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Italian Food, Wine & Travel Bloggers Explore Campania
This month, our blogging group filled with Italy fans is virtually exploring the Campania region of southern Italy. Take a look further down in this post for a whole host of great ideas!

(click on any photo to view full size slide show)

Caiati is made from the Pallagrello Bianco grape

Settimo is a blend of Pallagrello Nero and Casavecchia

Campole is made from Aglianico

Our wines for today, details below!

Vini Alois: Committed to Native Grapes
Many Italian wine enthusiasts will recognize the grape Aglianico, and some will even know Falanghina. These are both native to southern Italy. How about Casavecchia? Pallagrello Nero? Pallagrello Bianco? The Alois family has a long history in the silk trade, and in 1992 Michele Alois realized a dream of his to add viticulture to his family’s holdings. They purchased property and planted strictly local varieties, including some rare ones which had nearly disappeared. Today, they continue Vini Alois with a commitment to organic farming and autochthonous grapes.

We’re fortunate to have a small importer in Minnesota working with Vini Alois, and we get to see Massimo Alois pretty regularly. Massimo is Michele’s son and is in charge of the business and promotion side of the winery worldwide. I’ve highlighted Vini Alois wines in a number of posts: Caiati and Settimo, Caulino, Campole. Today we’re highlighting Caulino Falanghina and Trebulanum Casavecchia.

Caulino is made from 100% Falanghina

Michele Alois “Caulino” Falanghina IGT 2017 ($14 locally or online here) 13.6% abv
Caulino is 100% Falanghina. As many Alois wines, it is fermented in stainless steel and aged in bottle. They strive to show the characteristics of the grape without oak influence.
Eye: Clear, pale lemon color.
Nose: Clean, medium+ intensity aromas of ripe yellow apple, ripe pear, a bit of apricot, fennel and chalk.
Mouth: Dry, medium+ intensity, medium+ acidity, medium alcohol, medium+ body, medium+ finish with a nice creamy texture. Flavors follow the nose with ripe fruits of yellow apple, pear and apricot, fennel and chalk. On the palate a bit of almond bitterness shows in the finish.
Conclusions: Very good quality wine with a bit more body than a typical “light refreshing” white wine, very nice with food and particularly good with a rich, creamy cheese-filled pasta.

Trebulanum is made from Casavecchia, a historic native grape which was nearly lost.

Michele Alois “Trebulanum” Casavecchia Terre del Volturno IGT 2011 ($36 locally or online here) 13% abv
Trebulanum is 100% Casavecchia. As their flagship wine, Trebulanum is fermented and aged in oak barrels. However, these are large format barrels (botte) used many times, so the oak influence is more for texture than flavor.
Eye: Clear, medium garnet color.
Nose: Clean, medium+ intensity aromas of fresh, ripe blueberries, blackberries, prunes, backed up by rosemary, pine needles, balsamic vinegar, forest floor.
Mouth: Dry, medium+ intensity with medium+ acidity, medium+ fine grained tannins, medium body with a lean texture, medium alcohol and medium+ finish. Flavors echo the aromas with dark ripe fruits including blueberry, blackberry and some prunes. Firm rosemary, pine needles and balsamic vinegar.
Conclusions: Very good quality red wine with a firm structure balanced with dark fruits, still fresh after 9 years from vintage. I didn’t intend to pair this wine with a shrimp dish, but I really wanted to highlight it as part of this post. I was surprised at how enjoyable it was. Perhaps a bit more structure than needed, but nice nevertheless.

Prep ahead of time and wow your guests

Shells are stuffed with shrimp and a cheesy sauce, then topped with toasted bread crumbs

Fresh tomato sauce base, rich stuffed shells garnished with fresh basil!

Italian Food, Wine & Travel Campania Posts
Curious about Campania? Take a look below, there is sure to be something to pique your interest. Want to learn more? Join our chat on Twitter! Just look for #ItalianFWT between 10-11am CDT on Saturday May 2.

• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares Melanzane a Scarpone + Cantine Astroni Gragnano Penisola Sorrentina 2018.
• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm pairs Polpette and Terredora di Paolo Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso.
• David at Cooking Chat matches Salmon with Pesto and Orzo with Wine from Campania.
• Pinny at Chinese Food and Wine Pairings adds Campania’s Donnachiara Greco di Tufo Paired with Fish and Chips.
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator shares 3 Wines from Campania’s Feudi Di San Gregorio Paired With Pizza and Wild Boar Ragu.
• Cindy at Grape Experiences writes Exclusive to Campania: Coda di Volpe Bianco, the Tail of the Fox.
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass posts A Coda di Volpe Wine from Campania’s Protector of Native Grapes.
• Jen at Vino Travels joins with The Lacryma Christi Wines of Campania.
• Terri at Our Good Life shares Chicken Pot Pie and A Beautiful Wine from Campania for a Spring Day.
• Katarina at Grapevine Adventures muses Campania Makes You Dream Big About Amazing Wine.
• Nicole at Somm’sTable dishes on Donnachiara Taurasi and Lamb Spezzatino.
• Jeff at Food Wine Click! writes about Vini Alois: Champions of Campania’s Native Grapes.
• Rupal at Syrah Queen brings NYC Somm Jordan Salcito Making A Splash With Campania Wines.
• Lauren at The Swirling Dervish adds Mastroberardino Greco di Tufo: White Wine from Campania’s Volcanic Arch.
• And Susannah, our host, at Avvinare is Taking Another Look At Falanghina from Campania.