SANNIO DOC
The Name: Sannio DOC
Sannio was once called Samnium, and was inhabited by the ancient Samnites until the Roman Empire expanded to southern Italy in mid 2nd century BCE. The present day territory is certainly not as large as it was in its ancient past, but still serves as a representation of Italy, and the larger Mediterranean’s, cosmopolitan and immersive cultural roots.
It was awarded DOC status in 1997 and allows for production of sparkling, white, rose’ and red wine. The Falanghina del Sannio DOC is technically its own denomination within the Sannio DOC, a sub-appellation. There are also various cru in the DOC that can distinguish themself on the wine label. The Falanghina del Sannio DOC cru are as follows: Solopaca, Solopaca Classico, Sanframondi (also known as Guardiolo), Sant’Agata dei Goti, and Taburno (the comune of Taburno also overlaps into the Aglianico del Taburno DOCG). So, for example, a Falanghina wine from the Solopaca subzone of the Sannio DOC would be labeled as “Falanghina del Sannio DOC Solopaca.” These areas are considered the best terroir within the Sannio for the Falanghina grape, though that’s not to say you won’t find a perfectly delicious non-cru Falanghina del Sannio DOC.
The Land
The Sannio covers the entire region of the Benevento province of Campania. It is a DOC that surrounds other DOCs and DOCGs and ranges from 200-650 meters above sea level. While other native white grapes do grow in the area, it is best known for its Falanghina del Sannio, a white wine made from at least 85% (but often ends up being 100%) Falanghina grapes.
The Sannio’s subzones circumvent the Taburno mountain: Guardia Sanframondi or Guardiolo is due north, Solopaca and its Classico region lies in the northwest, Sant’Agata dei Goti in the southwest, and Taburno in the southeast.
The soil is varied with different degrees of: gravel; sandy-loam; sandstone; calcareous clay; limestone; and volcanic material. The volcanic material came from nearby explosions of Mt. Vesuvio and the extinct Campi Flegrei volcano along the Campanian coast. The Campi Flegrei, which translates to “Fields of Fire”, just north of the Amalfi, was a supervolcano. A supervolcano has an eruption magnitude of 8 Explosivity Index (VEI), which means that it can erupt material more than 240 cubic miles. Where there are now craters, there were multiple eruptive centers that cast volcanic ash and mineral material all over the Campania region. The Falanghina varietal loves this chalky tuff (tuff is material from the volcano) and calcareous (calcium carbonate, also rich with lime) clay.
The Grapes
This DOC allows for the bottling of various grape varieties (see below). If the grape name is on the bottle, it indicates that the wine makes up at least 85% of the blend. In bold are the most common cultivars found on a Sannio DOC label.
I will spend some time on the Falanghina grape, as for this DOC it is the most prevalent. If you’ve read through other sections, you’re probably tired of hearing it, but we have to talk biotypes. While I am sure there are more than two just two biotypes, the most common two are the Falanghina Flegrea and the Falanghina Beneventana. As both names suggest, they are linked to their location—the Falanghina Flegrea pertaining to the Campi Flegrei DOC and the Falanghina Beneventana to the Sannio DOC, thought to have originated in Bonea in the Benevento province.
They are different! In my experience, the Beneventano biotype is more fruit forward and the Flegrea more mineral, even flinty.
WHITE GRAPES
Coda di Volpe
Falanghina
Fiano
Greco
Malvasia
Moscato
Trebbiano
RED GRAPES
Aglianico
Barbera
Piedirosso
Sangiovese
Sciascinoso
The Minimum alcohol level is 10.5% for Bianco and Moscato; 11.0% for the Coda di Volpe and Falanghina, Rosato, Rosso, Aglianico-Piedirosso, Piedirosso, Piedirosso-Aglianico, Sciascinoso, and Rosso Novello; 11.5% for Fiano, Greco, Aglianico, Barbera, Aglianico Novello, and all spumanti; 12.0% for Superiore and Riserva; 16.0% for Passito (sweet wine)
A general Sannio Bianco DOC blend: Minimum 50% Malvasia Bianca di Candia and/or Trebbiano Toscano + OAWG (Other Allowed White Grapes)
The following can be bottled as a single varietal and can have the grape name on the label:
Coda di Volpe : Minimum 85% Coda di Volpe + OAWG
Falanghina: Minimum 85% + OAWG
Fiano: Minimum 85% Fiano + OAWG
Greco: Minimum 85% Greco + OAWG
Moscato: Minimum 85% Moscato + OAWG
