THE MAGIC OF FIANO DI AVELLINO DOCG

This is an excellent blog post from our good friend Simona de Pisapia, owner of Enoteca Si-Wine, which is currently located in Vietri sul Mare. Salerno. https://www.si-wine.it (Next month Simona will be relocating her enoteca to Cava de Tirreni.) Simona is a passionate supporter of Southern Italian wines She has introduced us to many excellent wines throughout Southern Italy. At times I think that Simona and I were separated at birth! I encourage you to visit her website, read her other blog posts and visit Simona at her enoteca. With permission from Simona here is a translated version of her July 24, 2019 blog post. (Note I have inserted the photos which I obtained from internet sites and my photo gallery.)

on July 24, 2019

How many Italian white wines do you know that can combine so many elements like Fiano di Avellino ? It is no coincidence that the DOCG has been recognized in this wine since 2003 in order to delimit the area of origin and indicate the production standards. But apart from this, there is no doubt that Fiano di Avellino is one of the best white wines of our peninsula.

Mixed, clayey, calcareous, volcanic soils, altitudes, strong temperature changes from July to September and strict production standards preserve the peculiarities of this unique wine, very well known to enthusiasts in Italy and abroad.

Fiano di Avellino is a white DOCG wine that is produced in the green plateau of Irpinia, a mountainous region in the Campania hinterland with breathtaking landscapes and ancient history.

Let’s discover together the characteristics, the history and the production areas of this extraordinary wine.

Fiano di Avellino DOCG: the denomination

The denomination of Fiano di Avellino DOCG is reserved only for wines produced in the designated region, from Fiano grapes at least 85% . The denomination of controlled and guaranteed origin, obtained in 2003, may or may not be accompanied by the traditional mention “Apianum”, which identifies the original name of the vine.

Vine Fiano: historical notes

Fiano is a very ancient vine : it is said that it was the Greeks who imported it to Italy where, on the hills of Irpinia, the Fiano became acclimatized and expressed at its best.

Lapio, a municipality located in the heart of the province of Avellino and known as the first settlement for this grape , probably owes its name to wine: the Latin name of the Fiano grape was in fact “Vitis Apicia” or “Apina”, due to its characteristic to attract bees thanks to the sweet scent of its grapes. From here, the linguistic evolutions would later transform the name from “Apianum” into “Afianum” and then into Fiano.

Already appreciated by Frederick II of Swabia and Charles of Anjou, Fiano was originally a sparkling and sweet wine , which only later became the most valuable dry variant we know today, and which already in 78 allowed him to obtain the first controlled denomination of origin (DOC).

The organoleptic characteristics of Fiano DOCG

The Fiano di Avellino DOCG is a dry, straw-colored wine, pleasant and intense on the nose, with a fresh, structured and rich taste.

On the palate it is warm but at the same time acidic, an acidity that makes it suitable for aging. Long refinements in the bottle allow a nice evolution, to make the wine balanced, complex to the nose and taste.

These characteristics make it perfect to combine with fish dishes with an intense flavor, such as fries and shellfish, whose sweetness is dampened precisely by the characteristic acidity of Fiano.

Fiano di Avellino DOCG: the production areas

The Fiano di Avellino DOCG is produced in 4 distinct areas of Irpinia , which differ according to certain elements:

soil composition
sun exposure
altimetry

Lapio, country of origin of Fiano di Avellino , produces a very structured wine, acid and mineral, here we often have volcanic soils that alternate with clayey soils.

The area of Summonte, characterized by difficult terrain, generates wines of great power, very concentrated, which are distinguished by their fruity notes.

Ciro Picariello, Fiano di Avellino, multi three glasses award — Ciro Picariello, Fiano di Avellino from vineyards located in Summonte

The hill of Montefredane is known for giving birth to a very long-lived Fiano : the presence of clay in the soils of the hill preserves the grapes from periods of drought, allowing a regular maturation of the grapes that guarantees a good fixed acidity, more timid wines in youth but with great aging potential.

ventitre` filari — De BeBenedetto family in Ventritre` Filari vineyard located in Montefredane

Finally, the hilly strip east of Avellino includes many municipalities dedicated to the production of Fiano, which here, thanks also to the presence of sand, we have lighter wines, but with a wide aromatic spectrum.

Recommended readings: “Fiano Terra” Journey through the territories of Fiano di Avellino by Alessio Pietrobattista – Extemporaneous Editions

The cellars that produce Fiano di Avellino DOCG

There are many wineries, scattered throughout the Irpinia area, which produce Fiano di Avellino DOCG : on Si Wine you will find a wide selection of wineries that have Fiano among their flagship wines.

To name just a few: Villa Raiano , Colli di Castelfranci , Donnachiara , I Favati , Ventittrè Filari , Di Meo , Villa Diamante , Pietracupa , Cantina del Barone , Rocca del Principe , Traerte , Ciro Picariello and Guido Marsella . Often it is also about organic productions , but in any case they are companies that work in full respect of their land.

cantina colli castelfranci — Cantina Colli Castelfranci Fiano di Avellino

Because they are aware that this is “their land” where they live together with their families and where managing a farm is a work of commitment and passion. Here also I guarantee you there is a

strong presence of “new generation” that deepening with specific studies (thanks to the initiative to install a degree course in Avellino of the University of Agriculture in the branch of viticulture and enology ) is ready to put in the field new energies without neglecting the family teachings.

Taste them all and you will find out which is your favorite!

Allowed vines and production standards

To comply with the DOCG regulations, Fiano di Avellino is subject to strict production standards . As for the grapes used, Fiano di Avellino must be produced with a minimum of 85% of Fiano grapes .

Other allowed vines, up to a maximum of 15%, are:

Greek white
Tuscan Trebbiano
Foxtail

Regarding the production rules, in addition to the nature of the land, which must be hilly, rich in clay and exposed to strong temperature changes, other minimum requirements must be respected, such as:

the alcohol content, which must not be less than 11.5% vol.
the maximum production of grapes, which must not exceed 10 tons with a yield not exceeding 70%
the number of new stocks, not less than 2500 per hectare
the planting area, which excludes the vineyards of the valley bottom, which are wet and not sunny
the form of farming, which must be vertical

Furthermore, any practice of forcing is prohibited and all production operations, from vinification to bottling, must strictly take place in the production area.

These rules protect the birth of a great wine that with its precious and unmistakable characteristics is able to conquer the palate and the heart of all passionate winelovers.

Bob and Roseann outside of Villa Raiano cellar

Buy your Fiano di Avellino DOCG on Si Wine!

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