Elegant wines from a win Feudi di San Gregorio’s line-up of indigenous varietal wines from Campania proved to be an eye-opener for an invited group of independents. Visit feudi.it to find out more or contact UK importer Hallgarten & Novum Wines
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e’ve all got our mental image of southern Italy. Olive trees, scorching summers and cloudless skies normally loom large. Campania, on the shin of Italy’s famous boot, is a bit more complicated than that. Avellino sees around 1,200mm of rain a year; London gets around 690mm. Summer in the region can see temperatures edge towards 40˚C, but winters can be brutal, with the mercury dipping as low as -9˚C. It’s a mountainous place, characterised by volcanic soils and olive trees, hazelnut and chestnut groves, and the conditions are tailormade for four grape varieties: Greco (di Tufo), Fiano (di Avellino), Falanghina (del Sannio) and Aglianico (most famously in Taurasi). These hardy varieties provide the backbone of the portfolio of Feudi di San Gregorio. The company may be steered by a young team, but it’s acutely aware of Campania’s time-honoured winemaking traditions and viticultural heritage. It has partnered and invested in many research projects into its treasured indigenous grapes, and harvests fruit from some 800 plots across 300 hectares, with an emphasis on sustainability. (The company has Equalitas certification and
150-year-old pergola vineyards
Benefit Corporation status.) Vineyards can be as old as 150 years, and it’s not uncommon to see the ancient pergola system in action. A group of London-based independents was invited to sample some of the Feudi di San Gregorio range, distributed in the UK by Hallgarten & Novum Wines, over a memorable lunch at Norma in Charlotte Street.
Falanghina
A sparkling Falanghina, DUBL Brut, got things under way. Made in the classical method, it spends 24 months on its lees prior to release. Fresh and fruity, with a steely edge, it was a standout wine for Alex Prymaka of Bedford Street Wines – “a really interesting crémant or Prosecco alternative” – and Carlos Blanco of Blanco & Gomez was also impressed. “It is a well-made and balanced sparkling which is drier than the average Prosecco,” he said. “Considering that it’s traditional method, I find it good value for money.” “Lovely, with a great leesy nose,” was the verdict of Charlotte Dean of Wined Up Here. “But not overly weighty and a bit grapey on the light finish. Being Falanghina gives it a nice point of difference.” Falanghina is a vigorous grape, noted for its acidity and aromatics. Like most of the Feudi di San Gregorio wines we tried, Serrocielo has an interesting blend of texture, fruit and minerality (“definitely an aquatic saltiness,” as Andrew Gray of Plume put it).
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Fiano
This variety thrives in Campania’s clay and volcanic soils. Another vigorous variety, it can produce rich and complex wines. First up was Fiano di Avellino, known to many as the “Mosaic Label” from the Classic Series. Jason Millar of Theatre of Wine picked up on its waxy texture and lovage aroma and enjoyed the “distinctive linearity”. For Andrew Gray, it’s “an accessible spring or summer wine that could be cross-sold against other white varieties from Italy and the wider world, with some white pepper and herbaceous notes that give it the ability to stand on its own or with food”.
Greco di Tufo
Greco is a grape that is said to have been introduced to Italy by the Greeks, and it’s right at home in the volcanic ash and sulphurous soils of this small Campanian appellation. Feudi owner Antonio Capaldo finds it helpful to think of Greco almost as a red variety, because of its structure and ageability. The first example we try is simply labelled Greco di Tufo and the change in gear from the Fiano is palpable. It’s somehow both weighty and enjoyably austere, and definitely not a gulper. Charlotte Dean suggests it’s a wine for a long summer afternoon; Andrew Gray can imagine it working well with a bean casserole. The next Greco is the single-vineyard Cutizzi, which has an extra zippiness that tasters noticed straight away. “It’s
