[Images are borrowed from Fulchino Vineyard's Website. They show the beauty that exists in New Hampshire, under the guidance of Al Fulchino.]
My deep roots in New England keep certain people close to me.
I’ve not been to this winery, nor have I tasted the wine… One of my New England contacts just asked me to consider championing this small producer.
“Why not,” I thought. Considering will mean learning, and I know nothing about anyone producing wine in New Hampshire.
Would all the wines coming from this producer be vitis vinifer?
That would be impossible, giving their frigid, winter climate.
Unless, of course, they’re doing what I know others to be doing…
Buying fruit from California, and having it shipped to them,
like the growers in Suisun Valley are doing.
Suisun Valley vit people have found a market for their grapes outside of our state.
So, I decided to find out what is going on in New Hampshire…
Fulchino Vineyard & Nursery serves landscapers, garden centers, and homeowners. In New Hampshire ~ the “Live Free or Die” state ~ as in most other New England states ~ it’s very easy to be connected to the earth… There’s just so much of it available. Growing things for anyone is almost second nature.
For Al Fulchino, it has always been a passion, and it’s in his DNA. He’s had a professional green thumb since 1977, having also attended Essex Agricultural Institute to enhance his understanding.
The lineage in the Fulchino family being winemakers/viticulturists dates back to Al’s great grandfather. Here’s the line:
Angelo Fulchini ~ Great Great Grandfather Salvatore Fulchini, Great Grandfather Andrew & Raphaella Fulchini/o, GrandparentsThe original family home is located Gesualdo, Italy (about 6o miles to the east of Napoli, headed inland). Today’s Fulchini family and its vineyard land is at the lowest point in Hollis’ Pine Hill Valley. (Sounds pretty…)
“Our level vineyard is a quiet place, yet active with contradictions. It is peaceful yet full of natures tugs and pulls. The terroir says to this next generation ‘come visit with me..come .Work with me…come harvest me, together we can yield for you wine as a drink…wine as a food…and wine as a medicine in this most unexpected of places’. The teroir says to us that ‘things will not be easy but with hard work I will yield to you if you respect what I have to offer.’”
It seems that there’s also a poet in them thar hills… at least a romanticist.
What my source said to me, that convinced me to mention Fulchino Vineyard on wine-blog, is the following:
I know that you often side with the little guys. Check out the link for Al’s winery. Any mention or talk on the small guys, he would be thrilled to get noticed.
Even with all the cards stacked in the deck of the “super” producers, mega juice buyers, and power brokers……..the small wineries built on passion, winemaker sweat, and love are selling out their vintages.
Al Fulchino is a dedicated man, who isn’t a stranger to the windmill fights.
The marketing budget is minimal if at all… hand selling the juice to a few local on premise hot spots, small white sandwich boards out front simply stating “Wine Tasting.”
He learned the craft from basement crushing in an immigrant factory town in Massachusetts, and stays true to the passion of the craft. Check out this recent article in the NH magazine
Anyway, Jo, I know you have 1000’s of topics and such, but I’d really like to see more of the little guys who actually look after their wines, as they would a child, succeed.
And this, my friends, is from a large wholesaler, not one of the smaller guys hand selling each bottle.
So, here’s to all you little guys. I know how hard you work. I see it every day as I champion my small growers and producers in Suisun Valley, and the clients we serve with my company. It gives me great pleasure to champion your cause.
Tags: Viticulture, Winemaking, Winery
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