Perfect Afternoon Trip to Fulchino Vineyard

Michael, Mum, and Me enjoying our afternoon on the patio overlooking the grape vines at Fulchino Vineyard

Have you ever had one of those afternoons that even while you are living it, you are fully aware that this is one of the best times you have had in a long time? I had just that experiences on Friday of my super-long #MemorialDay Weekend and I’m dying to share it with you! But let’s start at the beginning…

The weather was a gorgeous 80 degrees and the sun was shining.   My husband, Michael, my Mum, and I hopped in my step-dad’s Mustang, put the top down and made the 50 minute trip back up to Hollis.  Having been to Fulchino Vineyard last December on a whim during my birthday weekend (yes, the celebration requires more than just a day J), I had been looking forward to another trip to the #vineyard for quite some time.  As Al and Susan Fulchino also run a Nursery, I was even more to experience the setting during a time when the flowers would be in full bloom! We arrived at the Vineyard and were promptly greeted by Al, the hard working wine maker who was out working in the fields declaring that he “had some down time from the tasting room, so figured he would help out with in the fields”. The hard work that the Fulchinos put into their #wine is evident as soon as it hits your lips and we were all the more appreciative to witness it at the earliest stage of production.

We were enthusiastically brought into Al’s beautiful tasting room where seven gorgeous bottles stood begging to be tasted.  As we traveled through the different wines, Al graciously entertained us with facts about his wines, stories and examples about why he loves what he does, and advice for me as I continue to look into pursuing different avenues within the “wine world”.  This was truly an experience that combined all that I love about wine.  I tasted, quite honestly, some of the best wine I have ever had.  I got to ask a million
questions about the professional as well as passionate side of owning one’s own vineyard and making one’s own wine.  I got to go out into the vineyard and learn about the different temperatures, grapes, and weather patterns.  And the best part is that I got to do this all while sitting on a patio overlooking the vineyard with my husband and my mother.  This is what I’m talking about … combining passion, learning, and sharing it with my loved ones over absolutely incredible wines… like I said- this was the BEST afternoon.

So, now that you have the back story (and I’m sure are feeling incredibly jealous!!) let me share with you some tasting notes and recommendations.  If, based on my story above, you would rather just skip the notes and head straight to the Vineyard- I’m perfectly fine with that because it’ll be worth it… but just in case:

1. Classico- This red table wine is anything but a standard everyday vino; it was divine.  A young, medium bodied wine, it was peppery on the nose and had a initial spicey taste that hit you on the front of the tongue.  There were bursts of different spices that mingled to perfection in your mouth to leave you with a smooth finish.
2. Sangiovese- This wine was very fruity on the nose so I was surprised to get a sharp, peppery taste in my mouth.  It was not as round as the Classico and the taste didn’t linger as long.  I imagine that this wine wouldn’t be able to stand up to a big beefy burger, but would do wonders to enhance grilled vegetables or a lighter dinner.
3. Vivace- Ahhh yes, and we have arrived at the first of Fulchino’s three signature wines.  Vivace means “Spicey & Full of Life” and this wine completely lives up to its name.  It is spicey and sweet, you can taste the freshness of the fruits, and there is a particular citrus element that comes out at the end that screams summertime! This is the type of wine that you want at a BBQ to pair with grilled meats and sunshine!
4. Mirabella- The second of the signature wines.  The name comes from “Mirabella Eclano” which means “To look for something beautiful”.  Let me tell you, the Fulchinos have truly looked, found, and captured something beautiful and have stored it for us in this bottle of wine.  This was my absolute favorite the first time I had it, and although I “uncorked” a new favorite during this trip (don’t worry… we’ll get there!!), this wine is now an extremely close second and it is truly a joy to drink.  The richness that comes from the deep, lingering fruits in this wine are incredible.  I got plum, blackberry, strawberry, vanilla, cocoa, sweet cinnamon.  The smell on the nose is impossible to resist and the taste of the deep purple wine just keeps regenerating itself in your mouth.  There is an explosion of smell and tastes that invite you to keep going back for another sip.  To this point, after bringing the glass to his nose, my husband said, “I think you have the best smelling wine I’ve EVER had”.  This is a MUST get.
5. Cenare- The third of the signature wines.  The name comes from “Dinner” and this wine is not as full bodied as the Vivace and Mirabella, but rather has a dryer smell that is fresh, light, and inviting.  The tastes of caramel and cherry mix well with earthy undertones; it was a bit lighter but maintained a roundness that lingered on the top of my mouth.  It was aged on French oak and I would absolutely pair this with any type of dinner that has a good protein and substance to it.
6. Peach Vino- This dessert wine was incredible and was pure peach.  I held my glass a foot away and I was still able to smell the delicious aromas of a sweet, juicy peach that could have just been plucked from a tree.  This is the type of dessert wine that you want to pour into a long-stemmed glass after a long, hot day at the beach and enjoy while watching the sun go down.  Also, we all decided that it would be amazing dribbled over an angel food cake or pound cake and my Mum went home and promptly tested that theory and reported back that it was divine.  Yes, yes, yes to Peach Vino!
7. Zinfandel- MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE WINE! This was just one of those wines that was a life-altering, mind blowing, experience in a glass and if I sound dramatic, I’m fine with it because it was THAT good.  There were gobs and gobs of sweet fruit in this beautiful, rich, deep red wine.  I also got hints of vanilla, spiced cherry jam, chili-chocolate, cinnamon, and cloves.  This is the type of red wine that you want to pour into a huge glass, curl up with, and just savor every sip as your mind wanders into a blissful state.  Honestly, it’s that good.  This was the wine that I couldn’t stop tweeting about through @theWineKeybyJB.  We bought a case… enough said.

So, there you have it.  This experience is the epitome of why I started blogging, tweeting, and diving completely head-first into unlocking secrets in the wine world.  This is a diamond-in-the-rough winery, run by fantastic people, that produces some of the most quality wine I’ve ever tried.  It was not just a wine tasting, but rather a wine experience that I will always treasure and appreciate.  This is definitely a winery worth checking out and you can find all their information at http://www.fulchinovineyard.com/index.htm
or on Facebook.  Trust me, this is a wine discovery worth going out of your way to make, even if you don’t have your step-father’s Mustang convertible to get you there.

Cheers!