Salvatore Martusciello

Region: Campania

Campania was one of the first places where wine production became known in the world. The best wines in ancient times, the Falerno, Greco, Faustiniano and Caleno were made in Campania. In this region there is a wide, high-quality variety of vines: falanghina, piedirosso, greco di tufo, fiano, aglianico, asprinio, biancolella, coda di volpe, are descendant of the ancient vineyards denominated Vitis Hellenica, Aminea Gemina, Vitis Apiana, Uve Alopeci, Aminea Lanata or Minuscola, etc. This ampelographic heritage represents the great richness of Campania, the only region which does not allow foreign vines in its doc (registered designation of origin) and docg (registered and guaranteed designation of origin) productions. Although a small region, Campania offers different production areas in a territory that is 70% hills. Grotta del Sole has chosen five areas of production: Phlegraean Fields, Irpinia, the Sorrento Peninsula, Vesuvius and Agro Aversano. The company's vineyard of reference amounts to 120 hectares , 13 of which in ownership, 29 in direct management and the rest cultivated by our trusted partners, some of whom we have worked with for forty years. The direct production quota amounts to 42 hectares out of 120, about 35%. Our goal is to control at least 60% within 5 years. To manage the Grotta del Sole vineyard, we required the collaboration of Federico Curtaz, an agronomist from the region of Valle d'Aosta who, after working with Angelo Gaja for seventeen years, decided to become a free-lance consultant. Federico takes care of the owned vineyards and we are now exploring the possibility of re-implanting the spalatrone pole system which is typical of the Phlegraean Fields. Each one of these areas offers distinctive characteristics making for particularly high-quality vine growing. The hills of Irpinia, the centenarian vines of the Phlegraean Fields, the Aversa alberata' (line trees), the black soil of the Vesuvius and the bubbly humanity of the Gragnano farmers have convinced us to work in these lands and make its wines.