Maiolatesi turns disaster into best vintage to date
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When Sal Maiolatesi watched his winery burn the evening of Sept. 21, 2007, he didn't imagine that the year would also be remembered as his best vintage to date.
Maiolatesi Wine Cellars' 2007 wines - the juicy whites and just-released reds - were snatched from the jaws of disaster. The plaza that housed Maiolatesi winery outside Carbondale burned just before grapes were harvested from vineyards in three states. Fortunately, generous wineries with extra tank space allowed him to crush the grapes and keep his wines at their facilities. For months, Mr. Maiolatesi drove to Long Island, Southeastern Pennsylvania and Erie, to tend to wines as he built a new winery in Scott Twp.
The winery had an improbable birth. Mr. Maiolatesi was a production worker making DVDs at then-WEA Manufacturing in Olyphant when he learned winemaking from his grandfather and legendary Jessup home winemaker. He got his license in 1999 and became, at age 28, the youngest winery owner in Pennsylvania.
But there is nothing amateur about Mr. Maiolatesi now. Having tried the stellar 2007 vintage and toured his completed winery at 210 Green Grove Road, Justus, I found Maiolatesi Wine Cellars positioning itself as one of the top wineries in the state.
2007 delivered one of the best vintages in at least a decade - a warm, dry growing season that produced ripe reds - a rarity in cooler eastern regions. Reds, notoriously variable, are the home runs on the Maiolatesi's tasting sheet. With depth of flavor, sturdy acids, gentle oak aging, and moderate alcohol, they are ideal food wines. They are only available at his tasting rooms.
The stand-out white on the list is 2007 Viognier with floral, white pepper and peach white tea flavors around a voluptuous frame. For several years, Mr. Maiolatesi has sourced from a well-situated viognier vineyard in Long Island. $12. **** 1/2
The 2007 Syrah / Cabernet Franc is meaty and savory, with dried herb and rich mouthfeel. Some mesquite notes make this a nice pairing with barbecue. $14. **** 1/2
Pennsylvania growers Eric Miller of Chaddsford and Ike Kerschner of Mica Ridge Vineyards produced the grapes that went into Maiolatesi 2007 Cabernet Franc. A vibrant, inky purple, it is full of fruit character with a mix of earth and raspberry flavors, the wine shows not a hint of the sometimes off-putting greenness for which cab franc is known. $12. **** 1/2
The Cayuga is a tad too sweet, the chardonnays are pretty standard, and the merlot is a bit green, but I couldn't find a deficient wine in the line-up. Even the Blueberry/Chancellor fruit wine blend is well done.
Those who haven't checked out wine from Maiolatesi and other eastern producers owe themselves a trip the tasting rooms for anything 2007.
GRADE: Exceptional *****, Above average ****, Good ***, Below average **, Poor *.
DAVID FALCHEK, a Times-Tribune business writer, reviews wines each week. Contact him at dfalchek@timesshamrock.com.
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