Far before the rise of the Roman Empire, Campania was already cultivating an intriguing array of grapes and fermenting into richly volcanic wines. Ancient Greek mariners fleeing the Trojan Wars (at least if Virgil is to be believed) brought the first vines or vitis vinifera to Southern Italy. The first red varietals included Piedirosso and Aglianco- a grape whose very name means ‘Hellenic’ in local dialect. Later Roman nobility would consider Campania’s wines the best in the Empire. While Campania has experienced invasions, volcanic explosions, earthquakes and plagues, her vinicultural traditions continue to surprise and delight. Here we outline the most notable Campania red wines. You can find the companion Guide to Campania White Wines here.
