Southern Coastal Italian Fun

Campania on the southeastern Italian coast (the “shin” of the boot, as it were) is famous for many things — the Amalfi coast, the archeological sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum, Capri, Napoli, and James Bond occasionally engaging in car chases. However, it is also a region that sports wonderful wines.

Going back to the 12th Century BCE when Greek settlers planted grapes there, Campania has a long winemaking tradition. (In fact, Naples was originally a Greek settlement.) The ancient Romans, like Pliny the Elder, Marcus Aurelius, Horace, and Catullus, all wrote about Campania wine and for good reason.

Campania is a hilly region, drenched in sun, enjoying hot summers and mild winters. The sea breezes keep things from getting too hot to impede grape production. Much of the soil is clay and limestone, but there’s also volcanic soil, especially around Mt. Vesuvius. (In fact, because phylloxera struggles in volcanic soil, some Campania vines grow from original root stock.) For reds, look for Piedirosso and, of course, Aglianico. For white grapes, look for Fiano, Greco, and Falanghina.

This Friday, guest pourer Jose Perea from distributor Le Storie Wines returns to sample you on some wines from Campania. This is another of our fabulous, free walk-up tastings. Please join us any time between 5:00 and 6:30 PM.