The Wine Roads of Irpinia between Taurasi and Tufo
In Irpinia, the rugged mountain province of Avellino, a food-and-wine itinerary links the cellars of Taurasi, Fiano and Greco di Tufo to villages reborn after the 1980 earthquake. It's a rural, silent Campania that the flows heading straight for the coast almost entirely ignore.
Foto: Razzairpina (Public domain) — Wikimedia Commons
When you think of Campanian wine, few think of Irpinia, and yet this land of hills and mountains behind Avellino holds three of the noblest denominations of the South: red Taurasi from Aglianico grapes, Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo, whites capable of defying time. While the coaches head straight for Pompeii and the coast, here the villages stay off the radar, and the cellars welcome visitors at the slow rhythms of the countryside.
Taurasi
The journey can begin at Taurasi, the town that gives its name to the most famous red. The old village, gathered around its castle, was hit hard by the 1980 earthquake and today shows the face of a patient reconstruction. All around stretch the Aglianico vineyards, and several historic estates open their doors for visits and tastings. From here it's worth descending towards the Calore river and climbing back up towards nearby towns like Mirabella Eclano, where an archaeological park preserves the remains of ancient Aeclanum, a useful stop to break up the oenology with a bit of Roman history.
The second stop leads into the Fiano area, around Lapio, Montefredane and Atripalda, towns suspended on ridges from which the gaze runs all the way to the Partenio massif. Fiano di Avellino is born on these clayey slopes, and many family cellars offer tastings accompanied by local products: podolico caciocavallo, mountain cured meats, black truffle. Not to be missed is a stop at Atripalda, on the ancient road that leads into the Sabato valley.
Tufo and the Greco
The third heart of the itinerary is Tufo, a tiny village that gives its name to the Greco and that preserves the old sulphur mines, today open to visits, witnesses of a surprising industrial past amid the vineyards. Around it, the municipalities of Santa Paolina, Prata di Principato Ultra and Montefusco complete the circle: Montefusco in particular was the ancient capital of the Principato Ultra and preserves a Bourbon prison that tells of another Irpinia, that of the Risorgimento memory.
For those who want to extend eastward, the Ufita valley and the area of Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi and Conza della Campania show the most dramatic and luminous face of the post-earthquake rebirth: whole towns moved and rebuilt, and the Conza reservoir turned into a nature reserve frequented by migratory birds.
How to get there
To get there, a car is best, indispensable for moving between cellars that are far apart and poorly served by public transport. Avellino is reached by motorway from the A16 Naples-Bari and is the natural logistical base; from there the provincial roads climb among the hills, linking the wine villages. The distances are short but the hairpin bends slow you down, so it's best to plan two or three cellars a day and always book tastings in advance, because many estates are small and receive only by appointment. If you're tasting seriously, the golden rule applies of taking turns driving or relying on visits that include lunch, then staying to sleep in a farm stay in the area.
When to go
The best time is autumn, between September and November. September coincides with the harvest, and the cellars pulse with work: you see the bunches arriving, the presses in action, the air smells of must. October gives the finest colours, with the rows turning yellow and the first chestnuts from the Partenio woods; in Irpinia the chestnut of Montella is a small local glory. November is the month of the novello wine and the truffle, colder but intimate. These are precisely the months when the coast empties and here, instead, the countryside gives its best, without the crowds ever reaching it.
A concrete tip: don't treat Irpinia as a race between labels. Stop to talk with the producers, accept the invitation to see the underground cellar, taste the oldest Aglianico they offer you. And dress in layers, because here you're in the hills and mountains: even in the middle of October, in the evening, a cold sets in that on the coast you can't imagine.
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Practical info
When is the best time to visit The Wine Roads of Irpinia between Taurasi and Tufo?
The recommended time is September, October and November, when it is less crowded.
Where is The Wine Roads of Irpinia between Taurasi and Tufo?
The Wine Roads of Irpinia between Taurasi and Tufo is located in Irpinia, Campania.
