Donnachiara farms in Montefalcione, in the hills east of Avellino, and Fiano is the grape the area is known for. It is a white that was nearly abandoned after phylloxera and is now one of Campania's most serious. The 2017 vintage is dry, medium in body, with high acidity and low tannin.
- Fiano, the grape of Avellino.
- Fiano di Avellino DOCG, Campania, southern Italy.
- 2017 vintage, 13% ABV, 750ml.
- Dry, medium body, high acidity, low tannin.
How it is made
Fiano di Avellino DOCG is a small appellation in the hills of Irpinia, and the rules keep it to Fiano alone. The vineyards sit at altitude on volcanic and clay soils, which is where the grape picks up its texture and its grip. It is a white that can take time in the cellar, and it is often released later than most whites from the south.
How it tastes
Stone fruit and citrus up front, with pear and a clear note of toasted almond. White flowers sit over a mineral, almost smoky edge. The acidity is high and the body is medium, so it reads structured rather than soft, and the finish stays long and dry.
Good to know
Fiano is an old Campanian variety, and the DOCG was granted in 2003. The name is thought to come from the Latin vitis apiana, the vine the bees liked, because the ripe grapes drew them in.
Contains alcohol.
