Ancient roots and a modern aesthetic are good representations of Feudi di San Gregorio. The winery is located in Irpinia near the famous volcano Mount Vesuvius in southern Italy's Campania region. The hilly land of Irpinia has been growing wine grapes since antiquity, and its vineyards were referred to in work by Pliny.
Yet the winery of Feudi di San Gregorio was established less than four decades ago in 1986. Today the winery has a futuristic look, thanks to its design by Japanese architect Hikaru Mori that was constructed in 2004. An elegant Michelin-star restaurant, Marenna, completes the package of a contemporary destination for wine and food pairing. But, despite the modernity of the exterior, the winery honors the old, indigenous grapes of Campania: Aglianico, Greco di Tufo, Falanghina, and more.
It is this seamless integration of old and new that fascinated me when I had the opportunity to meet Antonio Capaldo, Chairman of Feudi di San Gregorio, when he was last in New York. At a media dinner in Manhattan, I tasted through a number of his current releases:
Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo DOCG 2017 - Medium gold in color, the wine was a well-structured white with lemon and minerality. I considered that it would be delightfully food-friendly with many dishes thanks to its high acidity.
Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina 2017 - Highly aromatic with notes of white flowers, the wine had a rich, round mouthfeel and lush white peaches on the palate. This is a gorgeous white.
Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi DOCG 2013 - The winery's Taurasi wines are made from 100 percent Aglianico grapes, and they're aged for 18 months in French oak before completing their aging in bottle. On the nose, I found vanilla and pomegranate. The palate was layered with fresh black plum and blackberry, as well as firm tannins.
Feudi di San Gregorio Piano di Montevergine Taurasi Riserva DOCG 2012 - This is a huge wine that was created from the winery's best hand-selected Aglianico grapes. On the nose there were violets and herbs. Tasting revealed blackberries, spicy notes of pepper, savory notes of olive, and a long finish with more blackberries and blueberries. This is a wine to enjoy now and over years as it evolves.
I saw Antonio shortly after at Robert Parker Wine Advocate's Matter of Taste. There I had the opportunity to sample a vertical tasting of one of the more interesting wines of Feudi di San Gregorio - its Patrimo line. The tasting was led by Antonio and the Wine Advocate's Monica Larner. The Patrimo wines are unique and a slight contradiction - in a winery that focuses on native Campania grapes, these wines are crafted from Merlot. However, the single-plot Merlot vines are impressively 75 years or older. They were present when Antonio's family acquired some vineyard areas, and thus are a heritage part of the property. While the grape variety means these wines are labeled IGT rather than DOCG, they have become flagship wines of the region.
My favorite wines from this vertical included:
Feudi di San Gregoio Patrimo 2001 - Intense red fruit in a wine that balanced tannin and acidity elegantly.
Feudi di San Gregorio Patrimo 2009- Deep crimson in color, the wine had an intense black cherry nose that was echoed in a plush palate of juicy, ripe black cherries.
Feudi di San Gregorio Patrimo 2010 - A nose where violets and blackberries intermingled, this was big, complex wine that offered bing cherries, as well as savory notes of balsamic vinegar and rosemary.
Feudi di San Gregorio has made a name for itself as a leader in the Campania region. Their outstanding range of red and white wines are easily available in the U.S., but the most devoted fans may wish to book a flight to Naples to experience the hospitality and gourmet cuisine of the winery in Sorbo Serpico.
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