ISSUE 67, ARK OF TASTE, Part 2: Charbono Grape

Charbono Grape

Planted in the Napa Valley in the 1870s when European wine grapes of unknown provenance and suspect name were given acreage in the off chance that they might thrive and produce potable wine, the Charbono proved to be a fine red wine grape. Its earliest major producers tended to be clustered near the Santa Cruz mountains, General Naglee, W. G. Klee and H. Mel. The latter supplied the grapes for the California Agricultural Experimental Station’s testing of the variety in 1886—the initial documentation of the grape’s qualities. In the hands of a talented vigneron, Charbono could refine into a well constructed red wine with soft balanced tanins, high acidity, and moderate alcohol.  It would be an important red wine for a few twentieth century producers—particularly Inglenook in the 1940s-70s—but its undocumented origins relegated it into an increasingly niche status in California during the late 20th century when wine-makers built acreage in the dozen most recognized varietals of Vitis vinefera.  That it didn’t disappear can be attributed to the contrarian devotions of a group of winemakers in Calistoga—Tofaneli Family Vineyards (whose plantings date from 1929), Frediani whose 11.5 acres were planted in 1935, Markham Vineyards in St. Helena, who embraced Charbono in the 1970s, and Summers Estate Wines who exploited Charbono’s affinity for volcanic soil to create some attention grabbing vintages early in the 21st century.

            In the 1990s geneticists in the University of California at Davis began investigating the parentage of California’s old mystery grapes from the ubiquitous Zinfandel to the scarce Black Malvoise and Charbono.   By comparing the alleles of European noble grapes with those of California varieties scientists matched New World vines with those in the Old.  In the case of Charbono Dr.Carole Meredith found that it was identical to the Corbeau or Douce Noir grape of the Savoie in France.  Moreover the volcanic terroir of the California vineyards where Charbono was planted produced a more distinctive and flavorful vintage than the wines from the limestone foothills and glacial scree of the Alpine foothills in Savoie.  Californians had been insightful in recognizing that this dark purple grape might be capable of splendid things.

            At the turn of the 21st century scientists determined that the Argentinian Bonarda variety (second in popularity to Malbec) was a form of the French Corbeau as well. Its success there led numbers of people to reconsider its qualities.  Its late season ripening enabled it to escape Spring frosts.  Its high acidity and tannin structure enabled it to age into a complex wine with several distinctive flavor notes.  And it could keep for decades.  In the glass the wine has the color of purple ink and the odor of purple stone fruit.  Some producers can instill a tinge of spice, and a hint of coffee in the flavor. It was an organoleptic wine—a liquid that manifested itself more in the mouth than in the nose. 

            Currently there are approximately 100 acres of Charbono in production.  It is said to be the last grape harvested in the season by the owners of this acreage. Old vines produce three tons an acre maximum; new vines over twice that much.  Thought wine savants have been predicting that Charbono would be the next cult wine to emerge, the modest productivity of the vines has been an inhibitor in vineyards devoting new ground to its planting.  Nevertheless the vines are widely available for sale—from France, from Argentina, and from California—so the possibility of a future expansion of Charbono wine production is practicable.  The number of articles written about the variety and its wines in California in the past decade, too, bodes well for its future. 

            Several California vineyards offer vintages of Charbono red wine for purchase:  Robert Foley Vineyard in the Napa Valley, The Prisoner Wine Company’s “Headlock Charbono,” Turley Wine Cellers Charbono using grapes from the historic Tofanelli plantings, the Tofanelli Family Vineyards own issues of Charbono, Summers Estate Wines in the Napa Valley, Shypoke “Le Corbeau” Charbono from Calistoga, Fratelli Perata Charbono from Paso Robles, Inizi Charbono Portaluppi Charbono from the Russian River Valley.  The price basement for these offerings is $38 per bottle and retail prices can range up to around $90.  Most of these offerings have been aged.  Argentian Bonarda tends to be designed for quick consumption and costs half as much as a California Charbono.  The exception is Catena Zapata ‘Parcela Nicola Catena, Bonarard from Mendoza, a finely crafted offering, that prices in the range of the more expensive Charbonos.

            Special interest centers upon Tofanelli Vineyards near Calistogo.  Their finest Charbono wines derive from 1930s plantings—old vines cultivated without irrigation and tended according to no-pesticide organic principles. The Glass Fire of 2018 destroyed numbers of the vineyard’s service buildings, but spared the Charbano and Zinfadel vines.  https://www.tofanelliwine.com/vineyard