The Wine

There are more than a hundred native grape varieties in Campania, some unknown outside the region.

The Campania region’s success owes much to the varied landscapes and micro-climates.  Viticulture thrives thanks to an abundance of sunshine, dry hot summers, mild winters, a long growing season and volcanic soil.

The coastal Mediterranean breezes blow in from the Tyrrhenian Sea and across the Apennine Mountains to temper the heat, encouraging a bright acidity in the fruit.

The geographical factors contribute to the diverse qualities of Campania wines. For instance, an inland Falanghina grown on slopes where there is more rainfall offers more fragrant notes than those found on the coast, where the climate is more temperate.

The area’s most prestigious wines are the red Taurasi DOCG and three white varieties, Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo and Falanghina.

The king of the reds is the Aglianico, introduced to the area by the Greeks and later cultivated by the Romans.

The whites are Greco, which like Aglianico was brought to Campania by the Greeks, and Fiano, which dates back more than 2000 years (Its name comes from vitis apiana, meaning vine beloved of bees).

The white Falanghina is also highly regarded. Its honeyed sweetness gained it praise from Pliny the Elder, an ancient philosopher who often mentioned in vino veritas (in wine there is truth) in his writings.