2010 Colli di Castelfranci Falango Falanghina

We’re all familiar with the relatively new saying “there’s an app for that”. Maybe as an outcropping from all of these disenfranchised, un-tethered types yearning for human connection there now seems to be a new catch phrase on the horizon: “There’s a group for that”. Visit MeetUp.com and you’ll find an exhaustive list of special interest groups you never realized existed: Pittsburgh Steppers (dance); American Preppers (survivalists)! You name it, it’s out there and they’re meeting every Tuesday at the VFW.

I recently attended a function sponsored by Women for WineSense: a group with whom I was totally unfamiliar. A national organization with an active local chapter, the group promotes ‘wine education and networking opportunities for industry professionals and wine enthusiasts’. There was no dancing and no hoarding involved, just good wine. One standout for me was the 2010 Colli di Castelfranci Frango Falanghina. A flavorful and complex wine made from the Falanghina grape grown in the area just east of Naples, Italy. Weightier than a Pinot Grigio and more interesting than a Soave, this wine shows apple, almond, lemon and lime with nice minerality and balanced acidity. While a pleasant sipper, it pairs particularly well with seafood. Relatively unheard of until recently, it is worth seeking out as yet another alternative to the more common white varietals.