![]() The region’s single biggest trump card has long been its mineral-rich volcanic soils – one of the greatest terroirs in western Europe. By the time of the Italian reunification in the 19th century, Campanian wine was firmly established on the European map. This only benefited the winegrowers of Campania, who enjoyed privileged access to a wide network of lucrative markets. By the 1400s, Campania came under the protection of the Kingdom of Aragon, becoming part of the Spanish Empire in the 16th century. Finally, in the late 13th century, the Mediterranean island broke free from the administrative rule of the Angevin dynasty after a series of violent rebellions forced the local government to flee. Yet political stability was a rare commodity during the dark ages the territory fell under the control of the German aristocracy, which in turn lost the Kingdom of Sicily to Charles I of Anjou. The Normans controlled the region for many decades, a civilization from northern Europe that eventually unified the various independent provinces as part of the Kingdom of Sicily. However, the Western Empire collapsed in the 5th century AD, paving the way for a succession of territorial wars as various kingdoms sought to plant their flag on Campanian soil. This sweet golden nectar was sold for a very high price, adored by the upper classes and, indeed, the Caesars! Historians believe that Coda di Volpe was used to make one of Rome’s leading wines, called Falernian. The Romans enthusiastically continued this practice in a famous act of cultural appropriation. They bequeathed a culture of winegrowing to the Campanians. It is widely assumed that Coda di Volpe is a descendant of the ancient varieties of Vitis vinifera introduced by the Greek merchants. Indeed, the Empire’s most valued wines (including a massive swathe of western and eastern Europe) came from the province they called Campania Felix: the fertile land. However, they were, in turn, displaced by the Romans, who regarded Campania as one of Italy’s premier vineyards. In the 1st Millennium BC, ancient tribes, including the Osci and Etruscans, settled along the coast of southern Italy, eventually subjugated by the ancient Greeks who popularized wine growing in the 8th and 7th centuries BC. History and viticultureĬampania has been conquered, settled, and exploited over centuries. ![]() This dramatic shift has greatly benefited grapes like Coda di Volpe, endowing this Campanian curiosity with a new lease of life. Thankfully, the 21st century has witnessed a return to the country’s roots, with sommeliers and consumers falling in love with Italy’s incredible range of original tastes and varieties. For a while, Italian viticulture was about to become terminally globalized. So what happened? The answer is a perfect storm of economic greed, neglect, and the marginalization of esoteric styles in favor of international imports – Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were heavily planted across central Italy in the 1900s. Yet, by the 20th century, wealthy collectors and oenophiles would scarcely give Campania a second glance. Instead, the rulers of this ancient landscape had their hearts set on the south. At this point, no one cared about Tuscany or Piedmont. Bathed in endless sunshine, indigenous grape varieties thrived in the region’s Mediterranean climate, producing red – and white – wines of impressive concentration and depth. In Roman times, Italy’s most prized vinous treasures were produced in the hills of Campania, flanking the beautiful city of Naples.
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