Campania wine

The ancient Romans admired Campania Felix as the most felicitous of wine regions. They favored the vineyards along the coast north of Naples where Falernian, the most treasured wine of the empire, was grown. They also praised the wines of volcanic Vesuvius and the wooded hills of Avellino. Even earlier, the Greeks had recognized the privileged nature of the place, introducing vines which still stand out today in Aglianico, Greco and Falanghina.

Yet, until recently, it seemed that wine producers of Campania, with a few conspicuous exceptions, had forgotten about the glories of the past, as growers left the land and winemakers largely ignored DOC. But now, after a long lapse, Campania is undergoing a revival that has dramatically improved quality.

Wine

In Campania's vineyards things truly are changing; where a new spirit of achievement and sense of pride has been bolstered by the introduction of thoroughly modern winemaking techniques. Evidence of the new era is the rapid increase in production of DOC wines, including the first DOCG of the south in Taurasi. The volume of DOC wine produced has multiplied in recent years.

The noblest of red varieties is Aglianico, which makes the red Taurasi, as well as the red Falerno del Massico and others. Taurasi has been called "the Barolo of the south," due to its size and ability to age, though its style is proudly its own. Greco, a name applied to various vines prominent in the south, reaches heights in Greco di Tufo. Fiano, praised by the Romans, is the base of the inimitable Fiano di Avellino. Falanghina, which seems to have been the base of the white version of Falernian, has become the region's fastest spreading variety.