VINOUS.COM – Campania’s new strength

Roccamonfina is an extinct volcano in northern Campania – situated between Caserta and the border with Lazio, just a few kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its slopes are volcanic, rich in phosphorus, potassium and trace elements, and have for decades been home to the indigenous grape varieties that have shaped this coastal landscape. Piedirosso – "red foot", named after the plant's characteristic red stems – is one of them: fresh, aromatic, with a mineral lightness that no other red wine from Campania displays quite like it. Villa Matilde Avallone, renowned for its classic Falerno del Massico wines, has created Stregamora – the dark witch – a wine that showcases the character of this volcano in its most approachable form. Hand-harvested in early October, cold maceration, fermentation at 24°C for around 15 days, malolactic fermentation, three months' ageing in stainless steel.

Roccaleoni is made from old Falanghina vines growing on volcanic soils of ash and black pumice in the Rocca dei Leoni area near Benevento. The vineyards are situated at an altitude of around 400 metres and benefit from good air circulation and cool nights – perfect conditions for aromatic precision and freshness. In the glass, it is a pale straw yellow with greenish highlights. On the nose, ripe apple, yellow peach, tropical fruits, elderflower and delicate herbal notes. On the palate, it is juicy and crisp, with lively acidity, ripe fruit and a subtle mineral undertone. Ageing in stainless steel tanks preserves the varietal character and carefree elegance. A characterful, harmonious Falanghina that perfectly combines freshness and regional identity. SUPERIORE.DE

Rubrato is the youthful expression of Aglianico – powerful yet not overpowering, typical yet approachable. The grapes come from the higher-altitude plots of Irpinia, with volcanic soils. Ageing in stainless steel tanks preserves the wine's freshness and varietal purity. In the glass, it is a deep ruby red. The nose opens with ripe cherries, dark wild berries, a hint of violets and a touch of graphite. On the palate, the wine is lively, with juicy fruit, fine acidity and moderate tannins – clearly structured, yet very easy to drink. Rubrato displays elegance and balance in every vintage; it is a stylish introduction to the world of Aglianico, pairing perfectly with pasta with sugo, grilled meat or mature cheeses. SUPERIORE.DE

An Aglianico with a strong character from the renowned Campi Taurasini sub-zone, vinified by Clelia Romano on the small, high-altitude Colli di Lapio vineyard. The vines grow on calcareous, volcanic soils around Lapio at an altitude of 450 to 550 metres – ideal conditions for structure, depth and freshness. The wine is first matured in stainless steel tanks, then in barriques for several months and finally in the bottle.

Redimore Aglianico comes from a special vineyard in Mirabella Eclano, planted with an old, historic Aglianico clone that has been cultivated by the Mastroberardino family for generations. The warm days and cool nights of this site lend the wine both depth and freshness. In the glass, it is a deep ruby red with a purplish sheen. The bouquet opens with black cherry, plum, violet and delicate herbs, underpinned by tobacco, cocoa and a hint of graphite. On the palate, it is full-bodied, with ripe, finely woven tannins, juicy fruit and balsamic spice. Ageing in oak barrels lends additional complexity and length. A characterful, modern Aglianico with a soul rooted in tradition – powerful, precise and long-lasting. SUPERIORE.DE

Irpinia is not Campania in the tourist sense – no sea, no Vesuvius, no Amalfi Coast. It is the inland region behind Avellino, a world of Apennine hills, chestnut woods and tranquillity, where viticulture has been deeply rooted since ancient times. Columella and Pliny mentioned Fiano as early as their time – then known as "Vitis Apicia", due to its ability to attract swarms of bees to the vineyards. Feudi di San Gregorio has been dedicated to this tradition in Sorbo Serpico since 1986. Pietracalda is their most precise expression of Fiano: a single vineyard of ten hectares, nestled between chestnut woods and old fruit trees at an altitude of 400 to 600 metres – a terroir that imbues the Fiano with freshness. Hand-harvested, fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, then aged sur lie for twelve months – longer than the standard Fiano, and it is precisely this difference that defines the Riserva: more texture, more depth, more substance.

Feudi's Premium Rosato San Greg bursts from the glass with a lovely blend of sweet melon and white flowers. It offers a captivating balance between ripe stone fruits, candied citrus and a refreshing acidity. The finish is of medium length, leaving a tangy hint of lime and steely mineral notes. San Greg, made from 100% Aglianico, is a very sophisticated rosé and an absolute delight. SUPERIORE.DE

For decades, Radici has been synonymous with Mastroberardino's uncompromising dedication to Campania's great indigenous grape varieties. The grapes for this iconic Fiano come from high-altitude plots near Lapio, where the volcanic soils and cool, continental microclimate lend the grape variety exceptional vibrancy, aromatic depth and ageing potential.

Back in the 1980s, Antonio Mastroberardino was one of the first to experiment with something that was almost considered a provocation at the time: he vinified Aglianico, the large, tannin-rich red wine variety from southern Italy, as a white wine. He called the result "Plinius". The experiment lay dormant until the family revived it under a new name: Neroametà – "half black" – a tribute to the grape's origins and the courage to think differently. 100% Aglianico, grown in Mirabella Eclano at 400 metres, in deep, sandy-loamy soils with a volcanic matrix and clay at depth – the same terroir that produces the Taurasi DOCG. Hand-picked in mid-October. Then the decisive step: Vinification without any contact with the skins, in steel tanks at a controlled temperature, followed by ten months on the lees and at least 18 months of ageing in the bottle. The colour stays outside – elegance and minerality are allowed inside.

Luigi Maffini's Kràtos is an organic wine grown in the foothills of the ancient ruins of Paestum. It spends only a short time in steel tanks and is smoky yet fruit-forward, with musky notes of dried apricots, lime zest, crushed stones and sea spray forming its captivating bouquet. On the palate, it is vibrant, soft in texture and packed with zesty citrus and mineral notes, balanced by a core of lively, ripe yellow apples. It finishes fresh and robust with notes of lemon oil and peach. For an 'entry-level Fiano', this is absolutely brilliant! SUPERIORE.DE

Pliny the Elder wrote about it. Virgil, Martial and Horace raised it in verse. The Falernian was the wine of ancient Rome – produced in the Ager Falernum, that fertile triangle between Monte Massico, the river Savone and the slopes of the extinct Roccamonfina volcano. No other wine-growing region in Italy can look back on such a clearly documented wine-growing history. Lawyer Francesco Paolo Avallone – fascinated by the old texts – searched for the original grape varieties in the 1960s. He found them: a few Falanghina biotipo Falerna vines, survivors of the phylloxera devastation of the 19th century, direct descendants of the ancient cultivated vines. What he started, his children and grandchildren continue. The winery has carried the Ager Falernum in its name ever since.

A labour of love in more ways than one: Core (Italian for "heart") is an elegant blend of 50% Greco Bianco and 50% Fiano, whose contrast and harmony subtly reflect the essence of Campania. The grapes come from limestone-rich, mid- to high-altitude vineyards in the Sannio region – ripened during cool nights with great aromatic precision. Fermentation in stainless steel, with batonnage on the fine lees, imparts depth without adding excessive body. Core is a fresh, harmonious white wine that speaks volumes of its terroir, elegantly conveying both its origin and grape variety.

The trilogy is complete: following Core Rosso (since 2011) and Core Bianco (since 2015), Silvia Imparato rounds off her tribute to Campania's great grape varieties with the first Core Rosato 2025. Core – Neapolitan for "heart", for "love" – lives up to its name: the Rosato, too, comes from the volcanic vineyards of the Sannio region near Benevento, where tuff, volcanic ash and limestone lend the Aglianico a unique minerality. After brief skin contact, vinification proceeds as for a white wine under the guidance of Riccardo Cotarella.

This classic red wine is grown on marl and clay-rich soils on the high, steep hills near Taurasi, not far from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The soils are rich in minerals and salts, lending the Aglianico grape a wonderful depth and minerality.

Taurasi, undisputedly the great red wine of the South, rightly described as the "Barolo of the South", reveals its full power and nobility in Feudi di San Gregorio's interpretation. This single-varietal Aglianico comes from vineyards at altitudes of up to 700 metres, on volcanic soils comprising basalt, clay and tuff. The result is a brooding, long-lived red wine with distinct regional character and sophistication.

Deep ruby red in colour. Cenito seduces with complex aromas of dark red fruits, cinnamon and cloves mingling with earthy tones, mint, chalk dust and camphor. The palate is seamlessly smooth and elegant, with ripe wild berries flowing over a core of vibrant acidity, while a hint of acidic citrus adds tension towards the end. The finish is structured and long, with fine-grained tannins and floral notes of sour plums and violets. Cenito is Cilento Aglianico at its best. It is deceptively accessible and gentle, but the tension increases with every sip. Be patient and savour this great Aglianico! SUPERIORE.DE

A very special wine made from overripe and strictly selected Aglianico grapes that thrive in Mastroberardino's south-facing vineyards. The Taurasi is aged for two years in oak barrels and one year in the bottle. A wine with a fascinating personality, power and extremely high Storage potential.

Bright, radiant golden yellow in colour. The aromas of this crus float weightlessly in the air and range from ripe banana, peach and marzipan to Amalfi lemons and quinces. The palate is creamy and surprisingly tannic for a white wine, with firm, crisp acidity and terrificcomplexity. Layer by layer, the components of this characterful white wine unfold into a refined potpourri that impressively demonstrates Luigi Moro's great class. A Greco di Tufo with huge ageing potential and, for us, like something from another planet. SUPERIORE.DE

Falanghina is experiencing a true renaissance under Luigi Moio. What was long regarded as a "simple" regional grape variety is developing into a white wine of surprising complexity and finesse in the hands of the oenology professor. Via del Campo – named after the characteristic country lanes of Irpinia – represents Moio's vision of a modern interpretation of this indigenous variety. In the vineyards of Lapio, the Falanghina vines grow on calcareous soils with volcanic inclusions, which give the region its mineral character. The vines, which are over forty years old, have adapted perfectly to the terroir and produce concentrated grapes with a pronounced aromatic intensity. The altitude of 450 metres provides the necessary temperature fluctuations that give Falanghina its characteristic balance between strength and elegance.

A name carries weight when it is the programme. Stilèma – derived from "Stile" and the name Mastroberardino – is not a marketing term, but a commitment. It was Antonio Mastroberardino, known as the "archaeologist of vineyards", who began digging in the early 2000s: experimental projects, selection of pre-phylloxeric clones, revision of all protocols in the vineyard and cellar. His goal was not a new style – it was a return to a lost one. The great white wines of Irpinia from the 1970s and 1980s had a density, a texture, a depth that later decades could not match. Stilèma was not intended to preserve this memory, but to translate it into the present.

The project aims to highlight the link between the vines, the wines and their territorial origins. The Mastroberardino family wants to recreate the style of winemaking of the indigenous grape varieties of Irpinia (Greco, Fiano and Aglianico) that took place between the late 1950s and early 1970s for the Taurasi and between 1970 and 1980 for the two white wines from Irpinia. It is the unmistakable style (the stilèma) of a family that has interpreted the natural heritage of its territory over generations and that today impressively emphasises the genuine character of the terroir, which by no means can be expressed through high concentration and intensity alone.