Cantina Morone 'Neropiana' Barbera del Sannio
Campania is home to some of the most stunning vista’s in the world - from Naples in the north to the Amalfi Coast in the south, this region is the most visited place in Italy!! and who can blame all those visitors - Not only is this the home of pizza & tomato sauce, there are ancient ruins and Mount Vesuvius plus 13 towns and villages that make up what we collectively call the Amalfi coast (including positano <swoon>). Tbh, I think most of the time when we think of Italy, it is Campania that we think of.
so it probably won’t surprise you to know that it is also home to some utterly fantastic wine! Fiano, Falanghina & Aglianico are some of the more known varietals but it should be no surprise to know that there are varietals grown here that ONLY GROW HERE!! And you know that we love bringing the little known wines to the spotlight over here at Molly’s.
So without further ado, allow me to introduce you to the Morone family and this little known grape - Camaiola aka Barbera del Sannio. The Morone family is dedicated to preserving indigenous varietals and when siblings, Giovanni & Eleonora, took over, they began converting the estate to biodynamics. Choosing to stop selling the fruit to a local cooperative and focus on showcasing the traditional grapes and styles of this place. What an incredible job they’ve done with the full support of Maria & Pasquale. next time you’re in campania, go for a visit! the agriturismo is astonishing and Maria makes really, really great food!
Locally known as Camaiola, Barbera del Sannio is NOT related to the more known Barbera d' Alba (from Piedmont) and is only grown in the province of Sannio. Finding references to it is challenging as very little is planted so when I first tasted it at a wine fair a few years back, I was stunned & super excited to taste such incredible complexity and gorgeous balance. I was smitten and remain so!
A perfect fall/ winter wine, this gloriously velvety red is pure black plum & ripe blackberries with hints of red fruit acidity. Savory, herbal notes keep the fruit in check and the minerality keeps your mouth watering!
The old adage “what grows together, goes together” holds true here in a spectacular way - drink this with pizza or any tomato based pasta dish!!! Grilled pork or chicken would also get along nicely. Honestly, it’s a super drinkable red which I prefer round a bonfire with friends (if I’m not having pizza-tee hee)! Really, it's all balanced and crazy delish so grab a bottle and see for yourself
