Campania wines in 2023: 30 wines to try

When the producer pulled out of his pocket a wrought iron key to an ancient door, it was easy to imagine that we would soon be transported to an old cellar, but I never would have imagined walking into a Roman cave. This is Campania, filled with hidden gems, stratified with tradition, and teeming with profound viticulture.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 30 wines from Campania to try in 2023

I was visiting La Sibilla, a winery named after the homonymous oracle who was believed to reside just a few miles away. Sibilla was Zeus’s lover; human but immortal, left only with her voice. The estate lies in the Procida promontory where the Campi Flegrei appellation shines for its personality due to old, ungrafted vines on volcanic soils facing the sea. Even the faint Falanghina (to call a spade a spade, in comparison with Fiano and Greco), emerges here with quality thanks to tart citrus fruit, vibrancy and chalky minerality.

White or red?

Campania is in a constant state of limbo between calling itself a white wine region or a red one. If we look at the numbers for hectares planted, it is apparent that white grapes represent 46% of the production while red grapes comprise 54%. These numbers were released during a ‘special edition’ tenth-anniversary event, held in Pozzuoli, close to Naples, in autumn 2022.

The location and the numbers give way to another hidden aspect: the region is studded with indigenous white grapes: obviously Fiano and Greco, but also Falanghina, Biancolella, Ripoli, Fenile, Ginestra and so on.

The coast shines for its bone-dry whites full of spicy minerality. Their appeal is fed by idyllic pairings with pizza, pasta and the Mediterranean diet of the region, but also by the seasonal tourism from charming islands such as Capri, Ischia and Procida plus the Sorrentina and Amalfitana coastal zones. Just thinking about these picturesque places is enough to make your mouth water!

Technically speaking, the old vines and the influence of sea breezes contribute to keeping yields moderate, giving the wines greater concentration and length. This is one of the best indicators for Campania, where tradition tends to allow the vines to produce higher yields.

Coastal Campania

If Campania is tiny, representing just 2-4% of total Italian production (source: Agea-Sian), the appellations along the coast don’t even account for 30% of the whole region – the Salerno province including the Amalfi Coast, Naples with Procida, and partially the Caserta province represent around 26% of Campania’s production. However, in terms of quality, this coastal area helps to raise the bar for Campania’s wine reputation.

That said, those who have the patience for ageing can enjoy Aglianico on a par with the deepest and most ageworthy red wines of Italy. Taurasi, for example, commands attention from wine lovers due to its structure – although the trend for less extracted, crunchy and more vinous examples of both Aglianico and Piedirosso is not slowing down. Keep an eye out for great recent vintages such as 2017, but also 2019 or 2015.

30 wines from Campania to try in 2023

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