Campania

The name Campania comes from the Latin phrase “campania felix,” which roughly translates as “fertile land” o¬r “rich or happy land”
The Tyrrhenian Sea to the west, the small Flegrean Islands and Capri are also administratively part of the region
Bordered by Lazio to the northwest, Molise to the north, Apulia (Puglia) to the northeast and Basilicata to the east
The capital city of Campania is Naples
Campania is famous for its gulfs (Naples, Salerno and Policastro) as well as for three islands (Capri, Ischia and Procida)
The climate is typically Mediterranean along the coast and more continental in the inner zones , with low temperatures in winter
Over 100 native varieties in the region
The arguably best-known Campania wine is Lacryma Christi (del Vesuvio) which means ‘the tears of Christ on Vesuvius’
These Lacyrma wines can be produced in several styles; red, white, rose, sparkling and dry or sweet
Over 17 DOC areas and three DOCG wines – Taurasi, Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo – whose growing zones all cluster around Avellino, about 35 miles east of Naples
More than 60% of the production of wine (over 50,000 gallons per year) is white
The flagship red grape is Aglianico and is the sole component of Taurasi, a well respected DOCG (called “the Barolo of the south”)
Studies have shown aglianico to be the direct ancestor of the Rhône’s prized syrah grape