IRPINIA VINEYARDS
Our Irpinia vineyards include 20 hectares owned by the three partners and around 140 hectares cultivated by supplying winegrowers who, with great passion, continue to tend to their small family-owned plots that have been passed down through generations. All harvest the grapes by hand, placing them in small crates and ensuring they are brought to the winery as quickly as possible. Often surrounded by forests, the vineyards are mostly located at altitudes between 400 and 700 meters above sea level.
Campania and Irpinia have a long tradition of vine cultivation. Thanks also to the work of the winery, many vineyards still preserve century-old vines. These plants provide cuttings for new vineyards, helping to retain the distinctive character of Antica Hirpinia wines. Explore our Irpinia wines and discover winemaking in Taurasi.
CLIMATE AND SOIL
Irpinia is characterized by harsh, rainy winters and predominantly clayey soils. The climate, both in terms of temperature and precipitation, is strongly influenced by the numerous hectares of forests that cover the mountains surrounding the area, which help contain the overheating. In general, the winter climate is harsh, with occasional snowfall, while the summer climate is rather mild.
The soils have been influenced by the volcanic activity of the Somma-Vesuvius complex, resulting in soils particularly suitable for vine cultivation. Clays with stone intercalations, varying in extent and thickness, characterize the territories of Lapio and Montefalcione, where there is an "overlap" between the growing areas of Fiano di Avellino and Taurasi.
In the Taurasi area, the clays show extensive layers of cineritic and pyroclastic deposits, as well as loose soil formed by the degradation of rocks due to weathering and surface waters in motion.
A JOURNEY THROUGH THE AUTOCHTHONOUS GRAPE VARIETIES OF IRPINIA
FIANO
Fiano was granted DOC status in 1978 and DOCG status in 2003, but its history is very ancient, as the Romans already knew it and referred to it by the name "Vitis Apiana" because of the sweetness of its grapes, which attracted the bees.Fiano combines structure with finesse and is one of the distinctive white grapes of Irpinia.
The Fiano di Avellino production area covers 26 municipalities between the Calore and Sabato valleys, Monte Partenio and the hills facing Vallo di Lauro. In Lapio, one of the partners has preserved an established vineyard that supplies grapes for Antica Hirpinia Fiano. These Irpinia vineyards express a close connection between the grape variety and its growing area.
GRECO DI TUFO
Greco was introduced to Campania, specifically to the Vesuvius area, probably by the Pelasgi, a people from Thessaly. It was only between the late 19th century and early 20th century that it began to be cultivated in the inland areas, finding its ideal territory in the Valle del Sabato in Irpinia, a small, fairly homogeneous area characterized by volcanic soils, rich in clay and limestone, and abundant in minerals, particularly sulfur, which was extracted and processed at the Di Marzo mines until the early 1980s.
FALANGHINA
The history of this grape variety is quite recent, specifically from the 19th and 20th centuries, as everything that comes to us from earlier centuries is merely conjecture, and unfortunately, its true reliability cannot be determined. It is one of the least widespread native grape varieties in Campania but certainly one of the most famous, especially in the Beneventano area. It has also found a high-quality development in the province of Avellino, although only in recent years. Planted on volcanic soils with clayey-limestone stratifications, the wines derived from it are particularly fresh and fragrant. Thanks to their elegance, they are perfect, especially in summer. The Falanghina grapes used by Antica Hirpinia come from the municipalities of Fontanarosa and Mirabella Eclano.
CODA DI VOLPE
Coda di Volpe is a distinctly Campanian grape variety, and its distribution is limited to the regional territory. It has been registered in the National Register of Grape Varieties since 1970 and is recommended in the province of Avellino. Antica Hirpinia offers it in its pure form, although it is often used up to a maximum of 15% in Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo.The particular shape of the cluster — a curvature of the apical part that resembles the tail of a fox — has allowed it to maintain its identity through the centuries. As early as 1584, Porta argued that the grape variety coincided with the “Vitis alopecis” mentioned by Pliny. In the 19th century, the ampelographer Frojo, and at the beginning of the 20th century, Rasetti and Carlucci provided descriptions that clearly referred to the grape known to the Romans. The Coda di Volpe vineyards are located in the municipality of Fontanarosa.
AGLIANICO
In the province of Avellino, Aglianico is the grape variety from which one of the most well-known red wines of Southern Italy is made: Taurasi DOCG, recognized as a Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin since 1993.
Its origins (and its name) trace back to the settlements of Magna Graecia in Southern Italy, around the 7th-6th century BC. It adapts well to different soils but expresses its best characteristics on volcanic, clayey, and limestone hilly terrains, such as those in the municipality of Taurasi, where Antica Hirpinia's vineyards are located.
In the past, it was cultivated using the traditional "alberate taurasine" training system, which has now nearly disappeared. In the municipality of Mirabella, the vineyards for both Taurasi and Taurasi Riserva are located
TAURASI
ANTICA HIRPINIA
OUR IRPINIA VINEYARDS
Our Irpinia vineyards include 20 hectares owned by the three partners and around 140 hectares cultivated by supplying winegrowers. These families care for plots handed down through generations. Grapes are harvested by hand in small crates and taken promptly to the winery. Often surrounded by woodland, the vineyards mostly lie between 400 and 700 metres above sea level.
Campania and Irpinia have a long tradition of vine cultivation. Thanks also to the work of the winery, many vineyards still preserve century-old vines. These plants provide cuttings for new vineyards, helping to retain the distinctive character of Antica Hirpinia wines. Explore our Irpinia wines and discover winemaking in Taurasi.
