On January 22, 2023 Le Cronache, a Salerno, Italy newspaper published an interview of me. The interview was a continuation of the newspaper’s coverage of the January 14, 2023 conference at Stazione Marittima di Salerno of certified organic or in conversion to organic wines included in the recently published Guida Bio. Here is information on Guida Bio.https://www.guidabio.it/it/chi-siamo/
To review the newspaper article please go to the link to newspaper for Italian version. https://cronachesalerno.it/2023/01/22/salerno-chiama-boston-lavvocato-americano-del-vino-italiano/. And go to the link from the Graffiando blog for a translation of the article into Englishhttps://www.graffiando.it/salerno-to-boston-a-chat-with-an-american-advocate-of-wines-from-the-south/.
WINES IN ABOVE PHOTO
In the interview I mention that I have visited 17 different wineries in the Province of Salerno. In the photo above 16 of the 17 wineries are represented. There are an additional 6 wineries represented in the photo that I hope to visit when the opportunity presents itself. Of the 22 wineries 7 are included in the Guida Bio. Note, however, the lack of inclusion in the Guida Bio is not an indication of a winery not being certified organic or adhering to organic farming principles. In fact all 22 wineries are either certified organic or adhere to organic viticulture – some chose to be included in other guides/associations such as RAW WINE or Triple A, while others shun guides all together.
The wineries are listed below. For each winery I designate which ones I have visited by the use of an * and which ones are included in Guida Bio by use of #. We have enjoyed all these wines. The brief narratives do not include ratings or tasting notes; rather the narratives explains why you, if the opportunity presents itself, should visit the winery.
From left to right top shelf:
Monte di Grazia * – is an Amalfi Coast winery tucked away in the mountains of Tramonti; a fabulous honeymoon hideaway is located on the second floor of the cantina, which features panoramic views of the vineyard and surrounding mountains. Dr. Alfonso Arpina cultivates the obscure tintore grape; and utilizes an innovative natural pest control system. We visited in 2014 and Dr. Arpina provided a lunch and tasting of his wines.
Tagliafierro * – is another Amalfi Coast winery located in the mountains of Tramonti. Raffaele Tagliafierro, a young winemaker (age 32) heads the winery. He also cultivates the tintore grape. Raffaele started bottling from the family vineyards in 2015. The winery features an outdoor tasting patio. Raffaele is part of a trend that we have observed since our first visit in 2010 to Southern Italy; young people producing eco-friendly wines.
Marisa Cuomo – is internationally recognized for her wines and in particular the white wine Fiorduva, a blending of three local grapes: ripoli, fenile and ginestra. Fiorduva ages well – we drank a 2007 vintage in December of 2022 and it was stellar. Her husband Andrea Ferraioli assists in the production of the 120,000 bottles per annun. The winery features spectacular views overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Apicella * – is another Amalfi Coast winery located in the mountains of Tramonti; a tranquil unspoiled location. The family commenced operation in 1977; the first to do in Tramonti. We visited in 2013 and the winery was the last stop on a long day of tastings. We arrived late for our appointment – dusk. Nevertheless, Prisco Apicella welcomed us wholeheartedly and gave us a quick tour and a tasting.
Casa Esposito * – Yet another Amalfi Coast winery that is located in the mountains; in Scala. This is a new winery with 2021 as its first vintage. Its sparkling wine is a blend of five grapes: 50% falanghina, 40% biancolella and 10% three indigenous grapes; a must drink sparkling wine. The owners are brothers-in-law; one of whom is a grandson of the Esposito who created the farm. In 2021, as part of our daughter-in-law’s and son’s wedding weeklong celebration we had a tasting of their wines at Simona de Pisapia’s Si-Wine Enoteca https://www.si-wine.it/.
Reale *# – A natural/low intervention winery that is also located in the mountains of the Amalfi Coast; features an osteria with spectacular views of surrounding mountains and pairs its wines with local food. We have visited many times with our first visit with our Mother in 2011 (we were celebrating her 85th birthday with a lunch at the outdoor patio). In 2021, as part of daughter-in-law’s and son’s weeklong celebration we had a dinner at Reale. In 2014 my wife and I and my sister-in-law and brother took a pizza making class at Reale.
Le Vigne di Raito *# – A natural/low intervention small winery (about 4,000 bottles produced per annum) located on a hillside of the Amalfi Coast with spectacular views of the Tyrrhenian Sea had its first bottling in 2007. The owner, Patrizia Malanga, is a Lucan as am I (50% of my heritage is from Basilicata). Le Vigne di Raito, located in Raito a frazione of Vietri sul Mare, is a highly popular stop on the wine tourism trail. We and many family members and friends have visited every year since 2012 (except for 2020). The winery hosted our daughter-in-law’s and son’s wedding – making it truly a family wedding.
Casebianche *# – A natural winery located in the Cilento area not too far from the Greek ruins located at Paestum. Betty Iuorio and Pasquale Mitrano assumed the operations of Betty’s family’s vineyard in the late 1990’s. We were first introduced to one of their no sulfite added wines during our 2013 visit – Il Fric. Since 2013 we have visited many times and my son and friends visited with Pasquale when he was in Boston (we were in Italy). In 2021, as part of the weeklong wedding celebration, we had a tasting at Casebianche.
Salvatore Magnoni * Another natural winery (indigenous yeasts and no additives, including no sulfites added even at bottling) located in the Cilento area. In 2002, after a 25 year career as a disc jockey and records salesman in Naples, Salvatore returned to his family estate and planted a vineyard. We have visited the winery twice and have been impressed with the great lengths that Salvatore follows to sanitize the cantina to prevent “outside” yeast strains from gathering in the cantina.
Verrone * – Another Cilento winery that has undergone significant changes since our first visit in 2014; the addition of new vines, the completion of a cantina with a modern tasting room and the addition of a range of sparkling wines. The winery features a country villa featuring panoramic views of the countryside. Paolo, along with his brother Massimo and his son Antonio tend over the vineyard. Paolo is original from the City of Salerno and several years ago he introduced to our now favorite Salerno restauant – Trattoria da Sasa`.
Rossella Cicalese * – A young winemaker, age 30, that produces wines, including a sparkling wine, and extra virgin olive oil in Cilento. She assumed the leadership of her family’s farm which included vineyards and groves in 2012. In a couple years, collaborating with renown winemaker Bruno De Conciliis, Rossella produced her first vintage. She has vineyards in both the towns of Eboli and Perdifumo and produces about 20,000 bottles per annum. She also produces extra virgin olive oil.
From left to right bottom shelf:
San Francesco – is another winery located in the mountains of Tramonti. We have not visited, but I purchased this wine at the recommendation of good friend Simona de Pisapia, owner of Enoteca Si- Wine.https://www.si-wine.it/. We follow Simona’s recommendations. E` iss is made with the tintore grape from pre-phlloxera vines; one of few bottles made with 100% tintore grape (Reale, above, also makes a 100% tintore wine.)
San Giovanni * – a Cilento winery that is located in a private part of the National Park of Cilento. The property features stunning views of the Tyrrhenian Sea, as dramatic as certain of the Amalfi Coast wineries mentioned above. When Mario Corrado and Ida Budetta decided to live at the property in 1999 it had been untouched for over 1,000 years; there was no electricity or telephone. They renovated old buildings, planted vines and now host tastings overlooking the Sea.
Il Colle del Corsciano *# – Another young winemaker from Cilento; Alferio Romito in 2017 started bottling wine from his family vineyards with a production of 4,000 bottles. When we visited Alferio in 2018 he only had 12 bottles from his first vintage remaining in his cellar. He blends a small amount of primitivo in his aglianico wine. Alferio produces an award winning extra virgin olive oil blending four olives: ogliarola, rotondella, frantoio and leccino.
Luigi Maffini * – an established Cilento winery, Luigi’s family purchased the land for the vineyard in Cenito, a frazione of San Marco, in 1974. After replacing non-indigenous vines, in 1994 Luigi started bottling wine. Today Luigi produces 120,000 bottles per year. Several years ago Luigi transferred his modest cantina to a modern cantina located in Giungano, which is close to the Paestum Greek ruins. Luigi’s fiano based Pietraincatenato has become a favorite of white wine drinkers.
Casula Vinaria *# – is a family affair in which three cousins assumed the leadership of the family vineyards and produced their first bottling in 2007. Fiorello Iuorio is the business manager, Daniele Iuorio is the agronomist and Armando Ruggiero is the winemaker. Located in Campagna. Salerno, the cousins have expanded their annual production to about 30,000 bottles. We met with the cousins at their cantina several years ago at the recommendation of our friend Simona de Pisapia.
Casa di Baal * – located in Macchia, a frazione of Montecorvino Rovello, the patriarch Annibale along with his father in 1977 bought the 30 hectares of land on which the farm is located. They transformed the property into a full fledged farm with fruits, vegetables, farm animals, olive groves and vineyards. Only 4 hectares are dedicated to grapes with the first vintage in 2006. Annibale’s daughter Francesca oversees the production of wine. Casa di Baal features a modern olive oil mill to complement a new cantina. We have visited many times including during the weeklong wedding celebration.
Mila Vuolo *# – Mila’s father purchased the farm located in Giovi, a frazione of the City of Salerno in the 1980’s. Upon his sudden in 2000 death Mila left a job in Rome to assume the leadership of the farm. In 2003 she bottled her first vintage – 2000 bottles. Today her annual production is about 15,000 bottles. In addition to wine, Mila produces extra virgin olive oil. Several years ago Mila visited Boston and I helped organize a wine tasting at a local wine shop.
Montevetrano – a collection of wines from Salerno needs Silvia Imparato’s Montevetrano included. With the assistance of renown wine consultant Richard Cotarella, Silvia’s award winning wines are arguably the most internationally sought after Salerno wines. Located in San Cipriano Picentino (Cilento), Silvia initially relied almost solely upon international grapes to make Montevetrano (cabernet sauvignon and merlot with a small percentage of aglianico). Today, her annual production of about 70,000 bottles of Montevetrano and other labels includes more of Campania’s indigenous grapes – aglianico, fiano, greco.
Macellaro #– Ciro, another young Cilento winemaker (age 38), assumed the leadership of his family’s farm about 15 years ago and produced the first bottling in 2011. He is President of the Associazione Terre Dell’Aglianicone; a group that promotes the obscure and nearly forgotten aglianicone grape. This grape is different than the aglianico grape, but studies have shown that the two grapes are connected as the aglianicone grape is the parent of the aglianico grape. Simona de Pisapia introduced me to Ciro’s wines.
Lenza # – located in Pontecagnano Faiano, Lenza started producing wine in 2013 from land that has been in the family for many generations. The patriarch, Valentino, his son Guido and Guido’s wife Ida head the wine making operation. Lenza is another Simona de Pisapia recommendation. In fact, on our most recent trip we unfortunately were unable to visit the winery due to a conflict in our schedules – we hope to meet the Lenza family on our next trip.
Silvio Trama – the winery is located in Pisciotta (Cilento). Silvio produces a natural wine with the use of obscure indigenous grapes. For example, his red wine Capotosta is a blend of seven grapes: nera rodiana, nera lasca, nera chiusa, aglianicaone, arenaccia, rubinella and armonea. Vinification takes place at one of our friend’s winery located in Montemarano, Avellino – Il Cancelliere. Sarah Pompei of Authentic Irpinia https://www.theauthenticirpinia.com/ recommended Silvio wines to me.
Ending Note
De Conciliis is the only winery that we visited that I do not have a bottle – we drank them all! In 2013 we had a good visit with Luigi and I plan to make sure I have De Conciliis wines in my cellar.
My next focus will be on Irpinia wines – how appropriate to conclude this post with a description of a wine from a Salerno winery that vinifies in Irpinia.
