Feudi di San Gregorio – Top 100

Another entry from my list of the Top 100 Wine Producers of Italy:

In Camapania, where history and tradition play such an important role, new ways of doing things are certain to attract attention. When the Capaldos and Ercolinos founded Feudi di San Gregorio in 1986, their efforts did indeed garner a lot of notices – almost all good, signaling a new dawn for the wines of this region. 

The winery is located in the hamlet of Sorbo Serpico in the province of Avellino, some 30 miles east of Napoli and the sea. This has always been the most important zone for Campanian wines, as the region’s three most famous offerings originate from this territory. Two are whites – Greco di Tufo and Fiano di Avellino – and the third is a long-lived, robust red known as Taurasi. 

For decades, the leading producers of Campania made low-key, subtle bottlings of these wines. But under the leadership of winemaker Mario Ercolino, the style here was shifted toward riper, more full-bodied wines. Greco and Fiano grapes were harvested 7-10 days later than usual, giving the wines deeper color and more pronounced tropical fruit flavors. Rather than the crisp, delicate manner of the usual offerings, the Feudi Greco and Fiano were very rich and forward. 

As for Taurasi, Ercolino opted for aging the Aglianico grapes in French barriques (with a heathy percentage of it new wood), giving the wines more spice and tannins. A 100% Aglianico named Serpico was also introduced; this powerful, deeply concentrated red is a wonderful statement about the complexities and structure of this great Campanian variety. A 100% Merlot called Patrimo was soon added to the lineup; this made in a similar style to the Serpico.

Cutizzi vineyard planted to Greco (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

 

Mario Ercolino and his brother Luciano left a few years ago to establish their own winery in Campania so today, Feudi di San Gregorio is led by the capable talents of Antonio Capaldo. He has maintaned the style of the early Feudi wines, making certain never to sacrifice balance for power. For me the finest wines in the current Feudi lineup are the whites, especially the cru bottlings of Cutizzi for Greco di Tufo, Pietracalda for Fiano di Avellino and the Serrocielo bottling of Falanghina. These whites are complex, deeply concentrated with rich aromas, lively acidity and excellent structure; these usually drink well for 5-7 years after the vintage. These are not only among Campania’s finest whites, but are also among the very best of Italy.

Current reds range from the delightful, value-priced 100% Aglianico named Rubrato, to the sumptuous Taurasi “Piano di Montevergine”, an impressive, ageworthy bottling that rates with the finest examples of this renowned wine. Sparkling wines have become the latest addition to the lineup; there are three bottlings, each made from a single variety: Aglianico, Greco and Falanghina. The wines are named DUBL in honor of the two wineries that work on this project, Feudi and their French partner, the great Champagne house of Selosse. Produced in the classic style, these are first-rate sparkling wines with lovely complexity and lighntess.

Feudi di San Gregorio showed the world the potential of Campanian wines when they made their initial bottlings in the 1980s and today, one quarter of a century later, they have followed up on that promise and have become one of the superstar wineries of Campania and indeed, all of Italy!