2003 Cantine Farro "Campi Flegrei" Falanghina

What is this prevailing insistence among my customers that if you like red wine, you're a "red wine" person, and therefore eschew all white wines? Or that if its coming up on cool weather (which in my part of the country, translates to "not as hot") then white wine is sooo, like, bad form?

People, if you fall into either of these anti-white wine categories, I feel sorry for ya. You're missing some beautiful stuff. You need to realize that there's more white wine out there than Chard, Pinot Grigio, and Sauv Blanc, and that white wine is not supposed to be like red wine. Do you, for instance, take a sample of an orange in the produce section, taste it, and say: "Nah, you know, I'm more of an apple person." No, ya don't. You should taste that orange and remember that, even though it's been a long while since you've had a really good orange, they're definitely a treat now and again, and have a place in your wide, adventurous palate.

Okay, this is a dumb arguement to bother with. If you don't dig white wine, fine. But let me describe one you're missing.

2003 Cantine Farro "Campi Flegrei" Falanghina

Falanghina is an obscure varietal from Campania, that loves volanic soil and sunshiny hills. It is believed to be the grape from which the Romans made Falernum, a great wine beloved of the elites. There are a few good Falanghinas out there, but this one's my favorite so far.

First of all, this sublime beauty is unoaked. Oaking Falanghina is like beating a magnolia to a pulp with a two-by-four to make it smell better. Dumb idea. It has a charming, bright pale straw hue and aromas of white blossom, white stonefruit, and clean sheets whipping in seabreeze. The palate is subtle honeyed citrus peel and a little almond, with a crisp, long finish. You'll definitely want to make sure this wine's not too icy-chilled to let the subtleties shine through, and I recommend it as an apertif or with something that won't overpower it, 'cause it's pretty stuff.

And I drank this wine on Halloween Night while watching David Cronenberg movies. Why? Because it sounded good. And it was good, regardless of the fact that it was cool outside and red wine would have been more appropriate for horror flicks. Ha! What a rebel I am, man.

I try to respect the diversity of everyone's palate, but judging from people's reluctance to embrace one color of wine or the other, these people are probably just as dull in many other preferences in their lives. These are missionary-style, medium-well kinda folks, I fear.

Sigh. Oh well, more for me.

Clinkies.