Feudi di San Gregorio, Greco di Tufo

Greco is a superb white grape native to Campania in the region to the south of Naples on the Tyrrhenian sea. The picture-postcard image of large bunches of grapes cheek by jowl with massive lemons is very much a reality here and the poor volcanic soils in the Tufo region give this grape a particular set of flavours ranging from peach to spice and apricot. It's a gorgeous example from Feudi di San Gregorio and shows their mastery of the many plots in their 300 hectare vineyard holding in the shadow of Vesuvius.

Aged for 4 months in steel tanks on its fine lees, this is a wine that stands as the winery's opening gambit - if you understand this wine, the rest is made easy. The winery have masses of wines in their portfolio, ranging from dry to sparkling to sweet, but their attention to detail in production the region's classic appellations is unswerving. There is of course an imperative to retain and sustain the image and quality of classical perception in the market and they do release different cuvées of many of their different wines. But there is something about doing classical appellations really well that really impresses. Greco di Tufo is a DOCG and therefore can only be made from grapes grown in the demarcated region around the town of Tufo, itself full of vineyards made of volcanic ash.

The wine also has a surprising ability to age for up to ten years, gaining richness and complexity and notes of honey as it does so.