Guide to Wines of Campania

We should all thank the region of Campania and its capital city, Naples. They invented pizza. 

Of course, the region has much more to offer than a freshly baked Margherita. The Mediterranean coastline, the awe-inspiring volcanoes, and the folklore make Campania a popular tourist destination, and the region’s wines are the cherry on top.

With thousands of years of history and world-famous gastronomy, Campania has all you need to satisfy your wine craving with something to please all palate.

Here’s all you wanted to know about the wines of Campania.

The bay, the mountains and the people

At the heart of Campania are the historical city of Naples and the blue Naples bay. A few miles inland, the Apennine Mountain Ranges, the highest and most impressive peak of all, is the towering Mount Vesuvius.

Talented winemakers craft wine all around the region, in the rugged Apennine slopes, on the sea-scented shores, and even at the foothills of the active volcano. Most grapes are native to the area and not found anywhere else, adding to the region’s charm.

For food and wine, Campania’s got you covered, but it wasn’t always this way. The region has had its hard times. 

History at the foothills of Mount Vesuvius

The year was 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius erupted, sweeping Pompeii and carbonizing its inhabitants. The volcano has erupted dozens of times throughout history – the last time in the middle of WWII. The Vesuvio is still a threat, but it doesn’t stop grape growers from cultivating world-class varieties in the volcanic soils.

Campania’s northeastern slopes are not blessed by the black volcanic soils, but by another geological treasure, the Tufo soils, white calcareous soils that allow winemakers to make aromatic and mineral white wines with the Greco, Fiano and Falanghina grapes. 

The grapes and the wines 

The best white wines in Campania are made with the grapes Fiano, Greco and Falanghina. Try the Feudi di San Gregorio Fiano di Avellino “Pietracalda” for the most stratified aromas of flowers and pears over a refreshing palate.

Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo, made with the pristine grapes grown in calcareous soils, is mineral and fruity and awesome with seafood. It has a savory, almost saline feel to it and a gorgeous texture hard to beat. 

As for reds, the finest wines are made with Aglianico. Feudi di San Gregorio Aglianico “Rubrato” is a perfect example offering  a structured, firm palate and decadent black fruit aromas over a long finish.

Much more than pizza

Campania is larger than life; its wines are so varied there’s one for every dish and every occasion. That’s when you know a wine region is on another level — when its wines satisfy your every need.