Campania

Campania lies in south-west Italy, surrounding the city of Naples. This far south the climate is generally hot and dry throughout the growing season, with wet winters replenishing water levels. Into the Apennines, where much of the finest wine is made, altitude plays an important role in ameliorating the summer heat and white wine with high acidity is commonplace. This is a generally mountainous province with three distinct soil types. There are volcanic sandy soils around Naples and towards Salerno, much planted with Falanghina, alluvial sediments on the plains inland of Naples (much of Irpinia and all of the Sannio DOC occupy this). The final type is a porous limestone (tufa) in the hills of Irpinia, where Taurasi, Greco di Tufo and Fiano di Avellino come from—arguably the most important, finest of the region.

Aglianico is the star grape variety of Campania, responsible for the two great red DOCGs Aglianco del Taburno and Taurasi. Unlike many other lauded Italian varieties, it doesn’t see substantial plantings outside of the country. Fiano and Greco are the champions of Campania’s white wines. Fiano, in particular, has been cultivated here for more than 2,000 years. Falanghina rounds out the star white varieties, which can produce a range of style from aromatic, with lush fruit, to structured, dry and full of citrus. Like the lemons grown along the Amalfi coast, the best of these wines are radiant with the plentiful sunshine of the region.