Campania: Cilento's Wines in Five Words

Every Cilento wine tells its own story, the one of the people who produced it, a story that goes back to ancient traditions, handed down from generation to generation and brought to the table until today.
Viticulture dates back to very ancient times, wine production was born with the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, and the latter imported it into the Italian territory. However, it was originally the Oenotrian people who came from the coasts of the Ionian Sea to Cilento, where they settled and began to cultivate vines and produce wine, and it is no coincidence that they are remembered as an expert people who knew the art of the wine. Later, the Oenotrian people and their territory were conquered by the Greeks, who brought with them new knowledge and techniques to improve the art of wine-making. It was the Greeks who started to export and to trade wine, which made it no longer a product for domestic use but a real commercial commodity, thus launching the wine market.
The history of Cilento wines continued with the Romans and continued for centuries with ups and downs, with the implementation of new technologies and methods, from the crushing of the grapes to the screw press.
A story that fascinates anyone who learns about it and that makes one appreciate even more the exemplary taste of a typical Cilento wine.

The Cilento region boasts an area rich in natural wonders, amazing sceneries, the sea that communicates with the land, a combination that leaves no one indifferent.
It is the beating heart of the province of Salerno, a pleasant place that stretches across hills, mountains, forests and coastal areas, this landscape also includes the National Park of Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni.
Cilento is like a green and blue paradise, where the cultivation of vines and therefore the production of the famous Cilento wines takes place, with its fertile soil and very favourable climate.
A territory that plays a very important role, bringing to the table the excellence of the area with the product that the land has been giving for centuries, a wine with a winning uniqueness and a precious richness.
The Cilento soil derives from the sea and this has made the soil particularly alkaline, made up of clay, marl and limestone, commonly known as the Cilento flysch, a soil that easily absorbs rainwater and then returns it to the vines in drier seasons.
This is the secret of the particularity of Cilento wines, a mix of minerals that give the wine an original individuality.

The wines of Cilento hide the most important and most prestigious characteristic of all: the passion of those who produce them. Behind every wine, there are the Cilento winemakers, those that with determination, experience and great expertise make the wine even more special and authentic.
Theirs is a secular, family-run and craft tradition. Producing a wine is a choice of life for the Cilento winemakers, a growing desire to make more and more room in the world, trying to take their product higher and higher, guaranteeing more quality. This is a goal that is not that distant, an achievement that only makes them very proud.
They are strong personalities who, with their perseverance, try every day to identify and improve the made in Cilento.
Theirs is a careful and also creative work, their passion competes with time, which in wine production it's an important characteristic. For many of them it is a dream come true, for others it's the tenacity to carry on the family tradition. It's a path that is always projected into the future for greater possibilities and development.
The winegrowers of Cilento are humble, resolute, with great values, discipline and a lot of pride.

Cilento wines are an Italian excellence and their denomination reflects the territory and its characteristics. They can be of various types, white, red, rosé, fiano and aglianico.
Among the most important, it's important to mention the Cilento Fiano, a white wine, straw-coloured, with a pleasant and intense aroma and a dry flavour that goes well with a good fish dish. When poured into the bottle, a floral scent is almost perceptible.
Another white wine, one of the most popular, is the Cilento Bianco DOC, which also has a dry flavour with fruity fragrant notes. Excellent with fish dishes and cheeses.
Let's move on to red wines, such as the Cilento Rosso DOC with a ruby red colour and a dry but fine taste, with a strong and vinous smell. It is perfect to drink with mature cheeses, cold cuts and grilled meat.
Last but not least, another red wine, is the Aglianico, which is obtained up to 85% from the grapes of the same name. Robust, dry, with 12 degrees and vinous, it is a wine that has a taste that recalls that of red fruits such as raspberry, currant and blackberry. There are also sensory notes approaching chocolate, cocoa and leather. Perfect with baked meat, stews and young goat.
The wines of Cilento are a guarantee for your palate.

Wine is one of the oldest drinks and has always been considered to be a true "elixir" for the health, and it is no coincidence that it is also known as the 'nectar of the gods'.
The properties that make it so beneficial in some respects derive primarily from its composition. Grapes are rich in polyphenols, especially in red grapes, which are molecules that fight free radicals. A benefit of great importance for our health.
Wine and its components help to improve the cardiovascular system, act on the bones by fighting osteoporosis, have an anti-thrombotic action and drinking wine also acts as an anti-stress agent.
Drinking a Cilento Rosso DOC or an Aglianico I.G.P., for example, among its many benefits, would protect against degenerative diseases linked to the nervous system, fight against depression thanks to resveratrol, prevent memory loss and improve blood coagulation. It is also anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory and helps reduce cholesterol. Very important properties.

From Luxembourg to Cilento, the Notaroberto family, with thirty years of experience in the food sector, decided to enhance the territory and invest in Centola in the agronomic and tourist sector. In 1990 Malida House was born on an initial 3 hectares of land, which as well as serving as a delightful agritourism, it is also the place where olive oil is produced. This is a first step towards enriching the area with quality local products.
Their adventure with wine production began in 2011, when they planted the Fiano grape, from which one of the typical Cilento wines is made.
In 2013 the production continues with another vineyard, made up of Aglianico grapes. This is how Fattoria Albamarina was born, a company with the great purpose of making the typical wines of their area even better known.
In addition to tradition, the continuous study, innovation and desire to experiment is also praiseworthy, hence the research programme, coordinated by Prof. Attilio Scienza, the Faculty of Agriculture's Principle, on the native vines of Cilento. For this research a piece of land has been made available for the experimentation of vines aimed at creating 100% Cilento genotypes.
Fattoria Albamarina produces wines that will delight the palate of anyone who tastes them. Their excellent products include Valmezzana Cilento Fiano D.O.P., a white wine made from 100% Fiano grapes, Primula Fiano I.G.P. Paestum, Agriddi Aglianico I.G.P. Campania, a classic ruby red wine and Futos Aglianico I.G.P. Paestum.
If you want to discover the beauties of the area and taste the typical flavours of Cilento, then a stop at the agritourism is just what you need. The lovely structure, with an enchanting swimming pool, will guarantee you pleasant moments of complete relax and experiences that will make you fully understand the traditions of a Cilento farm, with the possibility of participating in activities such as grape harvesting and the picking of olives and chestnuts. A holiday suitable for adults and children.
Behind each wine, there are the commitment and passion of its producer and the unmistakable flavour of those who love their work and who try in every way to bring the taste of their land all over the world.