Cantine Astroni Tenuta Jossa Bianco Campi Flegrei DOP 2021

Cantine Astroni Tenuta Jossa Bianco Campi Flegrei DOP 2021

Cantine Astroni
$46.00

Grape: Falanghina, Fiano
Vintage: 2021
Type: White

This volcanic white wine is a traditional blend of falanghina and fiano grown on the sandy pumice slopes of Campi Flegrei near Naples. The hand-harvested grapes are vinified using low-intervention protocols, featuring a completely spontaneous fermentation in porous clay amphorae. The wine matures on its fine lees in these clay vessels for eight months, followed by an additional six months of bottle aging. This zero-makeup cellar process builds natural structural stability while completely avoiding oak manipulation.

It pours a luminous straw-yellow color, opening with a complex nose of lemon flesh, yellow grapefruit, tomato leaf, and sweet smoke. A medium-to-full-bodied frame balances orchard fruit flavors with an underlying stony mineral core. A vibrant wave of volcanic salinity cuts right through the textured mouthfeel, keeping the wine lively. Subtle notes of fresh herbs and crushed flint develop as the liquid opens up. It finishes long, dry, and clean, leaving a savory impression.

Cantine Astroni is a distinctive winery located in the Campi Flegrei, or Phlegraean Fields, a historic volcanic area in Campania, Italy, situated uniquely on the outer slopes of the Astroni crater, a nature reserve near Naples. The Varchetta family, which has been involved in winemaking for over a century, established the current winery in 1999 with a mission to protect and enhance the region's unique viticultural heritage.

The key to their wines is the extraordinary volcanic, tuffaceous soil, which not only imparts a signature minerality and flavor to the grapes but also historically protected their vines from the phylloxera pest, allowing them to cultivate pre-phylloxera, ungrafted, native varieties. The winery primarily focuses on the indigenous grapes of the area, most notably the white Falanghina and the red Piedirosso (also known as Per'e Palummo), producing a range of acclaimed still and sparkling wines that beautifully express the unique terroir of this ancient, myth-laden land. Cantine Astroni combines deep-rooted tradition with modern winemaking techniques, and it actively promotes the area through wine tourism, events, and cultural initiatives.