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IN THIS ISSUE
MYSTIC, CONNECTICUT
By John Mariani

NEW YORK CORNER
MARIO'S
By John Mariani

CAPONE'S GOLD
CHAPTER 13
By John Mariani

NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
CECCHI WINES OF TUSCANY:
AN INTERVIEW WITH ANDREA CECCHI
By John Mariani



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On this week's episode of my WVOX Radio Show "Almost Golden," on Wed. June 30 at 11AM EDT,I will be interviewing TV Host Bill Boggs to talk about his new book, Spike the Wonder Dog. Go to: WVOX.com. The episode will also be archived at: almostgolden.

MYSTIC, CONNECTICUT

By John Mariani

 

         You might have a passing mystical tremor while leaning over Mystic old iron bridge on Main Street and gazing out over the placid harbor while the stars twinkle and the silver half-moon glows, but the town’s name has nothing mystical about it. It comes, like so much else in Connecticut, including  “Connecticut,” from a Pequod Indian name, missi-tuck, referring to a large body of water driven by waves and wind. Which is an apt description of this beautiful seaside New England town that lies two-and-a-half hours from New York City, less than two from Boston, an hour from both Providence and New Haven. Unless, of course, you’re headed there Friday afternoon this summer, when the traffic along I-95 can be fearsome.
        Which, in its own way, is a positive sign of a rebounding of tourism, and on weekends Mystic is jammed with people who come to stroll the downtown streets and visit the extraordinary Mystic Seaport Museum. Like most other tourist destinations in New England—Cape Cod, Newport, Nantucket—Mystic’s Main Street and its tributaries are lined with the usual fudge and ice cream shops, the inevitable Black Dog clothing store, jewelry and tchotchke emporiums, but there are some unique places, too, including a first-rate Army & Navy store and Mystic Knotwork, which sells hand-tied nautical knot bracelets, coasters, ornaments, door mats, wreaths and more. (There are 40 more shops just north of town called Olde Mistick Village mall, and the gargantuan and grotesque Foxwoods Resort & Casino north on I-95 has a dreary outlet conglomeration.)
         To see all of downtown Mystic won’t take you more than a couple of  hours of easy walking back and forth across that historic Bascule Bridge (left), built in 1922. There are guided tours available of the town and the waterways—including a 90-minute Mystic River cruise on a 1947 lacquered cruise boat—as well as options for paddle boarding.
        One of my favorite spots to visit is the Mystic Museum of Art, established a century ago as the crucible for artists both local and from afar who found that the congenial waterscapes, rocky coast, farmlands and stone walls took them away from the influence of the Academic art world of the cities. The founder of the group was Charles H. Davis and included Henry Ward Ranger, Robert Brackman, George Albert Thompson, Y.E. Soderberg and many others, whose styles ranged from the naturalistic to impressionistic. This summer there is a three-month exhibition of 50 works by these artists.
       Mystic, with its protected river, was an ideal setting for shipbuilding during the whaling era of the 19th century, and its history is magnificently preserved and restored at the Mystic Seaport Museum, within walking distance of town. While there is a serious scholarly repository of history, documents and lore (2 million artifacts, 1 million photos, 75,000 books), the exhibits are actually spread outdoors over 19 acres as a recreated New England coastal village that gives a strong sense of the community in its simplest houses and its more majestic ones fueled by shipbuilders’ wealth. The Museum opened in 1929 to “inspire an enduring connection to the American maritime experience,” based on more than 500 historic watercraft, including four National Historic Landmark vessels, most notably the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship still in existence, and the David Crockett, the fastest schooner of its day. 
     You can also watch ongoing restorations (they refitted the rotting Mayflower II here) in the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard, where the old-time prized artisans’ handiwork ranges from metalwork at a blacksmith shop to crafting rope rigging, and all chores in between, many performed with 19th century tools. Also on the property is a fine Mystic Aquarium that has given a home to endangered species of fish and penguins, including New England’s only beluga whales.
     During the summer there is an onboard camp where children as young as ten years old actually live, eat and sleep onboard one of the old vessels where they learn the rudiments of sailing.
     It is impossible to underrate the critical importance of the whaling industry to Mystic and vice-versa, when the town became wealthy as a shipbuilder. It was not until the onset of industrial society that anyone knew the myriad uses for whale oil—as a revolutionary lubricant, preservative, lamplighter (better and cheaper than tallow for candles) and soap, even margarine. So profitable was whaling that, despite the unbelievable rigors undergone by the ships’ crews, who might be out sailing for two years at a time, the great animal was nearly wiped out, saved somewhat by the invention of petroleum, which replaced whale oil by the late 19th century.
       Many fast-moving masted clipper ships stilled plied the oceans as commercial merchants, but they, too, became extinct with the invention of steam powered ships. The farms around Mystic continued to be important for the economy, especially at a time in the 18th century when the average family had nine children.
        Now that tourism has become Mystic’s number one industry, the town officials have assiduously avoided being overtaken by gentrification, as have so many towns on Cape Cod, so that Mystic’s old buildings or various architectural styles remain true to historic precepts (although the telephone wires and poles along Main Street are an eyesore). The town also admirably bans fast food franchises (and I’ll be reporting on the best places in town to eat next week).
       There are no large hotels and few full-fledged inns, including the Inn at Mystic, set on 14 acres of greenery, outside of town, and downtown there is the Steamboat Inn with its own dock, the 1853 Spicer Mansion, and the Mermaid Inn B&B. We stayed at the Whaler’s Inn, just shy of the bridge, with 47 very comfortable rooms within five separate buildings, with several recently renovated suites. It’s a very handsome place, with period detail (though the plastic siding on the Stonington adjunct is wince making), and the front desk staff couldn’t be more helpful or knowledgeable about everything going on in the region. The lobby offers free coffee, water and cookies. The bathrooms are completely modern and well equipped, and the bedrooms equipped with antique-style phones along with HD TV.
       Given the region’s rebound as a tourist attraction, I highly advise you visit mid-week, when things are quieter and more accessible, and I-95 is not such a traumatic endurance test.

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NEW YORK CORNER

By John Mariani

 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

 

       David arrived back at his house on the Hudson and checked his phone messages, one a few days old from Katie at Midway airport saying she was on her way back to New York, one from Brian Cunningham saying, “David. Call me when you have a chance.”
       David grabbed a pad and pen and dialed Chicago.
       “Hey, Brian, what’s up?”
       “I’ve got some more info on Frascella.”
       “Shoot.”
       “He has a bit of a colorful history. He used to be with the police department in Philadelphia, where he was rated as a pain in the ass who’d butt his nose into places it didn’t belong.  Tried twice to get into the rackets division and was refused both times, even though he insisted he knew a lot of guys in the Scarfo mob from when he was a teenager.  Apparently, even worked as a runner for the Bruno family in Philly, then he got religion and applied to the police academy.”
       “Go on,” David said, writing it all down.
       “Says here he seemed a little over-enthusiastic about infiltrating the Philly mob. I talked to a guy I know on the force in Philly who knew him and said he wasn’t a hothead but he’d get real angry if he wasn’t taken seriously as a cop.”
       “Any evidence he was on the take?” asked David.
       “My friend said penny-ante shit, like most beat cops.  But he was always boasting he knew this wise guy and that one, and that he could get on the inside, which seemed preposterous because the Brunos and the Scarfos had to know he’d joined the force.”
       “So you think he was just an under-talented go-getter or someone whom the Brunos wanted on the inside of the police force?”
       “I don’t know, Dave. His record was good enough—or unremarkable enough, no red flags—to get him a position on the Chicago force, and although I don’t really know the guy, now that I think about it, he pretty quickly started talking shit about his days in Philly, suggesting he would have been a great informer there, if he’d been allowed to, but that, since nobody knows him in Chicago, he’d be perfect for the rackets squad here.”
       “Have you spoken to him yet about his being outside Capone’s house when Katie Cavuto was there?”
       “Yeah, I did.  He said he’s always been interested in mob history, and when I told him about Katie going out to Capone’s, he asked me all these questions.  Like I told you, I just said she was doing a story on Capone’s gold for some magazine and needed help getting into his house.”
       “Did you mention me at all?” asked David.
       “Matter of fact, I did.  Told him Katie’s working with a former First Detective in New York.  When I told him your name, he said, ‘Oh, I know all about Detective Greco,’ even reeled off some of your more publicized cases.”
       “Really?  Did he say it like he was impressed by me or just knew about me?”
       “You wanna know the truth—I don’t want to inflate your freakin’ ego more than it already is—but he said, ‘Greco is the kind of cop I’ve always wanted to be.’  I said something nice about you, thank you very much.”
       “And what about going out to the Capone house?”
       “He said he had the afternoon off, had never been out there and thought Katie might need some help.”
       “So why’d he take her picture?” asked David.
       “He said he was just taking a picture of the house when she walked out.”
       “I don’t know, Brian, this smells.”
       “I agree, Dave, but for the moment that’s all I know. I’ll snoop around and keep you posted.”
       “Please do, and thanks a million. And hey, Brian, can you send me a photo of Frascella?”
       “Fax it to you right now.”
       David was more curious than ever.  It’s one thing for a young cop to want to be a hero, and that meant maybe making detective someday.  It’s another thing to take it on himself to be trailing a reporter to a story.  And David didn’t believe for a second that Frascella was taking photos of Capone’s house for his scrapbook. 
       In any case, he decided not to raise any alarms with Katie until he found out more. When he had a chance, he’d call a friend in the Philadelphia rackets squad.

 

                                                        *                    *                    *                   

 

       As he had done countless times before when he was in the preliminary stages of an investigation, David took a long time just to think about everything he and Katie had found and what it might add up to, if anything at all.  They had all the background research done, a couple of good interviews with “Pants” Cuoco and Alice Britt, and some of the pieces of the puzzle were fitting together, but without giving any idea of what the entire picture looked like. 
       The idea that no one, absolutely no one, had ever provided credible evidence as to what happened to Capone’s gold after fifty years made David think he and Katie were not going to be the ones to find it.  Capone’s colleagues were mostly dead, as were his friends.  Several of Capone’s children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews were still alive but they had tried very hard to rid themselves entirely of the taint of the Capone name. 
        His brother Ralph’s son, Ralph Jr. (left), took the alias Ralph Gabriel, was a wife beater and killed himself at the age of thirty-three. In 1965, after years of menial jobs, Al’s son Sonny (right) was arrested for shoplifting $3.50 worth of groceries and put on two years’ probation. Sonny begged the judge to let him change his name, which the judge granted, insisting he keep out of trouble so that “nothing more would be visited on the heads of your children.”
        None of them, not even Al’s wife of twenty-nine years, Mae, lived extravagantly after Al’s death.  Mae sold the mansion on Palm Island for $64,000, furnishings included; then, after Al’s mother died in the Chicago house on South Prairie, Mae sold that, too, keeping just a few mementos of her life with Al Capone—some family  silverware and Al’s beloved collection of objets d’art in the shape of trumpeting elephants.  Apparently, Al Capone loved elephants (left).   
        Years later Mae (below)and her son Sonny ran a restaurant called Ted’s Grotto on Miami Beach—she was cashier—but it failed.  Nowhere close to affluent but not penniless, Mae passed away in her 101st year on earth.
        While David was thinking about every aspect of what he took to calling “the Capone case,” Katie was booking a flight to Miami. She called him and told her of her plans.
        “I think I ought to see the mansion,” she said.
        David, not wanting to interfere with Katie’s notions of an investigation, told her, “Suit yourself.”
        “You don’t think I should go?” she asked.
        “No, no, go, go,” he replied. “You’re very good at what you do, digging up stories and colorful detail."
        Katie snapped back, “Yes, I am.  And you’re really good at dialing up your friends on the phone and using anonymous sources.”
        “Katie, that’s how it works for me.  I’m not trying to be condescending.  I guess I just don’t feel we’re getting anywhere fast.  The problem is, I’m used to interviewing people who are alive, not dead twenty, forty, fifty years ago.”
        “Alice Britt is alive.”
        “Barely.”
        “Listen, David, I asked you to join me on this project because of your reputation.  I didn’t ask you to play cub reporter.  I’ll grant you we aren’t very far along putting the pieces together, but I’m convinced there are more pieces out there to be found.  In any case, I’m on a noon flight to Miami.  I’ll call you.”
        “I’ll be here.”
        “And while we’re on the subject, how about moving into the 1990s and getting yourself a mobile phone? You’re not that easy to reach.”
        “By choice, Katie, by choice.  I had mobile phones when I was on the force, but now that I’m retired I don’t need further interruptions in my life.”
        David knew that came out sounding terrible, so he said, “But, okay, I’ll look into it while you’re gone”—then, saving face—“as long as I can put it on the expense account.”
        “Not a problem.”
        There was a lull, then Katie changed the subject, appealing to David’s strengths.
        “By the way, did you hear back from Cunningham about Frascella?”
        “He said he’d call me when he had something.”
        “Good.  And give him your new phone number, eh?”

 

 

To read all chapters of Capone's Gold beginning April 4, 2021 go to the archive

 

CECCHI WINES OF TUSCANY:
AN INTERVIEW WITH ANDREA CECCHI

By John Mariani

 

 
Back in 1893 Luigi Cecchi founded his Tuscan winery in the hills of the Chianti Classico region, which back then had a rather footloose approach to what a Chianti should be. Cecchi over the years continued to refine his wines for consistency and, even then, the sustainability of the vineyards. In 2018 the third generation of the family celebrated its  125th anniversary of Cecchi, so I interviewed the current head of the family and CEO of the company, Andrea Cecchi (below), to see what Chianti Classico is undergoing in 2021. Their three latest releases that I have tasted have the virtue of being distinct from one another but all of the same pedigree.
     The 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva de Famiglia ($48) is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon (once forbidden in Chianti, now widely used), spending 12 months in oak and at least three months in bottle, giving the wine a richer body and long life, still with only 13% alcohol.
    The 2017 Storia di Famiglia ($27) has the same grape blend and aging but slightly less time in bottle age, with 13.5% alcohol and it shows the excellence of the vintage but can be drunk with pleasure right now.
     Cecchi’s 2019 Chianti ($21), not a classico but now a DOCG, has 10% canaiolo instead of Cabernet, and is aged only for a two-month minimum and has a screwtop closure. It is meant to be drunk right now and will remind you of the best non-Classico Chiantis that you drank with everything from pizza to spaghetti with easy joy.

 

Luigi Cecchi had a side business as a “wine taster.” What did that mean in terms of tasting others’ wines and consulting on their making?

 

Yes, my grandfather, before funding Cecchi in 1983, was a professional wine taster working as consultant for other nearby wine producers. This allowed him to become an expert wine maker and to better understand the characteristics of the different Tuscan areas of production.

 

The traditions of Italian winemaking, especially in Chianti, are  perhaps outdated. What aspects do you think are sound and must be maintained and which are in need of modern change?

 

Italian wine laws are highly restrictive and complex. It is therefore essential to have a deep knowledge and understanding for their application in the daily activity of a winery. However, many of these regulations are in line with the requirements and principles of the European Economic Community, and they are therefore relatively homogeneous among member states. Such tight relations with the European Community is unlikely to result in their modification and revision in the near future.

Nonetheless, bureaucracy is a major aspect that requires early intervention as it often restrains daily management. I believe that most paperwork can be prepared and organized in a simpler way, still keeping all the laws and regulations that are fundamental to protect the appellations, the patrimony, and more importantly the final consumers.

 

Tell me about your efforts in sustainability? Are they very costly to implement?

 

In all our estates we are very sensitive to sustainability. For us, it has been a focus for years and an important aspect within each estate, that needs to be constantly implemented. For instance, over the past few years, we have expanded the hectares of our vineyards that are grown organically, reaching 230 hectares (552 acres) that are certified organic. We also have three estates that have the organic certification also in the cellar and vinification areas. Due to the lack of water in Tuscany for more than 20 years, we have also developed a water recycling system that allows us to purify and reuse in our gardens the water that we use in the cellar. The recycling system allows us to keep an efficient irrigation of the gardens near by the wineries, without the use of the communal water or water from underground wells. Specifically, we have 3 active water recycle systems (Wetland) at Cecchi, Villa Cerna and Val Delle Rose estates.

 

How do you limit energy consumption?

 

In regards of energy consumption, we have implemented new systems that reduce the energy consumption with innovative techniques. We are changing lights in the cellars with low energy consumption lights (such as LED). In addition, in the construction projects of our cellars we have always invested and focused on thermal insulation. This results in a homogeneous temperature in the cellar and stocking areas throughout the year, limiting energy consumption for air conditioning and heat pumps.  Currently the analysis of the energy costs of our wineries demonstrated remarkable consumption levels and cost. Despite our current energy saving results, in the coming years further investments will be done to improve the efficiency of our energy consumption also in light of the continuous development of more energy-efficient systems.

 

When you say “The agricultural part, thus, is subject to continuous experimentation,” do you share this with your colleagues and do they share their new information with you?

 

Over the past 10 – 15 years the relationships and collaborations within producers have been improved in all the appellations where we have estates. We can communicate and share new ideas with a more positive and proactive approach. This attitude with producers has been possible thanks to the various Consorzio and associations of producers in each area of wine growing.

 

Are the Italian wine authorities involved in enological and ampelographic research?

 

Yes, the Italian wine authorities are involved in the enological and ampelographic research thanks to the collaborations with universities and Consorzio via both national and European funds. Thanks to the results of these studies, we have been able to discover and better understand autochthonal grape varieties as well as new technologies to be implemented in the vinification process. These new techniques have allowed to develop a tangible and impressive improvement on the average quality of Italian wines.

 

 

You work with a Consortium to “protect” Chianti. What needs protection?

 

Correct, we are working to protect Chianti. For us “to protect” means three main values:First, to guarantee the local heritage as well as the image of the product. For this reason, it is fundamental to transform and implement the operating procedures of the producers with the aim to share a more professional and sustainable vision. Second, “to protect” also means to defend the product and control it from unfair business practices Last, “to protect” means to prevent possible errors that can have a negative impact on the entire appellation, which is the true and main heritage of each producer. 

 

Why has the government awarded so many DOCGs to wines that are of negligible quality?

 

In part I agree with your point that the government has awarded so many DOCGs to wines that are of negligible quality. However, I believe that valuable work has been done by many producers, the consorzio, and regulators over the past 20 years. We have seen a true revolution in terms of quality as well as the image of the various areas of production. Being involved with several appellations, I see a constant improvement of the average wine quality. I am confident that we will see more improvements in the next years that will highlight the uniqueness and beauty of the Italian terroirs and viticulture patrimony. My hope is that this evolution will also be appreciated by the final consumers.

 

What differences do you see in the recent three vintages of your wines (Chianti 2019, Classico 2017, Riserva 2015)?

 

Italian grape varieties are characterized by variability in taste among vintages. This primarily results from their late ripening when compared to international grapes. All three vintages, 2019, 2017 and 2015, however, were characterized by good harvests as both the weather and the grape quality were favorable. 2019 was a good vintage as it combines a well-balanced taste with freshness, resulting in a characteristic juicy flavor.  2019 wines do not show a strong structure, even though they may be aged for up to 10 years, especially for Riserva. Vintage 2017 was characterized by a reduced production due to a mid-April frost followed by a drought of the subsequent months. This resulted in concentrated wine and an average higher alcohol content. The unfavorable weather condition of this year resulted in less balanced wines compared to 2019. 2017 wines can still be aged, yet for a shorter amount of time compared to the 2019. 2015 is an excellent vintage with wines showing perfect balance between the acidity, which confers freshness, and structure. It is considered one of the best vintages of the last 20 years and it is indicated for wine aging for up to 15 years.

 

Do you think screwtops will replace corks in the future of Cecchi ?

I don’t think we will replace corks in the future at our winery. Despite being a very reliable sealing method and being used for a number of our wines, I believe it will never replace natural cork.  We are currently using screwtops for some IGT and DOCG wines such as Sangiovese, Chianti and Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Current regulations of the Chianti Classico limit the use of screwtops in this appellation, where traditional sealing methods are indicated. I generally prefer screwtops for simpler and young wines.

 

Should a reserva be kept for a few years for maximum maturity?

The philosophy of our company is to provide wines that are ready for consumption and that show a great complexity and sharpness. Sangiovese in Tuscany represents the most prevalent wine grape and it dominates most of the appellation we produce. Before selling, Riserva wines are refined in wood first and then in bottles for at least 1 year. Nonetheless, even after selling, wines continue their refinement in the bottle for few years, where the natural maturation results in a greater delicacy and complexity. I personally appreciate a good Riserva after 5 years from the Vintage.