Mastroberardino

The name is steeped in history: Falanghina, derived from the wooden phalanges – the stakes that have supported the vines since ancient times. A grape variety that has been cultivated in Campania since Roman times and which Mastroberardino, a ten-generation-old traditional house from Atripalda, has saved from oblivion through consistency and conviction. The grapes grow on the Apice estate in Sannio, 350 metres above sea level, exposed to the south-east, in volcanic clay soils with a mineral-rich skeleton. Hand-picked at the end of September, vinification in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature – cool, clean, designed for freshness and flavour.

A wine with a legendary name and volcanic character: according to legend, God wept when he saw Lucifer steal a corner of the sky. And where his tears touched the earth, the vine Lacryma Christi grew. Mastroberardino vinifies this historical origin as a single-varietal Coda di Volpe from the mineral-rich slopes of Mount Vesuvius. Clear, bright straw yellow in colour. Ripe pear, honeydew melon and candied citrus fruit on the nose, complemented by fine notes of incense, herbs and exotic spices. Harmonious on the palate, juicy and carried by salty minerality, with a fine mellowness and floral freshness on the finish. An authentic white wine with an ancient soul and fascinating energy – between myth and terroir. SUPERIORE.DE

An authentic Aglianico that is deeply rooted in the cool hills of Irpinia – the classic core region of Campania that gives the grape variety its unmistakable profile. The vintage was characterised by balanced ripeness and cooler nights at harvest time, which gives the wine structure and freshness. Dark ruby red in the glass with a garnet-red rim. Red plum, sour cherry, violets and a hint of tar and graphite on the nose. Dry on the palate, with pithy tannins, ripe fruit and balsamic depth. A delicate herbal flavour and mineral notes accompany the long finish. Classic, robust and yet accessible – a convincing representative of its origin with honest character. SUPERIORE.DE

With its Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso, Mastroberardino once again brings all the power and mysticism of Vesuvius to the glass. The soils of volcanic origin and the unique microclimate along the slopes of the volcano characterise this wine with unmistakable spice and expressiveness. The varietal Piedirosso has a medium ruby red colour with a violet hue in the glass. The bouquet is lively and clear: redcurrant, sour cherry, black pepper and a subtle smoky note. Juicy and medium-bodied on the palate, with present but ripe acidity, fine-grained tannins and mineral depth. The fruit remains cool and clear, the impression balanced between fiery origin and stylistic precision. A traditional wine with a cult-like aura – and at the same time a fine everyday red wine from one of Italy's most fascinating regions. SUPERIORE.DE

Delicate rosé, aromatic, vinous fragrance with notes of roses, violets and undergrowth. Fresh on the palate with fine acidity, soft and a slightly salty note. An Aglianico Rosato that does not conceal its volcanic origins and is not easily forgotten. SUPERIORE.DE

Morabianca Falanghina Irpinia DOC is a delicate, modern interpretation of one of the oldest white grape varieties in Campania. The grapes come from higher-lying plots in Mirabella Eclano – one of the coolest areas of Irpinia –which gives the wine freshness and finesse. Brilliant straw yellow in the glass with a silvery hue. The bouquet smells of ripe Williams pear, apricot, citrus blossom and a hint of white pepper. Juicy on the palate, with a fine texture and a good balance between fruity richness and lively acidity. Finishes with subtle floral notes and a mineral accent. Clear and precise, with subtle depth and cool elegance – a Falanghina with ambition and character. SUPERIORE.DE

In the first century BC, the Pelasgians brought – immigrants from Thessaly – brought a grape variety to the hills of Irpinia that the Romans later called "Aminea Gemina" because of its characteristic two-part grape. Two millennia later, this vine still has the same character: unconventional, mineral, with a longevity that is unrivalled among white varieties. Mastroberardino has not only cultivated the Greco – the family rescued it when it had almost disappeared after the Second World War and made it the flagship of Campania for decades. The vineyards of Tufo and Petruro Irpino are situated at 450 metres above sea level, exposed to the south-east, in clayey and calcareous soils – and in Tufo the soil is literally named after the rock that was once important as a sulphur mine. This sulphur tone in the terroir is no coincidence: it is a signature. Hand-picked in the second decade of October, classic vinification in steel tanks at a controlled temperature, followed by several months of bottle ageing – precise, without distraction.

Mastroberardino's Fiano di Avellino is a characterful white wine from high-altitude vineyards around Lapio, Montefalcione and Summonte – classic areas of origin for this noble grape variety. The volcanic soils and continental climate give the wine its typical tension and depth. Straw yellow in the glass with golden reflections. White flowers, hazelnut, ripe citrus fruit, yellow apple and a hint of honey on the nose. Dense and clear on the palate, with lively acidity, salty minerality and a fine melt. Balanced and precise, with an elegant structure and good development potential. A Fiano with an expression of origin, backbone and refinement – typical of Mastroberardino. SUPERIORE.DE

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 location give the wine depth and freshness in equal measure. Dense ruby red colour with a purple hue in the glass. The bouquet opens with black cherry, plum, violet and fine herbs, underpinned by tobacco, cocoa and a hint of graphite. Full-bodied on the palate, with ripe, finely interwoven tannins, juicy fruit and balsamic spice. The ageing in oak barrels lends additional complexity and length. A characterful, modern Aglianico with a traditional soul – powerful, precise and long-lasting. SUPERIORE.DE

Novaserra Greco di Tufo is the most famous white wine icon from Mastroberardino – a prime example of the depth and elegance that this grape variety can achieve. The grapes come from the best vineyards around Tufo, where calcareous and sulphurous soils give the wine its distinctive mineral signature. Brilliant straw yellow in the glass with golden reflections. The nose seduces with yellow plum, candied lemon, ripe pear, lime blossom and a hint of flint. Dense and harmonious on the palate, with ripe fruit, fine herbal spice and a salty vein. A Greco di Tufo of calibre every year – powerful, elegant and clear in its terroir expression. SUPERIORE.DE

For decades, Radici has been synonymous with Mastroberardino's uncompromising work on the great indigenous grape varieties of Campania. The grapes for this Fiano icon come from high-altitude plots near Lapio, whose volcanic soils and cool continental microclimate give the grape variety exceptional tension, aromatic depth and longevity.

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.

Subtle but tantalising aromas of yellow pear, smoke, citrus and hazelnut lift from the glass, along with a hint of cedar. The flavours continue on the elegantly structured palate, along with citrus peel and a hint of acacia honey. It shows the ageing potential of Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo and is a serious white wine that is suitable not only as an aperitif but also as an accompaniment to an entire meal. Piquant and impressive. 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.

"The Stilèma project was born as a testimony of Antonio Mastroberardino's love for his land, his vines and his wines, for their original character." Piero Mastroberardino

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.

Bright, powerful ruby colour, aromas of cherry, redcurrant, cocoa and tar. Juicy, spicy and bright, with firm acidity and taut tannins that give it definition and lift to the flavours. Very fresh and precise, persistent and smooth. It has outstanding potential. If you taste the decades-old wines from Mastroberardino (dating back to 1928), it becomes clear: these wines are monumental, immortal or at least for eternity. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for the rare Naturalis Historia come from a 50-year-old vineyard located 400 metres above sea level with deep, sandy soils of volcanic origin in Mirabella. Deep, sparkling dark red colour. Redcurrant, sweet spices and aromas of dark plums and red cherries on the nose. Perfectly structured on the palate with well-balanced pressure and a full body that is never broad, but fresh, supple and very agile, leading to a harmonious, long-lasting final. An outstanding Aglianico that is already delicious to drink now, but will also age wonderfully. SUPERIORE.DE

Radici (the roots) is the epitome of Taurasi and has been a stylistic benchmark for Aglianico from Irpinia since its introduction in 1986. The grapes come from high-altitude, south to south-west-facing vineyards around Montemarano, whose clay and limestone soils of volcanic origin provide depth, structure and longevity. 2018 was a year in Irpinia with a cool spring, warm summer and a long, dry ripening period until the late harvest in November – a classic progression that favoured elegant tannins and precise fruit. Dense ruby red in the glass with a garnet-red rim. The nose reveals Aglianico in all its complexity: black cherry, plum, violet, sweet tobacco, liquorice, dark chocolate and a fine note of tar and graphite.

Bright, powerful ruby colour, aromas of cherry, redcurrant, cocoa and tar. Juicy, spicy and bright, with firm acidity and taut tannins that give it definition and lift to the flavours. Very fresh and precise, persistent and smooth. It has outstanding potential. If you taste the decades-old wines from Mastroberardino (dating back to 1928), it becomes clear: these wines are monumental, immortal or at least for eternity. SUPERIORE.DE