That is the third and last a part of the tour to Campania that I organized as a member of the Dutch affiliation of Vinologists (Verenigde Vinologen Nederland). After a day of attending to know the wines of Sannio, we continued our exploration of Campanian wine on the Costa d’Amalfi. On this last half we get to know the wines of Irpinia.
Irpinia DOC wines may be created from grapes from all around the province of Avellino, however the three DOCGs can solely be created from particular municipalities. Taurasi DOCG is for purple wines of Aglianico, and was the primary DOCG in Southern Italy, established in 1993. Greco di Tufo DOCG has the smallest manufacturing space and consists of solely 8 municipalities across the city of Tufo. There are 2 municipalities through which each Taurasi DOCG and Fiano de Avellino DOCG could also be produced. Regardless of the small space, the manufacturing of Greco is bigger (5 million bottles per 12 months) than that of Fiano (3 million bottles). Greco and particularly Fiano are each appropriate for ageing. From 2019, there’s a Riserva model of each DOCGs, with an extra 12 months of ageing earlier than the wine is allowed to be launched. The annual manufacturing of Taurasi is just about 1 million bottles. Vineyards in Irpinia are between 300 and 900 meters above sea stage. Due to that, the temperature is 5 to eight levels Celsius (9 to 14 levels Fahrenheit) increased than on the coast. After the devastating earthquake of 1980, a whole lot of new wineries have been established in Irpinia. Now there are 300, a whole lot of them small.
Mazzella
The primary vineyard we visited in Irpinia was Mazzella within the municipality of Paternopoli. Gian Luca Mazzella was a journalist, however grew to become a winemaker and gained expertise in wineries in several European international locations. He’s very enthusiastic about high-quality wine, and thought it was unusual that there existed no costly icon wines in Italy south of Tuscany. Particularly since within the comparatively cool local weather of the hills of Irpinia, it ought to be doable to supply a high-quality wine with ageing potential from the late-ripening Aglianico. And so he got down to create such a wine, and known as it Paterico.
He has purchased 3.5 hectares (10 acres) of outdated vine Aglianico, and has leased an extra 2.5 hectares (6 acres). The outdated vines are skilled as pergolas and appear like bushes. Gian Luca took us to a kind of vineyards to point out us. To get prime quality, he restricts the yields to a really low 1000 litres per hectare. The primary classic was 2019 and it has already been offered out. He has produced solely about 3000 bottles and isn’t planning to ever produce greater than 5000. Paterico has without delay develop into the costliest wine of Italy south of Tuscany.
Paterico is Taurasi DOCG, however it’s totally different from most different Taurasi as a result of the vineyards used for Paterico are about 530 meters above sealevel with southern publicity, whereas most different Taurasi is at 300 meters with diversified solar publicity. Paterico is extra elegant. The principle distinction between a DOC and a DOCG is {that a} panel must style the wine and assert that it is sort of a typical Taurasi. I requested Mazzella about this, however he mentioned that to this point this had not turned out to be a difficulty, though Paterico is totally different from most different Taurasi. Aglianico can produce rustic wines if the pores and skin is just not ripe. However since Aglianico doesn’t get overripe and retains its freshness, Mazzella harvests very late. The 2019 was harvested on November 18. He destems the grapes to take away inexperienced tannins from the stems. He makes use of spontaneous fermentation, which takes 3 to 4 weeks. He doesn’t press and macerates for a very long time: 2019 for 3 months, 2020 for 55 days. The malolactic begins as late as August of the 12 months after the harvest, which may be very late. The 2019 was aged for 4 years in oak, the 2020 for 3 years.
We tasted 2019 and 2020, which had simply been bottled, with Ornellaia 2019 as a benchmark comparability. The Paterico 2019 was contemporary and stylish with excessive acidity and the tannins nonetheless want a whole lot of time. The Paterico 2020 had stunning cherry fruit, extra however softer tannins than 2020, decrease acidity than 2019, and a touch of eucalyptus. Though it was youthful than 2019, it was already extra balanced. It was very elegant and it’s clear that Mazzella is attempting to supply one thing nearer to a basic Médoc than to Taurasi or a purple from Southern Italy on the whole. I’m very curious how this wine will develop over time. The Ornellaia 2019 had a whole lot of gentle tannins and a touch of inexperienced bell pepper. No person in our group thought it was pretty much as good because the Paterico, however it’s also (barely) cheaper than Paterico.
Trattoria Concè
For dinner we went to Trattoria Concè, which makes a speciality of native dishes from Irpinia. We began consuming on a really giant desk outdoors, however needed to transfer inside after the antipasti because it was getting too chilly.
We began with the home antipasti, which consisted of salumi and cheese, mousse of ricotta with tomato, beans in Naepolitan pork and beef ragù, focaccia with black summer time truffle, and deep fried zucchini blossoms. As primo piatto we had an area dish with a sophisticated title, Maccaronara allo Scarpariello, which is definitely simply contemporary pasta with a sauce of cherry tomatoes, basil, and grated parmigiano. The secondo was grilled lamb chops with roasted potatoes, and we had an apple and vanilla tart because the dolce.
It goes with out saying that each one of this was accompanied by wine from Irpinia:
- Colli di Lapio, Cielia Romano Fiano di Avellino 2022
- Cantine di Marzo, Greco di Tufo 2022
- Di Meo, Hamilton Taurasi 2009
- Quintodecimo, Taurasi Riserva 2014
- Cinque Querce Taurasi Riserva 2010
Consorzio Irpinia
We have been acquired on the Petilia vineyard by Teresa Bruno, the president of the Irpinia Consorzio Tutela Vini and proprietor of Petilia collectively along with her brother Roberto, in addition to Ilaria Petitto, the vice-president of the consortium and proprietor of the Donnachiara vineyard, and winemaker Arturo Erbaggio.
These are the wines we tasted:
- Donnachiara, Esoterico Fiano di Avellino DOCG 2022 (natural, made in chrome steel, late harvest in October): floral, mineral, elegant
- Donnachiara, Aletheia Greco di Tufo Riserva 2021 (aged 12 months in chrome steel with stirring of the lees, then an extra 12 months within the bottle)
- Petilia Tarantella 2023 (glowing Greco, made by bottling wine with sufficient grape juice to get a second fermentation going within the bottle to get 4 bars of pression, no sulfite is used, as a result of the CO2 will protect the wine): orange zest, golden, juicy, contemporary, jogs my memory of cider
- Petilia Quattro Venti Greco di Tufo Riserva 2020 (from the highest of a hill at 500 meters above sea stage, the title refers back to the wind that comes from all 4 cardinal instructions on the prime of the hill, solely 3000 bottles produced from 1 hectare (2.5 acres), aged 18 months in chrome steel with stirring of the lees): salty, contemporary, mineral.
- Donnachiara Per Umberto Taurasi Riserva 2019 (from sandy soil at solely 300 meters above sea stage): oak, ripe gentle tannins, ‘heat’
- Selva Solina Taurasi Riserva 2016 (chilly maceration, aged in 500 litre medium toasted oak tonneaux): more energizing model, extra construction
Teresa ready a scrumptious lunch for us with produce from the Petilia farm: antipasti and hand-made fussili with contemporary tomato sauce.
Feudi di San Gregorio
We additionally visited the biggest vineyard in Irpinia: Feudi di San Gregorio. The tasting room gives 360 diploma views of the large cellar.
The wines we tasted at Feudi have been:
- Pietracalda Fiano di Avellino Riserva DOCG (chrome steel for 1 12 months, then 1 12 months within the bottle):
- 2022: yellow apple, mineral, structured
- 2016: developed, roasted almonds, extra physique, stability, and complexity than 2022
- Cutizzi Greco di Tufo Riserva (chrome steel for 1 12 months, then 1 12 months within the bottle):
- 2022: peach, contemporary, stability, crispy, construction
- 2016: golden, contemporary, developed, honey, much less physique, stability, and complexity than 2022
- Taurasi (1 12 months in oak, each giant barrels and barrique)
- 2019: darkish fruit, acidity, gentle tannins
- 2008: developed nostril, ample however gentle tannins, flavorful
- Studi Sirica 2019 (found in an outdated pergola-trained winery of 4 to five hectares (10 to 12 acres), the variability domestically named as Sirica seems to be Syrah/Shiraz, solely 6000 bottles produced): comparatively gentle shade, gentle tannins, earthy
- Serpico Irpinia Aglianico DOC 2016 (from 4 meters excessive pergola-trained very outdated (100 years+) prephyloxxera vines, 18 months in giant and small oak): great, gentle tannins, elegant, contemporary, earthy
I assumed it was attention-grabbing to note that (a minimum of within the case of Feudi), the Fiano had aged higher than the Greco.
Terredora di Paolo
Our subsequent go to was to Terredora di Paolo. The Mastroberardino household has been within the wine enterprise because the finish of the 18th century and are ambassadors of Irpinian wine. Due to a disagreement between the 2 brothers Paolo and Angelo, there now two wineries run by the Mastroberardino household, with solely one in every of them utilizing the household’s title (which we visited subsequent). We have been acquired by Daniela Mastroberardino. Terredora is called after Dora, Daniela’s mom.
At Terredora we had an exquisite horizontal and vertical tasting of a minimum of 14 wines, evaluating the identical wine at totally different vintages and/or totally different wines of the identical classic:
- Greco di Tufo Terre degli Angeli (replanted utilizing 4 clones, made in chrome steel):
- 2022: honey
- 2018: honey, developed, bitter notice
- Greco di Tufo Loggia della Serra (plant materials primarily based on mass choice, made in chrome steel):
- 2022: mineral, extra acidic than Terre degli Angeli
- 2018: advanced, mineral, stability
- Fiano di Avellino
- 2022: yellow fruit, creamy
- 2022: mineral
- Fiano di Avellino Riserva Campore (outdated vines, 6 months in French oak barriques)
- 2019: creamy, stability, construction, already a bit developed
- 2009: golden shade, developed aroma, advanced, mineral, full physique, lengthy end, not oxidated in any respect regardless of the age
- Taurasi Fatica Contadina 2015 (launched after 6-7 years): earthy contemporary, ripe tannins
- Taurasi Pago dei Fusi
- 2015: earthy, restrained aroma, gentle tannins, contemporary, extra worldwide model than Fatica Contadina
- 2009: velvet tannins, restrained aroma, mineral
- 2008: developed aroma, contemporary, tannins nonetheless agressive
- 2007: mineral, a whole lot of tannins however velvety, dried fruit, wonderful classic
- Taurasi Riserva Campore 2007: wonderful fruit, appears a lot youthful and nonetheless has a whole lot of shade, a whole lot of tannins however velvety, great
Mastroberardino
Our last vineyard go to was to Mastroberardino. We began with a go to to the cellar and the museum. Mastroberardino has 260 hectares (600 acres) of vineyards in Taurasi, Greco di Tufo and Fiano di Avellino DOCGs. Additionally they have some Falanghina del Sannio DOC. They produce about 1.8 million bottles per 12 months.
Within the museum is a powerful assortment of outdated bottles going again to 1928, of which some are nonetheless used for vertical tastings.
Fred made some wonderful options for wines we want to style, together with the wine that was created from vineyards on the historic location of vineyards in Pompei (a undertaking that has been discontinued in 2021).
We tasted these wines:
- Nero a metà 2019 (blanc de noir from Aglianico, harvested mid October, aged 10 months on the lees in chrome steel, 18 months in bottle): honey, very gentle shade.
- Extra Maiorum 2017 (50% Fiano, 50% Greco, 18 months in French oak barriques, then 42 months in bottle, with malo): advanced, stability
- Greco di Tufo Riserva Stilemma 2018 (aged 24 months with stirring of the lees, 7% aged in oak, 93% in chrome steel, then 24 months in bottle): almond, developed
- RediMore Irpinia Aglianico DOC 2022 (Mirabella winery, one biotype of Aglianico chosen from outdated biotypes, 6 months in French oak barrique, 1 12 months in bottle): fruity, gentle tannins, straightforward to drink regardless of the quantity of tannins
- Taurasi Riserva DOCG 2017 (13 months in giant Slavonian oak, 48 months in bottle): tannins nonetheless astringent, contemporary
- Naturalis Historia Taurasi Riserva 2016 (outdated vines of fifty+ years, 24 months in French oak barrique, 52 months in bottle): fruity, velvet tannins, advanced, stability, great
- Taurasi Riserva DOCG 1998 (final classic in giant chestnut barrels): gentle tannins, fruit nonetheless current, stability, advanced, elegant.
- Villa dei Misteri 2012 (Piedirosso, Aglianico and Sciascinoso from 1.5 hectares at historic winery websites in Pompei, 1700 bottles produced from 1.5 hectares): developed aroma, fruity style, some eucalyptus
Dinner with Villa Matilde
We have been actually sorry that we needed to skip our go to to Villa Matilde as a result of horrible flight delay we had on our first day, so we have been very glad that Marco Marchiori of Villa Matilde had accepted our invitation to hitch our last dinner of the journey (at Hostaria Manfredi) and had even introduced some wines. Villa Matilde is a vineyard within the Falerno del Massico DOC within the province of Caserta that produces white from Falanghina and purple from a mix of Piedirosso and Aglianico. Falernum was already well-known in Roman instances for the standard of its wine. We had additionally acquired a magnum of Fiano di Avellino DOCG 2019 from Pietracupa to take pleasure in over dinner.
With our dinner we loved:
- Terre Stregate Caracara Falanghina 2019
- Villa Matilde Falerno del Massico Bianco (100% Falanghina, 3 months in chrome steel)
- Villa Matilde Falerno del Massico Bianco Vigna Caracci (100% Falanghina from “cru”, 3 months in amphora, barrique, and chrome steel, with partly stirring of the lees)
- Terredora Irpinia Falanghina DOC
- Terredora Greco di Tufo DOCG
- Pietracupa Fiano di Avellino DOCG 2019
- Villa Matilde Falerno del Massico Rosso (80% Aglianico, 20% Piedirosso, aged 10 to 12 months, for 50% in French oak barriques (33% new), 50% in giant oak barrels)
- Villa Matilde Falerno del Massico Rosso Vigna Camarato (80% Aglianico, 20% Piedirosso from “cru”, 12 to 18 months in French oak (33% new, 33% second passage, 33% third passage), adopted by 12 to 18 months in bottle)
For the meals we had antipasti consisting of salumi and cheese, fried zucchini flowers filled with ricotta, and Parmigiana di Melanzane. The latter was totally different from the model that I make myself, as a result of the eggplant slices had been dipped in batter earlier than frying them. The primo was paccheri with a ragù of bacalà (dried cod), sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and olives. The secondo was pork fillet, wrapped in prosciutto, with friggitelli of inexperienced peppers and mashed potato. The meal ended with some selfmade biscotti with hazelnuts.
Pompei & Pizza
On our final day we had a guided tour of Pompei. in addition to…
…Neapolitan pizza at Diego Vitagliano, which has gained quite a few awards for its pizzas.
We had 8 totally different pizzas, together with Margherita, with ham and pistachios, or with anchovies. They have been all scrumptious.
We had some wine with the pizza as nicely. All from uncommon autochtonous grape varieties from the Cetara province (which we missed on the primary day due to the flight delay).
- Trentapioli Asprinio d’Aversa DOC Metodo Martinotti Brut (100% Asprinio, charmet methodology): excessive acidity
- Il Verro Pallagrello Nero Terre del Volturno IGT (100% Pallagrello Nero): rustic medium bodied purple wine
- Il Verro Pallagrello Bianco Terre del Volturno IGT (100% Pallagrello Bianco): good fragrant and balanced white wine
What made this journey to Campania particular is that each one the wines we tasted have been from native autochtonous grape varieties, some well-known to wine lovers like us, like Aglianico, Fiano, Greco, and Falanghina, and others we had by no means tasted earlier than and even heard of. Throughout our journeys to Piemonte and Lombardia, there have been definitely wines from native autochtonous grapes, but additionally many wines from French varieties like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Merlot. It could make promoting the wines from Campania on the worldwide markets tougher, but it surely definitely makes the wines extra attention-grabbing.
