Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
the University of Udine. As he explained it:
“The two pedigrees are certainly in confl ict, yet
both have a very high LOD (logarithm of odds)
scores, which is a statistical measure that com-
pares the likelihood of events happening if
they are linked, instead of happening by
chance. The scores for both pedigree possibili-
ties are similarly high in this specifi c case
because the four grape varieties (Casavecchia,
Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Cecubo, and Piedi-
rosso) are certainly related to a degree, but
more SSR loci need to be analyzed in order to
determine the exact relationships present. This
is typical of all those ancient varieties that have
undergone many crossings over the centuries
and have complex family relationships: Malva-
sia Bianca di Candia, Piedirosso, Cecubo, and
Casavecchia are among Italy's oldest known
cultivars. For cultivars such as these, at least
fi fty to sixty loci need to be analyzed.” Clearly,
further research on Casavecchia's parentage is
needed.
Casavecchia only grows in the countryside
north of Caserta, in the areas surrounding the
towns of Castel di Sasso, Formicola, Liberi, and
Pontelatone, but plantings are increasing. Its
return from the brink of extinction, and the
quality of its wines, have won it media attention
and a slew of new admirers. Despite its poor
productivity and low vigor, Casavecchia is here
to stay.
The biggest expert on Casavecchia wines is
Luigi Moio, who has undertaken research studies
on the variety at the University at Portici in Cam-
pania. Initial results show Casavecchia to be par-
ticularly rich in anthocyanins and to be blessed
with short-chain tannins that taste smooth and
supple when properly ripe. In fact the wine is
always soft and smooth, unlike that made with
Pallagrello Nero, the other recently rediscovered
local variety. The total acidity is usually so low in
Casavecchia wines that performing a malolactic
transformation is unnecessary. This supple
nature of the wines make them somewhat simi-
lar to those made with Merlot, according to Moio.
In my opinion, casavecchia also has a very dis-
creet aromatic quality that is evident in pure,
well-made wines, neatly separating this cultivar
from other local red varieties like Pallagrello
Nero or the better-known Aglianico. The aromas
of delicate fi eld herbs, bay leaf, rosemary, dried
mushrooms, green peppercorns, and oregano
are typical, though hard to fi nd in many wines.
However, it's this delicate but discernible aro-
matic note that sets Casavecchia wines apart
from most other reds of Campania.
Casavecchia di Pontelatone is a recently cre-
ated DOC for Casavecchia, covering the entire
area of the townships of Formicola and Liberi
and parts of those of Caiazzo, Castel Campa-
gnano, Castel di Sasso, Piana di Monte Verna,
Pontelatone, and Ruviano. Casavecchia has to
make up at least 85 percent of the total blend.
Wine lovers can however taste reputedly 100
percent monovarietal casavecchia, depending
on what the producer chooses to do. A good
IGT is Terre del Volturno.
Which Wines to Choose and Why
Casavecchia's fairy tale teaches a useful lesson:
a wine that was literally nonexistent in any sig-
nifi cant numbers in the mid-1990s, and of
which there were only a couple of producers as
recently as 2000, is now being made by at least
a dozen quality Campanian estates, all located
around the city of Caserta, the vine's birthplace.
I could not be more happy about this, consider-
ing all those experts who insisted, not so long
ago, that the future in this part of Campania
was in making merlots and cabernets and that
Casavecchia and other natives were best ripped
out. Of course they all deny this now, but the
producers remember only too well.
wines to try:
Vestini Campagnano*** (wine-
maker Paolo Caciorgna has effortlessly stepped
into Moio's shoes), Terre del Principe** (Cento-
moggia, some past vintages had a little too
much residual sugar for my taste), Alois*
(Trebulanum, too oaky for me), Tenuta di Cas-
tel Campagnano*, Fattoria di Selvanova*, and
Viticoltori Casavecchia* (Vigna Prea and Futo,
the latter a rare and compelling Casavecchia
Passito from air-dried grapes).
