, to make wine and, to do this work. This is a story for us. It's a story, a family story, but, a love story, and especially a story of passion for wines, and particularly for the wines of, irpina of this land. Okay. So the family began the winery in two thousand five, did you say? Yeah. And why why why did, the family decide to go into wine? My father-in-law or enzo von Sona, in two thousand five, founded the estate. And, he's a doctor. And, he always, told us, when I will finish with my work, my, my dream is, to make wine. And, he he decided, so in two thousand and five to start with, with the state. And, he founded this fantastic hill in Paternoghole. And, there there there were nothing. The the the plan we we planted the viners in two thousand and five, and our first wine in market was in thousand eleven. Okay. So this has been a big family project then. Yeah. A big family project. And, every one of us, work in the India state, and everyone has a role, a specific role. Okay. Well, let's first talk about Viticulture. One aim of the Fonzone estate is to grow grapes as sustainably as possible. That was always, central to the philosophy. Yep. The sustainability, is our center philosophy. You know, we are working a lot, to have also the, biodynamic certification. And I hope that we will have it in, one year. Okay. Why is biodynamics important to you? Oh, you know, that's how our analogist, Lucadatoma, he's our analogist, from two thousand nineteen. And, he he worked in his way. We have, always had a a big attention in sustainability, but with him, we are working a lot, in this direct of a pandemic. Okay. Look at that. I'm one of the great winemakers of Italy. So he's a very, highly respected immunologist. Yeah. And, we started, a great work with him because, we changed a lot, our, our kind of identification. Because, you know, we firstly use the only barrique and inox, And, with Luca, we started to use also large barrel and the emperor, and we started with maceration. So for us, was, two thousand nineteen was a agreed here of changing. Okay. So a change in in direction to produce wines that I guess would be more expressive of the territory? Yeah. Because, you know, we always say that, we are happy when, when someone that tastes our wine tell us, oh, wow. This is Tarazi. This is a yaniko. I can feel your opinion in this class. No? And I think that, with this kind of verification, you can feel better the grip, and the land in the wines. Okay. So really trying to give that taste of irpemia in a glass. Yes. Now, Sylvia, let's first of all turn to the white grape varieties. You grow three historic varieties. Gareco, Thiano, and Fernandez. Can you perhaps help our listeners to distinguish between them? What are the main characteristics of each of these great historic white grape varieties. Okay. The these three kind of varieties are, different because, you know, are different in, in, in, in a flavor, and in taste. That the for Fiano, you know, the area, the docG area are, so close each other, are so different. The opinion is, is fantastic because, in each grape, you can find the different terroir. For example, our fiano, our estate of the fiano is, of course, in the fiano DOCG area and is in, we have actors in Paris and in San potato. And for Greco Ditufo, we are in Artavilerpina and Montefusco. You know, that's the ground, is very different, in a field in the state of piano, in the actors. So Fiano. We have, argilla, and sable. Okay. So clay and sand. Clay and sand. Yeah. Then for rekuditufo, we have clay, but with twofold and, twofold sediments. You know, and the salt are very, very different. And the integrates and the taste of wine, you can feel, this different, terroir. For falangina, you know, falangina, for us, it is, irpina falangina doc. So it's not a DOCG, and our, falangina comes from two hex two hectares that we have, in the state of Paterinople. So interwar of red wine. Okay. And in terms of the flavor characteristics, how would you say Greco, Fiano, and Fannagina? Are how do they taste? Italian wine podcast. If you think you love wine as much as we do, then give us a like and a follow anywhere you get your pods. Oh, they are different because, you know, I think that, I always say that when you taste, a wine from South Italy, you imagine a a wine that comes from, hot weather area. But in your opinion, as I was telling you, it's not like this, you know, because of these mountains and the hills, And, for, the the climate is, it's very particular because we have a lot of, climate excursion, you know, in the, in the, in the, in summer. For example, in the morning, it's very hot. But, in the evening, the temperature goes down of ten degrees. So also in August, you have to wear something warm, you know, and, in wines, you can feel it. Because, you know, the ones of this area are famous for their minerality and, acidity, you know, for this kind of structure. But, they are very different because, they're afraid that, they're flavoring their taste is different. It's different because, Grego de tufo, you know, is the one of the tree that is more vertical and that he has a very, very good acid and the minerality. And, you when you taste the Greco de tufo, you you can't be wrong. You say, okay, this is Gregco de tufo, no, for this, this is his party. Security. No. Fiano, I think that the, as a, we can say also, an elegant nose, elegant flavor is complex. Perhaps more richer in the mouth. Yeah. Yeah. And also more floral, you know, nose. So I think that is a a very different test. I always say that, each of them has they're a estimator. They've they're fun. No. They I said, when I speak, maybe at failure with the people, you say, no. I love Greg. I love Greco, or I love Fian, you know. They have a different plat public. And Falangina? And Falangina, Falangina, you know, Falangina is, very, typical, you know, from, from south of Italy. Also, if in your opinion, it's not the docg. We decide we decided the planted, to plant the falangina, because we really love this kind of grape, you know, and we decided to make a wine that, you know, when you produce a docG, you you have to keep attention, at the disciplinarian. And for Palangina, we can say that, we were free, to do a white wine as we as we wanted, you know. And with Falangina, we started with, with the maceration in a ham for, and, also to use, some kind of, of wood know, we okay. Let's try the barica or or to know or a big barrel. So, we started to to work with Salangina. I thinking, two thousand eleven. And, it it it was a hard work, you know, because they always told us, but if you have, the three d o c g, why produce also falangina? No. Why do you want to produce falangina? But, we, we have the passion for this kind of great. And now, our crew of falangina Tina is one of our first representative wine of our estate. Okay. So that's a very, very good overview of those three important white wines that you produce. Let's turn to Alianico in the production of a great red wine Torazi. Okay. Apparently, we have a thirty actors of which eighteen, are planted of Ayianico. And with this Ayanical, we produce three kind of wine. We produce, Taurasi, DOCG reserveans, Cortalina. Yeah, we produce campy Taurazini, and our result. All the three wines are, made with ayanico impurity. The characteristic of ayanico is, determined. And, you know, that, determine helps you to work. With wine. Why? Because, the timing helps you to have, a long life wine. For example, I can tell you that our Taurasi on, on market now is, two thousand fifteen. And you know that he if you taste our Taurasi, he is a young boy, you know, and I always say that he's this is for ten, you know, that helps you a lot. Yes. That's a very, very good explanation. I'm the Anika, one of the truly great lines of, great varieties of Campania, indeed of Italy, along with Nebiolo San Jose and Narallo Vasquez, I would say, in my view. So great wines are produced, especially in Tarazi, as well as a little bit to the north of you in in Taborno as well. But, I'm a big fan of the Alianica wines. Now all of your wines, Sylvia, are wines that are really meant to be enjoyed with food. Let's let's turn to the gastronomy of Airpina. Oh, okay. Oh, wow. Gastronomy of Airpina is fantastic. Is, at the Ronomi made of a lot of, vegetable, you know, that, in your opinion, especially in patternopally, we have a slow food. The, broccola pre article that is, a very, very particular vegetable, that's, is only in pattern normally. In Italy, you can find it only in pattern normally. You know, so the food is protecting this kind of variety what is the name of that? Broccolo Appliatico. And how do you eat that? How do you enjoy that? Okay. This is a a a broccolo that comes out in April, you know, and there's a, it said it's strange because brocolo is, is a winter vegetable. We can say no. And this comes out in April. And this is, good with, has side as the meat, with meat, or pasta. And, you know, that your opinion is famous, for, handmade pasta, and also of, of course, for meat and cheese, we have, Carmachano. That is, very, very, very famous cheese from your premium. And what wine would go well with that cheese? Okay. With that cheese, I suggest to, drink boya that is, our Fiano DOCG reserve. And with Tarazi, you would be having meats and grilled meat, roast meats, or or game. Yeah. You know, Taurasi and the yaniko is a a good structured wine. So I think that it's perfect, in match with, with meat and vegetables. So so. So Okay. Are there any other particular dishes, of of your area that a visitor should make sure they sample when they come to your area. Oh, they they, as I was telling you, you, they are famous for, handmade pasta. And, ravioli is a kind of handmade pasta that is very good in this area, and they have to taste it. With what sauce would you have on that? We used to heat, with, in, I I always say with, tomatoes. I I love it with tomatoes snow, tomato sausages. And, but all they always cook it with the butter. No? Oh. In white. Now, from, what I can see, your winery is very modern, very beautifully equipped. And and it fits in wonderfully with the countryside. It almost blends in with with the hills. What about visitors? Do you welcome visitors and do you offer wine hospitality? Yes. So we use to organize private testing. And, we used to invite some chefs of the area. There are a lot of good chefs, and also young guys that are, studying a lot know, to become famous chef. And, I love to pair our wine with the food of this land. No? I think that, the food helps the wine and the wine helps the food. No. So, we invite some different chefs, in every tasting, there is one different, you know, to let them also to have a visibility, you know. And, we we organized this private, testing. And, I'm very happy that people comes to our state, to taste wine, but also to discover land, not to discover opinion. Yes. I think that's very important. It's, it's a place that should be discovered as I say, it's not as well known. It's Coastal Campania, of course, but, it's a beautiful, beautiful area that I have enjoyed visiting. And I hope I can visit the Fonzone estate. I really hope to Sylvia, thank you so much for being my guest today. It's been a real pleasure meeting you here. And I hope that you have a a good start to the two thousand twenty three, and I hope that we can meet perhaps in Patonopoli, perhaps in Vinitally, but sometime soon. Thank you to you, Mark. It has been a pleasure for me, speak about our stake. Thank you very much. Thank you. We hope you enjoyed today's episode of wine, food, and travel with me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Please remember to like, share, and subscribe right here, or wherever you get your pods. Likewise, you can visit us at italian wine podcast dot com. Until next time.