Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo

In 1986 Avellino, a province of Campania, was devastated by a major earthquake. Farms and businesses in this area of southern Italy, also known as Irpina, were destroyed, leaving it to the younger generations to rebuild and maintain the area’s tradition. Many young people accepted the challenge; others did too, but in a much more ambitious and risky way. One of those was Enzo Ercolino, who was joined by Mariano and Luciano (his brothers), Mirella Capaldo (his wife) and Mario Capaldo (his brother-in-law). This is how Feudi di San Gregorio was born. 

 

Atripalda, one of the villages this province is divided into, was where they chose to base their project, becoming pioneers and discovering new limits to push in the various Denominazione di'Origine Controllata this area is full of (they were in fact one of the first wineries to bottle their own wine). Their plans involved using the typical varieties, like Greco, which they used to begin making wines in a much more modern style like Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo, a single-variety white made within the D.O.C.G. Greco de Tufo using stainless steel tanks. 

 

The 30 hectares they started working in 1986 has now increased tenfold. All this production is also complemented by grapes purchased from local winegrowers. When it comes to Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo some of the vineyards it is made with fall within the Partenio Regional Park, with varied soils (mainly volcanic) and a Mediterranean climate (with cold winters and very dry summers). Here, the grapes ripen properly with great temperature contrasts between day and night which are partly mitigated by the forests that moderate the temperatures. 

 

The Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo grapes are harvested by hand and processed. Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo is then pressed and the must is obtained at low pressures to maintain quality. This juice spends about 24 hours resting at low temperatures so that any suspended substances fall to the bottom and the liquid is clean. This process, known as racking, must be carried out cold to prevent the yeasts from starting to ferment. 

 

This important final phase, where the must becomes wine, will have to wait until Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo is transferred to stainless steel tanks. Here it will not only ferment, but will also spend about four months resting in contact with its lees until it is finally bottled and released for sale.