Campania

Campania, located on the southwestern side of the boot, is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in Italy; before the Romans, the Greeks were already cultivating vines on the volcanic soils around Mount Vesuvius about 1000 BC. Until its destruction by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, Pompeii was the most important wine trading center in Italy and the main supplier to the capital, Rome. Today, the vineyards cover about 24,000 hectares. The vast majority is on the mainland. There are some smaller areas on the two small islands of Capri and Ischia. The Mediterranean climate with the influence of the nearby sea, the sun-drenched hillsides, the protective mountains, and the volcanic soils provide an almost ideal basis for viticulture, especially in the provinces of Avellino and Benevento. The higher areas with hot and dry summers as well as cold winters are particularly suitable for red wine varieties. Wines are produced largely from indigenous varieties; international grape varieties play only a small role in DOC regulations. Aglianico, in particular, provides full-bodied and intensely colored red wines. Other red wine varieties include Aglianicone, Barbera, Casavecchia, Guarnaccia (Tintore di Tramonti), Olivella (Sciascinoso), Per'e Palummo (Piedirosso), Primitivo (Tribidrag) and Sangiovese. The main white wine varieties are Asprinio (Greco), Biancazita (Ginestra), Biancolella, Caprettone, Coda di Volpe Bianca, Falanghina, Fenile, Fiano, Forastera, Greco Bianco, Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Moscato Bianco (Muscat Blanc), Ripolo, Trebbiano Toscano and Verdeca.