L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 36 L'Italo-Americano Greco di Tufo and Old Times S h e w o u l d s i m p l y w a i t . She knew that, eventual- l y , y o u w o u l d n e e d t o take the stairs. Or use the bath- room. She'd catch you there on the narrow stairway, or exiting the bathroom, when you had nowhere to run. We misbehaving children ran too fast in the open yard to be easily caught by an old school Napoletana. But Nonna was patient. When she finally did catch hold of you, if you were lucky, loving discipline would send her open hand directly to the back of your head. Less lucky: she would have been cooking just before grabbing hold of you, and still carrying her wooden spoon. Chances are that if you grew up in an Italian-American family, you know what happened next. Fortunately, Nonna relied mostly upon her cooking skills to encourage us to good beha- vior, serving up snacks like moz- z a r e l l a i n c a r r o z z a o r  p i z z a fritta in exchange for saintly conduct. Feeling nostalgic and hungry, I one night celebrated old times and Nonna by enjoying a good pizza fritta, a sort of fried dough N e a p o l i t a n s t r e e t f o o d o f t e n stuffed with cheese and ham. I like it best as she served it, sim- ply, with marinara and grated cheese. I happened to pair the pizza fritta with a chilled Greco di Tufo, savoring mouthfuls of great taste that reminded me of h o w  a m a z i n g l y w e l l  G r e c o wines pair with fried foods. G r e c o d i T u f o i s s o l i d l y among Italy's best white wines, and finds a unique expression from grapes grown in the volca- nic soils of Campania. Greco di Tufo takes its name from tufa, a volcanic rock component of the soil it loves to grow in, and as well, perhaps, from the village o f T u f o , a n a r e a w h e r e t h e Greco variety does especially well. To sort a bit of potential con- fusion, Greco di Tufo refers to the name of the DOCG wine, and not the grape variety from which the wine is made, an ima- ginable oversight of which I myself have on occasion been guilty. E v e n m o r e c o n f u s i n g : a l t h o u g h G r e c o r e f e r s t o a group of generally unrelated grape varieties, it is an indivi- dual cultivar within that group to be the principal variety from which Greco di Tufo is made. And it is known as…you gues- sed it: Greco. Moreover, being a w h i t e g r a p e v a r i e t y , G r e c o t e m p t s o n e t o r e f e r t o i t a s Greco Bianco (bianco, of cour- se, means 'white' in Italian). However, it is a distinct cultivar from the real Greco Bianco. To refer to Greco as Greco Bianco would be incorrect. Greco can be a bit difficult both in the vineyard and in the cellar. In Campania, where it is primarily planted, Greco is late to ripen, playing a daring game of cat and mouse with weather, cooler temperatures and rain. Not to mention, Greco's disease resistance is not very high, a fact which tends to be worriso- me to farmers. Equally mischie- vous in the winery, winemakers should necessarily stay mindful of Greco's tendency toward oxi- dation. On the upside, Greco does seem to take well to hot a n d d r y w e a t h e r c o n d i t i o n s , which may serve it well should global warming weather patterns continue to present themselves. Greco di Tufo, perhaps the most famous of Greco wines, must be made of at least 85% G r e c o , a l l o w i n g u p t o 1 5 % Code di Volpe. Greco di Tufo can be enjoyed young for sure, but can also develop nicely with a b i t o f c e l l a r t i m e . Recommended producers inclu- d e F e r r a r a , F e u d i d i S a n G r e g o r i o , M a s t r o b e r a r d i n o , Terredora di Paolo. Compared to other Campania whites, I think you'll find Greco wines to have broader shoul- ders, that is to say, a bigger f r a m e , f o r e x a m p l e , t h a n Falanghina. That would espe- c i a l l y a p p l y t o G r e c o w i n e s f r o m S a n t a P a o l i n a a n d Montefusco which have higher a m o u n t s o f c l a y i n t h e s o i l , while those from Tufo are likely to be felt as lighter, with a more pronounced sense of mineral. As a side bar, some wine cogno- scenti and critics seem to have decided that minerality is not a real thing. Real or not, it is at least descriptive of a certain sensation, and so will do for our p u r p o s e s , a t l e a s t f o r t h e moment. I love Greco wines for their complex perfume, peachy cha- racter, and viscous palate, and for the wonderful feeling of fat- ness in the mouth, along with fantastic notes of lemon oil, honey, pear, almond, hints of flowers and saline. Wines made from Greco are natural partners for fried foods and are wonderful with fish, shell fish, and a whole cast of a p p e t i z e r s . E n j o y c h i l l e d between 46-50 F / 8 – 10 C. Tasting Note Benito Ferrara Greco di Tufo. Peaches, pears, sea salt and lemon, scents of flowers. Deliciously fat, rich and textu- red palate, drinks with a manner of elegance. WINE NEWS TRENDS PROFILES JOEL MACK THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2017 Although Greco refers to a group of generally unrelated grape varieties, it is an individual cultivar within that group to be the principal variety from which Greco di Tufo is made Greco di Tufo is solidly among Italy's best white wines, and finds a unique expression from grapes grown in the volcanic soils of Campania

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