Campania, Italy
Fiano is one of Southern Italy’s most noble white grapes, and Terredora’s ‘Ex Cinere Resurgo’ reflects the volcanic soul of Irpinia in every sip. Grown on hillside vineyards with clay and ash-rich soils, the fruit develops aromatic complexity and texture. Fermented in stainless steel and aged on fine lees, the wine balances richness and clarity. Aromas of hazelnut, chamomile, citrus blossom and wild herbs open into a textured, savoury palate. There’s a waxy depth supported by bright acidity and a lingering mineral finish. It’s superb with white meats, shellfish or herb-driven vegetarian dishes. Elegant, poised and deeply rooted in place.
Terredora owes its existence to an acrimonious split within Campania’s first family of wine, Mastroberardino. The largest private owners in the region, Terredora now control more than 125 hectares including prize parcels in the south’s leading DOCGs: Fiano d’Avellino, Greco di Tufo and Taurasi. Terredora is strictly Azienda Agricola, which is to say that they would never consider purchasing grapes from other growers; that’s a pleasant change from the norm in this part of the world.
Their Taurasi (they make three) deserve a place in every collector’s cellar: structured, aromatically complex and seemingly immortal, Taurasi is thinking man’s Barolo. Fiano, the region’s flagship white, always surprises with its ability to acquire Alsace-like complexity and with a decade under its belt it is often hauntingly fragrant. The white Lacryma Christi is 100% Coda di Volpe sourced from a small plot on the slopes of Vesuvius where the mineral-rich soil delivers a nervy edge. The Falanghina (an IWC Trophy winner) shows pear and red apple on the nose whilst Greco di Tufo offers its signature quince, pear and melon.