Winemaker Notes
Exultet is a sophisticated and elegant expression of Fiano di Avellino, produced exclusively from a single vineyard, presenting a luminous yellow color with green reflections and aromas of linden, acacia, and thyme, while the palate is well structured with flavors of exotic fruit, citrus, and honey complemented by a subtle mineral note, a refinement enhanced by partial fermentation in small oak barrels, and it possesses remarkable longevity, capable of aging for decades due to its richness in aroma precursors and the integrity of its freshness and flavor.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A tense and minerally wine with riesling-like vibrancy and aromas of limes, linden blossoms, pears and apples. Medium-bodied on the palate, it shows vibrancy, salty energy, zesty acidity and grapefruit flavors. Precise and focused finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Opening to varietal tones with a combination of sweet apple and preserved lemon, the Quintodecimo 2024 Fiano di Avellino Exultet (with 45,000 bottles created) is partially oak-aged with 70% in stainless steel and 30% in new oak barrel. Unlike the Falanghina Via del Campo (from the same vintage) that is immediately fragrant and expressive, this wine takes a little longer to shows its full range of aromas. In fact, Exultet is best described as a textural wine that offers soothing creaminess with great dimension and depth. It is a pretty expression from a slightly cooler and wetter summer season.
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Vinous
The 2024 Fiano di Avellino Exultet evolves with a soothingly confectionary mix of sweet smoke, vanilla bean, stone dust and lemon sorbet. Silken textures are offset by a citrus twang as notes of mint-laced green apple settle on the senses. The 2024 leaves a crisp sensation, tapering off airy and perfumed with a hint of lime that fades slowly. This is a stimulating vintage of Exultet that should mellow with further cellaring.
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.