Among my favorite wine world duos, none is better perhaps, than that of Fernando Franco viticulturalist and Luca Paschina winemaker at the famed Barboursville Vineyards.
Fernando Franco, Barboursville's viticulturalist, graduated in 1980 with a degree in plant physiology from the Escuela Nacional de Agricoltura Robeoto Quinones in El Salvador. Mr. Franco has been involved in Virginia viticulture for more than three decades, starting in 1982 at Rapidan River Vineyards, which later became part of Prince Michel Vineyards. During the 1990s, he managed the vines at Leducq Vineyards in Napa Valley, and in 1998, he joined Barboursville and was tasked with the job of expanding the vineyard from 80 to 182 acres.
Fernando was named the 2015 “Grower of the Year” by the Virginia Vineyards Association (VVA).
“Since he joined Barboursville in 1998, the vineyards he manages have produced two Governor’s Cup winners,” said VVA President Tom Kelly. “This year alone, wines from those vineyards collected three gold medals in the Governor’s Cup competition.”
Mr. Kelly added that wines made from grapevines managed by Mr. Franco have taken platinum, double gold, or best of show medals in the San Francisco International, Monticello, and San Diego competitions. They also made Barboursville one of two vineyards to have achieved the highest score of any Virginia wine in Wine Spectator magazine. Mr. Kelly added that Mr. Franco’s contributions to the VVA had been especially distinctive. He is a past president of the VVA, and he hosted the association’s summer technical meeting last year.
“Fernando really went out of his way to give our members insight into some of the advanced techniques that Barboursville is using in its vineyards,” said Mr. Kelly. “We were especially interested in the extent to which Barboursville has taken advantage of mechanization, which is an issue that is increasingly important for Virginia vineyard managers. Fernando was a great teacher, and he spent the day patiently answering questions for all of us.”
His first job was as Assistant winemaker at Luigi Bosca E Figli Winery, Canelli, Italy, where his father was the head winemaker. In 1990 he was brought in at Barboursville. He's had a string of successful vintages, and is among the foremost winemakers on the east coast.
Recently, Luca was inducted into the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. The Order of Merit is the highest distinction in occupations “that reflect honor on Italy and its people, in cultural pursuits, the economy, public service, the military, philanthropy or humanitarian activities.”
The two have formed a power house team for almost two decades now. Recently I opened up a long cellared Barboursville Octagon 2006 with fellow wine writer Lenn Thompson of the CorkReport. We were both immediately impressed. Octagon is a Meritage-styled blend. In those era vintages, Octagon usually consisted of approximately 70% Merlot, bolstered by 25% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot in combination, and a small single digit contribution of Cabernet Sauvignon. Octagon releases are usually about three years behind the current date, so the 2006 was released in 2009.
Octagon is the biggest and best expression of red wine this house has to offer, and is therefore a great rubric to judge Franco and Paschina by. If this is the way Barboursville is to be judged, life will be good to the Zonin Family, owners of Barboursville, for years to come. And it's a great statement about Virginia wine - where it's been and where it's going.
The attack is an impressive one. Vanilla, plum, cherry, cedar, and spice hover above the glass of garnet/ruby colored wine that is beautiful to behold. There was a lot of dark fruit and spices on the nose as well. Dark cherry, dark raspberry, blackberry, and cassis all came to the fore. There was also the slight presence of falling leaves and dust, signaling that we had opened it at just the right time, though it was possible it might have been able to last longer. But I thought it was the perfect time. The tannins and acidity were still present, but there was a complexity and silkiness only time could have provided. The fruit and acidity and tannins however were still vibrant enough however. The wine had not be cowed by time.
The result was an incredible glass of wine with body, flavor, and texture, with balance and elegance, to spare. It was heavenly.
The first doff of the cap goes to Franco and Paschina. It was a work of art. It showed what two talented men could produce in concert. Secondly, it was a huge strike for Virginia wine, and ultimately East Coast wine. This wine not only withstood the test of time, but improved by it, and heralded great things for the future.
Impressive!