Each month, David Brenner of Villasfor2 in Abruzzo recommends a ‘Special Italian Wine’ for you to try and enjoy at home – or on your Abruzzo holiday.

Fiano di Avellino. DOCG 2007. Mastroberardino

This is the new Italian superstar white wine. It comes from the Avellino region of Campania, to the east of Naples, and is produced by Mastroberardino – founded in 1878 and now without argument one of the region's very, very best wineries.

The Fiano grape is yet another of Italy's heritage varieties. Offer a glass to Julius Caesar – and he'd recognise it. Fiano di Avellino can be made with with only 85% Fiano and 15% of some – or all – of Code di Volpe, Greco, or Trebbiano Toscana. But this particular bottle is 100% Fiano.

Time to try it.

Let's state right from the outset that if you like wine made from the Viognier grape, it's a fairly safe bet you're going to love this. 

This isn't as full-on as Viognier can be, but you get that same deep concentration of apricots, peaches and melon – an almost dried-fruit intensity here – overlaid with definite hints of Fiano's trademark scent of toasted hazelnuts.

Don't serve this too cold, because you run the risk of killing this delicious bouquet stone-dead before you've even had a chance to taste it.

Behind that fruit is a an absolutely dry cut that prevents the wine from becoming too sickly and overpowering. The finish is long.

One of the reasons behind Fiano di Avellino's stellar popularity is that since it was awarded DOCG status – Italy's highest wine ranking – in 2003, it's developed a massive cult market as the 'new Pinot Grigio' – the world's biggest selling, bought-by-the-glass 'cafe wine'. That it's an infinitely better wine than your average PG hasn't hurt either.

But beware. Global popularity too often results in high prices and lowering standards. The former – yes; the latter – not yet: but search out a good producer like Mastroberardino to be absolutely sure. And with Fiano di Avellino flying off the shelves, the grape's now being planted in other areas outside Campania. Make sure you buy a bottle of the real deal to enjoy on your Abruzzo holiday, or to try at home – and not a cut-price copy.

You can drink Fiano di Avellino the year after its vintage and get the fullest, freshest fruit. Or you can safely leave it for a couple of years – not more – and trade-off a little of that freshness for a touch more roundness and depth. Your call.

Fiano di Avellino is an absolutely perfect on-its-own aperitif wine. If you're after a luxurious super-treat, try it with scallops or lobster. Lightly-sauced. Here in Abruzzo, we're in the middle of an asparagus glut. Poor us. The resulting asparagus risotto and a bottle of this delicious white wine was as good as it gets. 

At A Glance…

• This month's featured wine: Fiano di Avellino
• Vintage: 2007
• Producer: Mastroberardino
• Designation: DOCG
• Grape: 100% Fiano
• Strength: 12.5%
• Closure: Cork
• This bottle cost: €10.65

Next Month…

We're drinking a bottle of Rosso di Montalcino DOC from just south of Siena in Tuscany. It's made from exactly the same grapes that produce the superlative Brunello di Montalcino DOCG – but it costs less than half as much. Fantastic value ? Or just leftovers from the bottom of the barrel ? Join us next month to find out ! 

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 at 5:37 am and is filed under Eating and Drinking, Special Italian Wine, Vineyards. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.