Campania wine explained. Volcanic soils, ancient grapes and the reds of Taurasi.

A wine region reborn from the ashes

Campania lies in southern Italy along the Tyrrhenian Sea, with Naples as its capital. Sea breezes blow in from the coast while the altitude of the Apennine Mountains tempers the summer heat, which helps the grapes keep a bright acidity. In Roman times the region produced Falernian, one of the most prized wines of the ancient world, made on the slopes of Mount Massico north of Naples. A price list painted on a bar wall in Pompeii shows Falernian cost four times as much as ordinary wine.

Mount Vesuvius buried Pompeii in AD 79, and the volcano still matters for wine lovers. In this episode of WineMasters Class, Peter Richards MW and sommelier Paz Levinson explain how the Mastroberardino family helped revive the region, including a project that replanted ancient varieties such as Piedirosso and Sciascinoso inside the ruins of Pompeii, using grape seeds found in the ash to identify them. They also open a bottle of the resulting Villa dei Misteri wine, a rare chance to taste a piece of history.

The four DOCGs to remember

Campania has four DOCGs, Italy's top quality level: Taurasi, Aglianico del Taburno, Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo. For an exam, link each one to its grape. Taurasi is the region's most famous red, made from Aglianico in the Apennine foothills northeast of Naples. The best vineyards sit at roughly 300 to 600 meters, where cool nights lengthen the growing season. The rules require at least 85% Aglianico, though most producers now use 100%. Taurasi must age at least three years before release, including one year in wood, and a Riserva four years, including 18 months in wood.

Aglianico gives full-bodied wines with vibrant acidity and very firm tannins. Expect blackberry, black cherry, plum and currant, with smoky, coffee and leather notes that turn earthy and gamey with age. These are some of Italy's most age-worthy and underrated reds. Aglianico del Taburno, around Mount Taburno in the province of Benevento, was promoted to DOCG in 2011 and makes both full reds and interesting dry rosés.

Fiano and Greco: whites with structure

Fiano di Avellino is one of Italy's great white wines and a relatively recent success story. Close to the mountains, Avellino has cold winters and mild summers. Fiano makes medium- to full-bodied whites with floral aromas, orchard and slightly tropical fruit, honey, herbs, a smoky or mineral touch and often a hint of hazelnut. Unusually for a white, it can gain complexity over many years in bottle.

Greco di Tufo takes its name from the small town of Tufo and the tufo rock beneath its vineyards. Greco has compact bunches and thin, delicate skins, so it is prone to rot and tolerates few mistakes. Made well, it shows citrus, pear, apple, tropical fruit and herbs, with so much structure that it has been called a white wine with the soul of a red. The wine must contain at least 85% Greco, often blended with the local Coda di Volpe. Paz also introduces two lesser-known locals: Biancolella from the island of Ischia and Coda di Volpe from Taburno.

The experiment: what oxidation does to wine

Campania is a warm region, and heat is one of the causes of oxidation. In the experiment, the hosts start with a cut apple turning brown, then expose a good white wine to air and a hairdryer to show how oxygen and heat flatten its fresh fruit. Watch to see what the oxidized wine tastes like, and pick up practical tips on keeping an opened bottle fresh at home.

Food pairings and blind tastings

As in every WineMasters Class episode, there are food pairings explained step by step. A youthful Greco di Tufo from Mastroberardino meets a classic spaghetti alle vongole, and later a homemade pizza with buffalo meat, Provolone and basil is matched with a top Taurasi. The pairings show how the acidity of Campanian whites lifts seafood, and how firm Aglianico tannins work with meat and cheese.

There are also two blind tastings, with wines from Feudi di San Gregorio and Quintodecimo in the line-up. Follow the hosts as they reason from color, aroma, acidity and tannin toward grape and place, a useful model if you are preparing for a tasting exam. The episode helps you prepare for WSET Level 3 with clear explanations of grapes, climate and labels.