Falanghina is one of southern Italy's great white grapes. It comes from Campania, the region around Naples, and makes fresh, dry, fragrant wines that are built for food. Here is what to know before you open a bottle.
What is Falanghina wine?
Falanghina is a white grape from Campania, with its own protected wine zones:
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Falanghina del Sannio DOC, covering the whole province of Benevento, with the sub-zones Guardia Sanframondi (Guardiolo), Sant'Agata dei Goti, Solopaca and Taburno. The wine must be at least 85% Falanghina. (Falanghina del Sannio DOC rules, Sannio Consortium)
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Campi Flegrei DOC, on the volcanic coast west of Naples, where a Falanghina must be at least 90% of the grape. (Campi Flegrei DOC rules)
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IGP Campania, a wider regional category that allows a Falanghina label at 85% of the grape. (IGP Campania rules)
Why does volcanic soil matter for Falanghina?
Much of Campania's Falanghina grows on volcanic ground. The Campi Flegrei, the "burning fields" west of Naples, are an active volcanic area, and the official rules for the zone record something rare: around Lake Averno, vines are still grown on their own roots, because phylloxera, the vine pest that forced most of Europe to graft its vines onto American rootstock, never took hold in these volcanic soils. (Campi Flegrei DOC rules) Our own Falanghina comes from the Massico hills, another volcanic area further north.
What does Falanghina taste like?
The official Sannio rules describe it as having a fine, floral, fruity nose and a dry, fresh, balanced taste. (Falanghina del Sannio DOC rules) Wine Folly lists typical flavours of lemon, citrus blossom, peach, honey and almond, in a dry, medium-light wine without tannin. (Wine Folly) Its fresh acidity makes it an easy partner for food.
Is Falanghina dry or sweet?
Almost always dry. The Sannio rules also allow sparkling, late-harvest and passito (dried-grape) versions, so a sweet Falanghina exists, but the bottle you will usually see is a dry white. The same rules set a minimum of 11% alcohol (11.5% in the sub-zones) and a minimum acidity of 5 g per litre, which is why the wine tastes fresh rather than heavy. (Falanghina del Sannio DOC rules)
Where does the name Falanghina come from?
The official Campi Flegrei rules offer an explanation: "a well-founded hypothesis" that the name comes from the wooden stake used to support the vine, known locally as a "falanga". (Campi Flegrei DOC rules) The Sannio rules are more cautious and call it a widespread opinion that has not been proven historically. You may also read that Falanghina was the grape behind Falernian, the most famous wine of ancient Rome. The official Sannio rules treat that as a mistake: the old names "Uva Falerna" and "Falernina" came from a misreading of a writer who was only comparing the quality of Falanghina wine with the far more famous Falerno, and who did not consider the two grapes the same. (Falanghina del Sannio DOC rules)
Are there two kinds of Falanghina?
Growers talk about two: Falanghina Flegrea from the coast near Naples and Falanghina Beneventana from inland Benevento. Italian Wine Central treats them as at least two distinct varieties, and describes the Flegrea type as more fruity, with peach, yellow apple and apricot, and the Beneventana as less fruity and more floral. (Italian Wine Central)
What food goes with Falanghina?
- Fish, grilled vegetables, hearty soup and buffalo mozzarella, as the producer of our bottle suggests
- Scallops, prawns or clams with lemon, garlic and parsley (Wine Folly)
What temperature should Falanghina be served at?
Chilled, but not too cold, so the floral aromas come through. The producer of our bottle recommends 10 to 12°C.
Our Falanghina from Bianchini Rossetti
Our Falanghina I.G.P. Campania 2023 comes from Bianchini Rossetti, a winery founded in 1880 on San Paolo hill in Casale di Carinola, in the volcanic Massico hills of northern Campania. The winery also makes Falerno, the wine of the Massico hills whose name recalls ancient Falernian.
- Hand-harvested in early September and fermented in stainless steel
- Rests for six months in the winery's tuff-stone cellar after bottling
- Wildflowers, acacia and honeysuckle, with citrus and tropical fruit; fresh and mineral
- 13% alcohol, $26.70
Find more fresh whites in our Crisp and Fresh collection, or browse all our white wines.
