Winemaker Notes
This is high elevation Fiano (500-600m in elevation) - it reminds you that that southern Italy has some cool microclimates and can make whites as fresh as those from the north. These wines evolve over time and if you are patient enough to revisit the wine over hours if not nights, they will reward you!
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From one of the most talented producers who works with this special white grape from Campania, the Ciro Picariello 2023 Fiano di Avellino opens to citrusy notes that range from fresh tangerine to tart lemon drop. Beyond the fruit, the wine produces complementary aromas of crushed oystershell and a hint of spicy saffron. The key element to this wine is the exceptional balance, coupled with pretty intensity, that defines the mouthfeel. Only stainless steel is used, and the grapes are sourced from high-elevation vineyards (from 600 to 700 meters above sea level) on volcanic clay soils between the villages of Summonte and Montefredane.
Fiano is an aromatic, white variety fully suited to the Apennine Mountains of Campania and has been documented in the region since the 13th century. It is at its best in the hills of Avellino where volcanic soils give it a charismatic aromatic lift and support a range of styles from taut and steely to nutty and smooth. Somm Secret—If you like Chardonnay, Viognier or Pinot Blanc, Fiano would be a great new wine to try!
A winemaking renaissance is underfoot in Campania as more and more small, artisan and family-run wineries redefine their style with vineyard improvements and cellar upgrades. The region boasts a cool Mediterranean climate with extreme coastal, as well as high elevation mountain terroirs. It is cooler than one might expect in Campania; the region usually sees some of the last harvest dates in Italy.
Just south of Mount Vesuvio, the volcanic and sandy soils create aromatic and fresh reds based on Piedirosso and whites, made from Coda di Volpe and Falanghina. Both reds and whites go by the name, Lacryma Christi, meaning the "tears of Christ." South of Mount Vesuvio, along the Amalfi Coast, the white varieties of Falanghina and Biancolella make fresh, flirty, mineral-driven whites, and the red Piedirosso and Sciasinoso vines, which cling to steeply terraced coastlines, make snappy and ripe red wines.
Farther inland, as hills become mountains, the limestone soil of Irpinia supports the whites Fiano di Avellino, Falanghina and Greco di Tufo as well as the most-respected red of the south, Aglianico. Here the best and most age-worthy examples come from Taurasi.
Farther north and inland near the city of Benevento, the Taburno region also produces Aglianico of note—called Aglianico del Taburno—on alluvial soils. While not boasting the same heft as Taurasi, these are also reliable components of any cellar.