Ode to Fiano
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If you’re like me, you learned about the white wines of Campania as a group. A trio, to be precise: fiano, greco, and falanghina. All date back to ancient times, when campania felix was colonized by the Greeks. All share similar characteristics when young—they’re light, citrusy, and posses a racy streak of acidity that goes like gangbusters with the calamari, fresh fish, and tuna carpaccio served up and down the Amalfi Coast.
This trio is widely perceived as a single unit, like the backup singers to a Motown band. To the casual observer, they seem similar, even indistinguishable.
But in reality, that’s like saying all the Supremes are alike, as I learned on my last trip to the Amalfi and Cilento coasts. Ask any Campania winemaker and they’ll tell you that certo! there is indeed a Diana Ross in the group, and her name is Fiano.
For the June 2014 issue of Tastes of Italia, I took a closer look at this break-out star, who has yet to gain fame Stateside. I spoke with winemakers Piero Mastroberardino, Luigi Maffini, Bruno De Conciliis, and Clelia Romana of Colli di Lapio to find out what’s going on with the styles, techniques, and terroir of Fiano di Avellino and Fiano Paestum.
Want to visit some of the wineries? Join our tour Amalfi Coast for Winelovers.
