ABOUT THE PRODUCER: Antica Hirpinia
Located in Campania near the town of Taurasi , the estate was first founded in the seventies under the name “Enopolio di Taurasi Società Cooperativa”. After several years of abandonment, it was reborn in October 1991 as Antica Hirpinia. The coop became famous for producing the first bottle of Taurasi DOCG , vintage 1992. This unique bottle, bearing the band n° AAA 000 0001, is still jealously kept in the winery’s cellars. The second bottle was given to Pope Giovanni Paolo II, and the third one to the President of the Italian Republic, Oscar Luigi Scalfaro. In 2016, it was taken over by five associates. They hired Riccardo Cotarella as the consulting winemaker. Valeria Cesari, MS, came onboard in 2018. She’s involved in every step of the process, from the pruning choices to the final blend and the type of wood used for the wine. Winemaker Ciriaco Varrasso, who has been working at the winery since 2000, carries her vision. The resulting wines are clear expressions of the terroir, with pure aromas and lifted elegance. The new labels reflect this search for authenticity: each cuvée bears unique symbols that can be found on carved stones left by the Knights Templar at Abbazia del Goleto, a Benedictine monastery in Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi in Avellino, Campania.
Antica Hirpinia owns 31 hectares of vineyards, all located 300 to 450 meters above sea level: 9ha of Fiano, a selection massale vineyard derived from a unique, 200 year old plant, 9ha of Greco, 5ha of Falanghina, 3ha of Coda di Volpe (“tail of the fox”, a white variety with long, tail-like grape clusters) and 5ha of Aglianico. Antica Hirpinia rents another 15ha, with 2-3ha of each variety. Some of the Fiano and Aglianico vineyards are pergola trained. The overall production is 300,000 bottles per year.
Farming practices: organic.
The resulting wines are clear expressions of the terroir, with pure aromas and lifted elegance.
Left: a pergola trained vine. Right: Valeria Cesari, M.S. and winemaker Ciriaco Varrasso
