Introduction to Fiano
Fiano is Campania's finest white grape, able to rival Italy's great northern whites. This guide covers its wines, producers, pairings and prices.
Fiano is ancient. It was nearly lost in the mid-1900s and is now one of Italy's most prized native grapes. It makes complex wines that age well and show where they were grown.
The name is thought to come from "vitis apiana", the vine loved by bees (api), a phrase used by Pliny the Elder in Roman times. So a glass of Fiano links you to a very old winemaking tradition.
The best Fiano di Avellino DOCG can age for ten years or more. Young, it tastes of fresh citrus and flowers. With age it moves to toasted hazelnut, honey, dried flowers and minerals, as deep as any white wine in Italy.
Fiano di Avellino DOCG is the classic version of this grape. It comes from the Irpinia hills of Campania, around the town of Avellino.
The vineyards sit high, at 400–700 meters, on volcanic and limestone soils. These tough conditions give wines with real concentration and a long life.
Typical flavors of Fiano di Avellino:
- Young: citrus (especially lime and grapefruit), white peach, pear, acacia blossom
- With age: roasted hazelnut, honey, wax, dried flowers, smoke, mineral depth
The rules allow the name of the village (comune) on the label. This works like an informal cru system. Wines from Lapio, Montefredane, Sorbo Serpico and other villages each show their own character.
The Cilento area in southern Campania also makes Fiano under a DOC. The soils are different and the vineyards lower. Cilento Fiano is riper and easier to drink young than wine from Irpinia. It has more tropical fruit and less acidity. It is good value and an interesting contrast to the Avellino style.
Fiano has spread well beyond Campania in recent years. Puglia and Sicily both make good Fiano under Puglia IGT and Terre Siciliane IGT. These wines are fruity and easy to like. They lack the volcanic, mineral depth of Fiano di Avellino DOCG.
Fiano is a fussy grape that needs careful work in the vineyard. It is prone to rot (botrytis) and powdery mildew. It buds and ripens late, and does best on well-drained soils at altitude. These challenges are part of what makes it special: only skilled growers on the right sites get the best from it.
Key characteristics:
- Color: deeper gold than most Italian whites
- Aromas: complex from the start, with citrus, white fruit, honey, smoke and hazelnut
- Acidity: high, which helps it age for a long time
- Body: full, with a rich, textured feel
- Finish: long, with a typical smoky, hazelnut note
Campania has three great white grapes, Fiano, Greco and Falanghina, and each has its own style:
| Wine | Style | Best Use | Aging |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiano di Avellino | Complex, smoky, textured | Rich seafood, aged cheese | 5–15 years |
| Greco di Tufo | Mineral, full-bodied, volcanic | Rich fish, shellfish | 3–8 years |
| Falanghina | Aromatic, fresh, floral | Light seafood, aperitivo | 1–3 years |
Fiano is rich and complex, so it needs food with some weight:
Modern Fiano owes almost everything to the Mastroberardino family. From the 1950s to the 1970s, most Campanian producers dropped local grapes for international ones. The Mastroberardinos kept growing Fiano. That saved it from extinction and set the quality standard every later producer has built on.
Explore the white wines of Campania, centered on the volcanic Irpinia hills, Fiano di Avellino DOCG and Greco di Tufo DOCG.
Production rules and official information from the consortia of the wines in this guide: