WTN: 1 1/8 liter for $4.15- Falanghina and my 1st Cayuga

For meatless Monday, a delicious yellow dhal with tomatoes and spinach and a salad with blue cheese dressing (Betsy accidently left grocery bag on the floor and a certain Basset stole cheese, but luckily I had my own stash of bleu d'auvergne). I opened two wines, just cause I wanted to try them:

2007 Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina Sannio
(I'm not sure if Sannio is a place, cuvee name, or clone- it's on backlabel but not front)
This was a whopping $4.15 for the half bottle. Seems to me to be very typical Falanghina, floral with a distinct almondy note. Citrus, peaches and green apple, a slightly oily note to the texture. Enough acidity to keep it awake, not very long but at this price am I complaining? B/B-

2006 Hart Cellars Semi-Dry Cayuga
A homemade wine given to me by Howie Hart. My first Cayuga. Apparently the grape includes Zin amongst its parentage, but this is Riesling-like to me. Appley with a little edge of lemon wax, a little topnote of smoke and maybe petrol. Light to medium body. Could easily pass for say a Pfalz from a warm year. Quite pleasant, and went well with the food. Thanks Howie!

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.  

Glad you enjoyed the Cayuga. The 2006, for some reason I don't understand, is distinct from the ones I've been making every year since the late '80s and from commercial versions I've tried. Most are a bit simpler and don't exhibit the petrol character. Cayuga also makes a nice addition to sparkling cuvees.

Good writeup. Thanks.

Re Sannio, my understanding is that Sannio is a sub-region within Campania, specifically that part that is inland and straddles the Appenines, Dale.

As opposed to the coastal stretch of Amalfi-Naples, I mean.

Goes back to the land of the Samnites, a tribe during the Roman era that occupied the area. Guess somehow the Italians lost an m along the way...

Thanks again Howie.

Thanks Hoke for clarification.