MastroberardinoEstablished in 1750 by Pietro di Berardino (he adopted the title of
Mastro, which eventually merged with Berardino) and officially
registered in 1878 by Cavalier Angelo Mastroberardino, Campania’s
Mastroberardino is one of Italy’s great winemaking estates.
Antonio Mastroberardino returned to his family’s
estate after WWII and found a vineyard in decline—devastated by
financial depression, phylloxera, neglect and war. The ninth-generation
owner-operator of the estate, Antonio made it his mission to reclaim not
only his family’s estate but also Campanian winemaking. Over the next
two decades, he and his brother, Walter, bought the best vineyard land
they could find in Campania and Irpinia, where they dedicated themselves
to the resurrection of three ancient Campanian grape varietals: Fiano,
Greco di Tufa, and Aglianico. When many other Italian winemakers were
making the choice to cultivate international grapes, Mastroberardino
took a single-minded approach to these three indigenous varieties. This
dedication earned Antonio the title of “true viticultural archaeologist”
from renowned wine writer Hugh Johnson.
The first of these, Fiano, features in several DOC
and IGT wines, most notably in the Fiano di Avellino DOCG, established
in 2003 (Greco di Tufa was accorded its DOCG in the same year). Antonio
and Walter hold the credit for having saved the grape following its near
devastation by phylloxera in the 1930s, and many see Fiano di
Avellino’s DOCG status as their due for nursing a few remaining vines
back from extinction and into flourishing. As much as Mastroberardino
did for Fiano and Greco di Tufo, it did yet more for Aglianico. The
winery also brought this grape back from extinction, but even more,
Mastroberardino effectively established Taurasi, a mono-varietal
Aglianico, as a world-class wine; Taurasi was formally recognized with a
DOCG designation in 1992.
Just as Mastroberardino was the sole producer of
quality Fiano for years, it was the sole maker of Aglianico. Among all
producers, Mastroberardino recognized the grape’s potential to make a
complex, long-aging, layered, and nuanced wine. Campania’s celebrated
climate, volcanic soils, and high elevation all provide the ideal
environment for this late-ripening grape that delivers a copious amount
of black fruit, spice, and minerals. Aglianico produces quality
expressions throughout Campania, with the most notable being Aglianico
del Taburno, Irpinia Aglianico, and Sannio Aglianico. However the
Taurasi zone, Campania’s only red DOCG, has earned a worldwide
reputation for its excellence, earning the nickname the “Barolo of the
South.”
In 1980, the historic winery and cellars sustained
earthquake damage, so the winery received a full renovation. The
earthquake also inspired the family to begin sourcing its Taurasi
bottling exclusively from one vineyard, the 100-acre Mirabella site,
which possesses a clay-calcerous soil that is particularly excellent for
high quality Aglianico. The family rechristened the wine Taurasi Radici
Riserva for its 1986 debut, with Radici (“roots”) signifying its
intimate connection to the region and its varietals. The
Mastroberardinos continue to undertake various research projects,
including efforts in the areas of aroma detection and classification;
polyclonal planting; and viticultural zoning.In 1996, the Italian
government chose Mastroberardino for a special project; the estate’s
Villa dei Misteri satellite plants ancient grapes in the ancient area of
Pompei to craft historical wines. In the mid-90s, Walter left
Mastroberardino to begin his own estate, Terredora di Paolo.
Antonio Mastroberardino largely retired in 1997, and
in January 2014, he passed away at the age of 86. Today Mastroberardino
is run by Antonio’s sons, Piero (the current president) and Carlo, who
share their father’s passion for the region’s indigenous grapes.
Wines:
Falanghina Sannio
Fiano di Avellino
Greco di Tufo
Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Bianco
More Maiorum Fiano di Avellino
Novaserra Greco di Tufo
Radici Fiano di Avellino
Vignadangelo Greco di Tufo
Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Bianco
Naturalis Historia Taurasi
Radici Taurasi
Radici Taurasi Riserva
Melízie Irpinia Fiano Passito
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Region:
Campania
DOC(G)s:
Greco di Tufo
Fiano di Avellino
Irpinia
Sannio
Taurasi
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