Buy the Coast
Wines
Red wines:
PIEDIROSSO
Locally known as palummina or per’ e palummo. It gets its name because of the colour that the roots and small grapes get when the bunches are close to ripening. In Campania the Piedirosso comes second for fame and is widespread only at Aglianico whilst the doc labelled Vesuvio is the first and foremost wine. It absorbs splendid and incomparable expressions of acidity and mineral deposits from the volcanic land, rich in silt, phosphorus and potassium and thanks to its versatility it gives you the chance of combining it with many dishes, whether they be seafood or vegetarian ones, along with pasta dishes and all other dishes with tomatoes. Ideal with ragù (meat sauce). It has an intense ruby red colour, an average intensity fruity aroma, with frequent mineral hints of flavour, with herby, spicy and balsamic ageing.
AGLIANICO
The last one to ripen at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, between the second half and end of October, is the aglianico, aristocratic prince of Southern black berried vines. Used in all its pureness in the Pompeian igt, it can produce prestigious products, especially if it is carefully ripened in wood and with one or more long periods of refining in the bottle. It goes well with strong, elaborate main courses, semi-aged cheeses, game and red meat. Ideal combination: with the goatling of Sant’Anastasia. It has an intense ruby-red colour with granite-orange reflections after it has aged. The flavours remind you of its origins, with hints of ripened prunes, violets, tobacco, spices and black pepper.
OLIVELLA
Locally known as ulivella or livella, because it reminds you of the olive tree both for its shape and its violet colour, the Olivella is one of the oldest vines of Campagna. Sopravvissuto alla devastazione della fillossera, ha una buona resistenza alle avversità climatiche, germoglia precocemente e matura nella seconda metà di ottobre, possiede un basso tenore di zuccheri, non elevati tenori alcolici, per cui viene adoperato principalmente in uvaggio.
It has an intense ruby-red colour with a purple hint, sometimes with a red froth. Winey bouquet, fruity hints of black prunes, cherries and blueberries.
White wines:
CODA DI VOLPE DEL VESUVIO
This variety exists only in the municipalities located at the foot of Mount Vesuvius and is the first vine, in a chronological order, to be harvested and is the prince of doc labelled Vesuvian white wines. Known as caprettone or crapettone probably because of the shape of its bunches, similar to a goat’s goatee, or to the shepherds that harvest it. It is elegant and smooth so that it can be combined to seafood salads, to octopus dishes, to the "menesta maretata" (boiled meat and vegetables), to white meats and legume soups.
Ideal with baccalà (cod fish) of Somma Vesuviana.
It usually ripens around the second fortnight of September; it has a mild straw colour and has delicate flavours of mulberry, peach and broom.
CATALANESCA BIANCA or Catalana
Always considered a table wine with probable Spanish origins. It was discovered on the Vesuvian area around 1500 or maybe '400. Currently diffuse only on the foot of Monte Somma, it is characterized by its very late ripening (end of October) and for its preservation ability on the plant. It has very interesting organoleptic qualities, especially in its dried state. In its dried state it has a very bright straw colour; the flavours are those of ripe fruite, bananas and pineapples, towards two/three years of ageing the hints or honey and magnolia can be tasted; it also has ethereal and hydrocarbon olfactory aspects, like that of an "Alsatian wine".
FALANGHINA
The falernina, the grape tied to the phalanx, is widely diffuse in the province of Naples. On Mount Vesuvius it is mainly used to complete the Lacryma Christi, especially in the spumante wine type, thanks to its acidity. There are also pure vines in the Pompeian igt. This variety has different analogies with the Neapolitan falanghina of Campi Flegrei, with the most evident aspect in common, the round grape, but very different for its compact grape bunches.
It has a good, constant productivity; it ripens during the second half of September and has a straw colour, delicate bouquets of ripe pears, rennet apples and wild flowers.
VERDECA
The name Verdesca derives from the typical colour of the berries. From analogous etymology with other Italian varieties, it was first introduced in Italy by the Greeks. It is mainly harvested in the Taranto plains and in the Ionic regions. Thanks to its low content it is mainly used for the making of vermouth. On Mount Vesuvius, where there is a modest amount, it is only used to make the white Lacrima Christi wine. It ripens during the second half of September and has a light straw colour that tends towards a greenish colour.
GRECO DEL VESUVIO
The famous white vine characterized by the double grape bunches from the grape stalk. It probably first grew here, at the foot of the volcano to then reach the hinterland areas. Today its progeny, mainly diffuse in only a few Vesuvian vineyards between Terzigno and Trecase, slightly differs from the original plant and has bigger grapes and leaves. It ripens in the first ten days of October and has an intense straw colour. It has a citrus fruit bouquet with hints of minerals and acacia flowers; with ageing it takes on more hints of honey and dried almonds
MINOR VINES
On Mount Vesuvius, amongst the many vines, there are also small extensions of other vines, handed down from generation to generation, usually produced for personal uses and are particularly rare, such as the Tintoria or Tintore del Vesuvio, Pagadebito, Suppezza, Surbegna, Suricillo, Castagnara, Catalanesca Nera, Coda di cavallo, Coda di pecora, Grecagna, Lugliesella, Pisciazzella, Uva di Colore, Uva Rosa, Sant’Antonio and San Pietro. DNA research has shown that many vines have very interesting organoleptic properties.
PIEDIROSSO
Locally known as palummina or per’ e palummo. It gets its name because of the colour that the roots and small grapes get when the bunches are close to ripening. In Campania the Piedirosso comes second for fame and is widespread only at Aglianico whilst the doc labelled Vesuvio is the first and foremost wine. It absorbs splendid and incomparable expressions of acidity and mineral deposits from the volcanic land, rich in silt, phosphorus and potassium and thanks to its versatility it gives you the chance of combining it with many dishes, whether they be seafood or vegetarian ones, along with pasta dishes and all other dishes with tomatoes. Ideal with ragù (meat sauce). It has an intense ruby red colour, an average intensity fruity aroma, with frequent mineral hints of flavour, with herby, spicy and balsamic ageing.
AGLIANICO
The last one to ripen at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, between the second half and end of October, is the aglianico, aristocratic prince of Southern black berried vines. Used in all its pureness in the Pompeian igt, it can produce prestigious products, especially if it is carefully ripened in wood and with one or more long periods of refining in the bottle. It goes well with strong, elaborate main courses, semi-aged cheeses, game and red meat. Ideal combination: with the goatling of Sant’Anastasia. It has an intense ruby-red colour with granite-orange reflections after it has aged. The flavours remind you of its origins, with hints of ripened prunes, violets, tobacco, spices and black pepper.
OLIVELLA
Locally known as ulivella or livella, because it reminds you of the olive tree both for its shape and its violet colour, the Olivella is one of the oldest vines of Campagna. Sopravvissuto alla devastazione della fillossera, ha una buona resistenza alle avversità climatiche, germoglia precocemente e matura nella seconda metà di ottobre, possiede un basso tenore di zuccheri, non elevati tenori alcolici, per cui viene adoperato principalmente in uvaggio.
It has an intense ruby-red colour with a purple hint, sometimes with a red froth. Winey bouquet, fruity hints of black prunes, cherries and blueberries.
White wines:
CODA DI VOLPE DEL VESUVIO
This variety exists only in the municipalities located at the foot of Mount Vesuvius and is the first vine, in a chronological order, to be harvested and is the prince of doc labelled Vesuvian white wines. Known as caprettone or crapettone probably because of the shape of its bunches, similar to a goat’s goatee, or to the shepherds that harvest it. It is elegant and smooth so that it can be combined to seafood salads, to octopus dishes, to the "menesta maretata" (boiled meat and vegetables), to white meats and legume soups.
Ideal with baccalà (cod fish) of Somma Vesuviana.
It usually ripens around the second fortnight of September; it has a mild straw colour and has delicate flavours of mulberry, peach and broom.
CATALANESCA BIANCA or Catalana
Always considered a table wine with probable Spanish origins. It was discovered on the Vesuvian area around 1500 or maybe '400. Currently diffuse only on the foot of Monte Somma, it is characterized by its very late ripening (end of October) and for its preservation ability on the plant. It has very interesting organoleptic qualities, especially in its dried state. In its dried state it has a very bright straw colour; the flavours are those of ripe fruite, bananas and pineapples, towards two/three years of ageing the hints or honey and magnolia can be tasted; it also has ethereal and hydrocarbon olfactory aspects, like that of an "Alsatian wine".
FALANGHINA
The falernina, the grape tied to the phalanx, is widely diffuse in the province of Naples. On Mount Vesuvius it is mainly used to complete the Lacryma Christi, especially in the spumante wine type, thanks to its acidity. There are also pure vines in the Pompeian igt. This variety has different analogies with the Neapolitan falanghina of Campi Flegrei, with the most evident aspect in common, the round grape, but very different for its compact grape bunches.
It has a good, constant productivity; it ripens during the second half of September and has a straw colour, delicate bouquets of ripe pears, rennet apples and wild flowers.
VERDECA
The name Verdesca derives from the typical colour of the berries. From analogous etymology with other Italian varieties, it was first introduced in Italy by the Greeks. It is mainly harvested in the Taranto plains and in the Ionic regions. Thanks to its low content it is mainly used for the making of vermouth. On Mount Vesuvius, where there is a modest amount, it is only used to make the white Lacrima Christi wine. It ripens during the second half of September and has a light straw colour that tends towards a greenish colour.
GRECO DEL VESUVIO
The famous white vine characterized by the double grape bunches from the grape stalk. It probably first grew here, at the foot of the volcano to then reach the hinterland areas. Today its progeny, mainly diffuse in only a few Vesuvian vineyards between Terzigno and Trecase, slightly differs from the original plant and has bigger grapes and leaves. It ripens in the first ten days of October and has an intense straw colour. It has a citrus fruit bouquet with hints of minerals and acacia flowers; with ageing it takes on more hints of honey and dried almonds
MINOR VINES
On Mount Vesuvius, amongst the many vines, there are also small extensions of other vines, handed down from generation to generation, usually produced for personal uses and are particularly rare, such as the Tintoria or Tintore del Vesuvio, Pagadebito, Suppezza, Surbegna, Suricillo, Castagnara, Catalanesca Nera, Coda di cavallo, Coda di pecora, Grecagna, Lugliesella, Pisciazzella, Uva di Colore, Uva Rosa, Sant’Antonio and San Pietro. DNA research has shown that many vines have very interesting organoleptic properties.
