Uncorking Campania in Naples: The Essential Wine Event for Curious Locals and Travelers

There’s nothing quite like stepping back into the rhythm of a wine fair after a break—especially when that return happens right in the historic heart of Naples. On September 6th and 7th, I spent the weekend immersing myself in the third edition of Campania Wine.

As someone who has spent years exploring the vineyards tucked away in Irpinia, Sannio, Cilento, and the volcanic slopes of Vesuvius, walking through this event sparked a deeper realization: events like Campania Wine are not just fun weekends for wine enthusiasts; they are essential cultural bridges.

Naples is world-famous for its pizza, vibrant chaos, and majestic bay. Yet, both visiting tourists and lifelong Neapolitans often remain unaware of the extraordinary, ancient liquid heritage thriving just an hour outside the city limits. Too often, visitors settle for generic house wines, while locals stick to familiar weekend routines.

By bringing wine growers straight into the city’s grandest architectural landmarks, Campania Wine transforms wine education into a living, accessible experience for everyone.

Here is how my weekend unfolded—and why bringing the vineyard to the piazza matters so much for Naples and its visitors alike.

High Culture Meets High Acid: Sitting Down at MUSAP

My wine crawl kicked off inside MUSAP (Museo Artistico Politecnico), hidden within Palazzo Zapata in Piazza Trieste e Trento. Walking through those doors felt delightfully nostalgic—I first visited MUSAP during Campania Wine’s inaugural edition. The venue is simply fantasticaaa!

Sipping wine under crystal chandeliers surrounded by 19th-century Neapolitan paintings and ornate stuccoes instantly reframes regional agriculture as fine art. This is precisely why host venue choices matter: when you place indigenous wines alongside historic masterpieces, you signal to both local citizens and international visitors that these bottles represent living heritage.

We gathered in the grand hall for a sit-down masterclass hosted in partnership with Falstaff Italia, focused on the technical craft and indigenous diversity of Campania’s white and sparkling wines. While designed largely as a deep dive for international journalists, it served as a masterclass in territorial identity that every wine lover in Naples deserves to experience.

Highlights from the Masterclass Lineup:

• Salvatore Martusciello – Trentapioli Asprinio d’Aversa DOC Brut (2024): 100% Asprinio harvested from historic, ultra-tall alberata vines grown on traditional wooden ladders, crafted via Metodo Martinotti for razor-sharp, electric acidity.

• Cantine Palazzo Marchesale – IX Denari Asprinio DOP (2023): Pure, steel-aged Asprinio that is bright, vibrant, and utterly refreshing.

• Cantine Villa Dora – Vigna del Vulcano Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio DOC Bianco (2023): A equal blend of Coda di Volpe and Falanghina grown directly on Vesuvius's mineral-rich volcanic slopes.

• Cantine Olivella – Summa Catalanesca del Monte Somma IGP (2024): 100% Catalanesca, spontaneously fermented and aged half in stainless steel and half in terracotta anfora.

• Cantina di Solopaca – Identitas Falanghina del Sannio DOP (2025): Cold-macerated for 24 hours to draw out expressive floral aromas native to Sannio.

• Azienda Agricola San Salvatore – Pian di Stio Cilento Fiano DOP (2025): Certified organic Fiano from the cool, pristine hills of Cilento—vibrant, fresh, and remarkably precise.

• Cantina del Taburno – Cesco dell’Eremo Falanghina del Sannio Taburno DOC (2022): Late-harvest (surmature) grapes fermented in oak (legno di rovere), delivering rich texture and layered depth.

• Il Verro – Pallagrello Bianco Terre del Volturno IGP (2025): 100% Pallagrello Bianco rested 6 months in bottle—a rare, indigenous curiosity native to Caserta.

• Masseria Frattasi – Coda di Volpe Campania IGP (2024): Crafted from century-old pre-phylloxera (prefillossera) vines with cold skin maceration—steeped in history.

• Cantine di Marzo – 1930 Metodo Classico VSQ Brut Nature (2022): A 100% Greco di Tufo traditional method sparkler aged 18 months on lees, packed with crisp tension and mineral drive.

Tasting these native grapes side-by-side proves that Campania boasts one of the most complex white wine ecosystems in Europe—a revelation as valuable for a local Neapolitan discovering Catalanesca for the first time as it is for a foreign traveler expanding their palate.

Street Food as a Cultural Classroom: Pizza Fritta & Rosato

Lunchtime at an urban wine event isn't just a rest break—it’s an opportunity to educate palates through everyday gastronomy.

Sitting down to a warm, golden-brown pizza fritta folded over savory fillings, I scanned the Sunday lunch list, which was dedicated entirely to rosato. On a friend's recommendation, I grabbed a glass of Rosiello Rosato from Fratelli Addimanda.

One sip through the rich fried dough paired with the vibrant acidity of the chilled rosé, and my mission was locked in: I had to track down their stand under the glass domes of Galleria Umberto I.

Fratelli Addimanda are true vignaioli from Taurasi, acting as passionate stewards for century-old, pre-phylloxera vines passed down through generations. At their booth, I caught up with Franco Addimanda to taste through their flight and reminisce about Taurasi—my old stomping grounds from my early wine-exploring days. Che nostalgia!

The Fratelli Addimanda Flight:

• Rosiello (Rosato): The bottle that launched my lunchtime treasure hunt.

• Aciniell’ (Campania Bianco IGP - 2022): Crafted from the ultra-rare native grape Roviello Bianco.

• Irpinia Campi Taurasini DOC (2017)

• Taurasi DOCG "Starse" (2018)

• Taurasi Riserva DOCG "Starse" (2019)

Pairings like this demystify fine wine. By showing how artisan rosatos and rare whites elevate Naples' most democratic street food, events like this make local wine accessible rather than intimidating.

Bringing the Countryside to the Public Square: Galleria Umberto I

The true brilliance of Campania Wine lies in its public accessibility. By placing tasting stands directly inside Galleria Umberto I, the event turns one of Naples' main thoroughfares into an open-air classroom. Tourists strolling through on their way to the Royal Palace and Neapolitans running weekend errands suddenly find themselves face-to-face with independent winemakers.

Serendipity at Alabastra

Walking between venues, I caught a familiar, welcoming smile: my old friend and sommelier Enzo Falcone. Glass in hand, I let him guide me to the Alabastra stand (Cantine Pintore & Valentino).

Alabastra is co-helmed by Lucia Pintore—one of my former AIS instructors, a grande donna, and crowned Best Sommelier of Italy—alongside oenologist Angelo Antonio Valentino. Their philosophy revolves around small-batch purity and precise expressions of volcanic terroir. The name comes from alabastron—ancient stone vessels used to safeguard precious oils and perfumes.

What I Tasted:

• Agata 33.09 (Campania Falanghina IGP - 2018): Yes, a 2018 Falanghina showing astonishing freshness! omg!

• Astralèa (Greco di Tufo DOCG - 2022)

• Alania (Fiano di Avellino DOCG - 2021)

• Taurasi DOCG (2016)

Learning directly from former teachers in the middle of a bustling Galleria? Peak life unlocked—and the exact type of spontaneous connection that turns casual tourists into lifelong advocates for Campania’s wine regions.

Unplanned Discoveries: I Colli del Sannio

My golden rule for wine fairs is simple: ditch the map and follow your glass.

On Monday morning, the stand for I Colli del Sannio (based in Torrecuso) caught my eye. I spent time chatting with founder Filippo Zotti, hearing about his hands-on approach to Sannio varieties. Getting to taste rare Barbera wines from Sannio (Barbera del Taburno) right in central Naples was a rare treat—and a reminder of how much diversity sits just beyond the city borders.

The Lineup:

• Mille Viti Coda di Volpe IGP (2025)

• Casella Coviello Taburno Falanghina del Sannio DOP (2025)

• San Pantaleo Aglianico del Taburno Rosato DOCG (2025)

• Pentime Aglianico del Taburno DOCG (2023)

• Barbera Taburno Sannio DOP "Filippo Zotti" (2021)

• Barbera Taburno Sannio "Filippo Zotti" Unfiltered (2025)

Family Traditions in Faicchio: Terre Massesi & Domus Leonis

To round out my afternoon, I stopped by two sister producers connected by family roots in Faicchio (Benevento): Terre Massesi and Domus Leonis (under La Vinicola del Titerno).

Terre Massesi represents the new generation crafting small-batch Sannio wines from historic volcanic and limestone soils, while Domus Leonis focuses on classic elegance.

What I Tasted:

• Terre Massesi: Nevene Falanghina del Sannio DOP (2024), Lengualonga Coda di Volpe Sannio DOP (2024), and Lucella Barbera Sannio DOP (2024).

• Domus Leonis: Falanghina del Sannio DOP V.S.Q. Brut Spumante, Falanghina del Sannio DOP (2025), and Coda di Volpe Sannio DOP (2025).

Why Events Like Campania Wine Matter

Campania Wine was a powerful reminder of why we fall in love with wine in the first place. It’s rarely about checking off boxes on a rigid list; it’s about spontaneous conversations across a tasting table, reconnecting with old mentors, and discovering the stories behind the bottles.

More importantly, it highlighted why bringing regional producers into Naples is so vital:

1. For Neapolitans: It fosters regional pride and connects urban residents with the agricultural heritage of their surrounding provinces (Irpinia, Sannio, Caserta, Salerno).

2. For Tourists: It elevates the travel experience beyond surface-level sights, teaching visitors that Campania is one of the world's great fine wine destinations.

3. For Winemakers: It gives small-scale, independent vignaioli a prominent platform to share their passion without requiring visitors to drive hours into the countryside.

Until next time—salute!