Campania 2 Flashcards
Who has the highest population density in Italy?
Campania
What peoples settled Campania?
Greek –> Etruscans –> Saminites –> Romans (4th BC - 5th AD) –>
Ostrogoths –> Byzantines –> Lombards (6th AD) –> Norman
and then multiple dynasty 18th c AD Spanish Bourbon incorporated into Kingdom of Sicily –> Kingdom of Italy
What was the term for ancient Greek population in Italy?
Magna Graecia
What did the Greeks introduce to Italy?
Bush trained vines
When and what did the Etruscans introduce to Campania?
From 7th c BC - 5th c BC
Introduced vine training up trees Alberta
When did Vesuvio erupt?
79 AD
When did Phylloxera arrive to Campania?
1930s
When did the rebirth of Campania’s wine industry take place?
1980s after devastating earthquake
Where is Campania located?
SW Italy facing Tyrrhenian Sea
Napoli - capital
200mile coast line
What is Campania’s climate
Altitude plays a significant role in climate
Coast Band - Mild winters, warm summers
Hilly & Mountains - More continental with significant diurnal swings due to Southern Apennines
What are the annual rainfall levels in Campania?
Given the mountains, coastal regions get ample rainfall
Coastal - Can reach 900-1,000mm per year (14-16C)
Mountains - Can reach 1,500mm per year (11-13C)
Concentrated rain in Autumn and Winter
Describe Campania’s Topography
Varied and irregular
Flat plains with steep rocky cliffs
Plains - 15%
Hlls - 51%
Mountains - 34%
How is Campania divided?
Coastal Band - Campania & Sele
Inland Band - Southern Apennines
What is the longest and most important river in Southern Italy (Campania)?
Volturno River
Rank the rivers of Campania
- Volturno
- Sele River
- Calore - empties in Volturno
Soil types in Campania?
Volcanic - Lave, Lapilli, Pumice, Pyroclast, Tuff
Inland Ash
Loose volcanic soils prevented phylloxera which allows old and ungrafted vines
How many indigenous grapes are found in Camapania?
Over 100- one of the highest regions in Italy
Most not listed in Italy’s National Registry
How important are International varieties in Campania?
Irrelevant
What is mainly planted in Campania?
Red grapes 60%
Aglianico - 30%
Piedirosso (means read foot) - 3%
What is the most widely planted white grapes?
Falaghina - 12%
Greco - 3%
Fiano - 4%
What are the surprising uncommon grapes in Campania?
Barbera - 6%
Sangiovese - 5%
Malvasia B di Candia - 5%
Government promted for productivity in 1950s
Aglianico
Italian Noble Grape - “Barolo of the South”
Campania’s greatest variety
Important in Avellino and Benevento
Thick Skin, Very Late RIpening
Susceptible to Hot, Drought conditions
Performs well at altitude and volcanic soils
High Tannin, High Acidity
Only picked when fully ripe and matured in oak and bottle aged
Piedirosso
Ancient, native Campania grape
Most important after Aglianico
Blended to add Perfume and soften Aglianico’s tannins
Soft Mouth Feel
Bright, Integrated Acidity, Fragrant Floral and Red Fruit with Herbal Notes
Falanghina
One of Campania’s oldest grapes
Popular since 1990s
Grown in ALL of Campania’s wine districts
Vinified as varietal and blend
Delicate Floral, Aromatic Herbal, Refreshing Acidity
Still, Dry, Unoaked and released a few months after harvest
2 distinct varieties F. Flegrea & F. Beneventana
What is unique about Falanghina?
Once thought to be 1 variety
DNA proves 2 distinct
Falanghina Flegrea
&
Falanghine Beneventana
What is difference between Falaghina Flegrea & Falaghina Beneventana
F. Fregrea - historic reputation, widespread in Napoli & Caserta - Falerno del Massico / Campi Flegrei DOCs
F. Beneventana - recently ID. More common in Benevento province - Falanghina del Sannio DOC
Greco di Tufo
Greco amongst the most ancient and finest whites of Campania
Home is in Iripina around Tufo
Late Ripening, Hard to grow, prone to fungal disease
High Polyphenol content = easily oxidized and creates high levels of Volatile Acids - handed carefully
Well structured, High Acidity, Round, Full Body
This grape is distinct from Greco Bianco - Calabria
Are Greco and Grechetto related?
No probably called this because of Greek origin and reference ancient Greek sweet wine
Was popular in the Middle Ages
What is Aminea Gemina Minor?
Greco that has grown a second noticeable wing cluster “double bunch” hence gemini
Fiano
Campania’s most Noble White Grape
Considerd one of the best Italian
Believed to be native to Irpinia, in town of Lapio
Devestated by phylloxera in 20th and world wars
Brought back by Antonio Mastroberdino 1940s
Ages well in bottle
Fiano di Avelino
Biancolella
White Grape Native Ischia, Campania
Medium ABV, Medium Acidity
Citrus, Herbal, Almond, sometime Tropical with saline finish
Coda di Volpe Bianca
Ancient white grape, Exclusive to Campania
“White Foxtail” referring to shape of cluster which looks like a fox tail
Plays secondary role to soften Fiano, Greco, Falaghina
Starting to do varietals (Sannio & Irpinia)
Medium Acidity, needs careful harvest not to lose acidity
Golden Color
Wines range from austere to mineral and soft, Full, RIch Ripe Pear, Stone and Exotic Fruit, Spice
What were Campania’s old trellising systems and what replaced them?
Pergola & Alberata (trained on trees)
replaced with
Guyot
Cordone Speronato
What is the vine density in Campania?
One of the most densely planted regions
4,000-7,000 vines per ha
20,000 ha - 4% of Italy’s total wine production
Can find very old vines, on terraced vineyards
What is the breakdown for DOC/G
IGT
Vino
DOC/G <20% (doubled in last 10 years)
IGT - 10%
Vino - 70% generic without origin
What is Campania’s Province breakdown
Caserta
Napoli
Benevento
Avellino
Salerno