Fiano (grape)
Encyclopedia
Fiano is a white Italian wine
grape variety that is grown primarily in the Campania
region of southern Italy
and on the island of Sicily
. In Campania, this fairly strong flavored white wine grape is particularly noted around Avellino
where the Denominazione di origine controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wine of Fiano di Avellino is produced. The grape has a long history in the Campanian region and is believed to have been the grape behind the ancient Roman wine Apianum. Even today, the name Apianum is permitted to appear on wine labels of the DOCG wine Fiano di Avellino.
Outside of Italy, several Australian wine
producers have begun to use the grape. Production seems to be increasing, although the number of vineyard
s growing it is still small. One place of production is in the McLaren Vale
wine region of South Australia.
Beyond its strong flavors and intense aroma notes, the Fiano grapevine is noted viticulturally for the relatively low yields it produces.
notes that some historians speculate that Fiano may have been the grape behind the Roman wine Apianum that was produced in the hills above Avellino. The wine was produced by a grape known to the Romans as vitis apiana, with the root of apiana being the Latin
for bees. Even today bees are strongly attracted to sugary pulp of Fiano grapes and are a prevalent sight in the vineyards around Avellino.
The small, thick-skinned berries of Fiano usually produce very little juice and, given the vines natural propensity for low yields, can make Fiano an unprofitable variety to grow. It was for reasons such as this that Fiano saw significant declines for most of the 19th and 20th century as growers uprooted the grape in favor of varieties like Trebbiano
and Sangiovese
that could yield larger amounts of wine. However, in recent years, the variety has enjoyed an uptick in interest as southern Italian wine regions see an influx of investment in the modernization of winemaking
techniques and equipment, as well as a desire to revitalize indigenous
and classical varieties.
plantations around Avellino with wine tasters such as Jancis Robinson noting that the wines produced from these grapes can have a slight hazelnut flavor to them.
In 2003, the area around Avellino received DOCG status for the Fiano based wine produced. For the Fiano di Avellino DOCG, at least 85% of the wine must be made from Fiano with Greco
, Coda di Volpe
and Trebbiano
permitted to round out the remainder of the blend. Grapes destined for this DOCG wine must be limited to a maximum harvest
yield of 10 tonnes/hectare
and fermented to a minimum alcohol level of 11.5%. Italian wine laws allow for producers to use the name Apianum along with the Fiano di Avellino DOCG designation to show the modern wine's connection with the historical Roman wine.
date. In its youth Fiano is often intensely flavored and aromatic with honey notes that over time develop more spicy and nutty notes. The advent of modern winemaking techniques with its emphasis on limiting oxidation and preserving freshness, have improved the overall quality of Fiano wines over the years. However, some producers that still practice more traditional winemaking techniques can still produce wines that come across as heavy and be prone to premature oxidation
.
In the opinion of wine expert Oz Clarke
, well made examples of Fiano from favorable vintages should have a fair amount of weight on the palate with a floral aroma and notes of honey and spice with the potential to continue improving with bottle age.
The Italian wine Fiano di Avellino is often characterized as a pale straw colored wine with strong aromas of spice and floral notes. On the palate, those aroma notes are often present along with honey and nutty hazelnut notes.
Italian wine
Italian wine is wine produced in Italy, a country which is home to some of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world. Italy is the world's largest wine producer, responsible for approximately one-fifth of world wine production in 2005. Italian wine is exported largely around the world and has...
grape variety that is grown primarily in the Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
region of southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and on the island of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. In Campania, this fairly strong flavored white wine grape is particularly noted around Avellino
Avellino
Avellino is a town and comune, capital of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is situated in a plain surrounded by mountains 42 km north-east of Naples and is an important hub on the road from Salerno to Benevento.-History:Before the Roman conquest, the...
where the Denominazione di origine controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wine of Fiano di Avellino is produced. The grape has a long history in the Campanian region and is believed to have been the grape behind the ancient Roman wine Apianum. Even today, the name Apianum is permitted to appear on wine labels of the DOCG wine Fiano di Avellino.
Outside of Italy, several Australian wine
Australian wine
The Australian Wine Industry is the fourth largest exporter of wine around the world, with 760 million litres a year to a large international export market and contributes $5.5 billion per annum to the nation's economy...
producers have begun to use the grape. Production seems to be increasing, although the number of vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s growing it is still small. One place of production is in the McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale is a wine region approximately 35 km south of Adelaide in South Australia. It has a population of about 2,000 and is internationally renowned for the wines it produces. The region was named after either David McLaren, the Colonial Manager of the South Australia Company or John...
wine region of South Australia.
Beyond its strong flavors and intense aroma notes, the Fiano grapevine is noted viticulturally for the relatively low yields it produces.
History
Ampelographers and wine historians consider Fiano a "classical vine" of southern Italy that likely has its origins in ancient Roman viticulture and perhaps may have even been cultivated by the ancient Greeks before them. Wine writer Jancis RobinsonJancis Robinson
Jancis Mary Robinson OBE, MW is a British wine critic, journalist and editor of wine literature. She currently writes a weekly column for the Financial Times, and writes for her website jancisrobinson.com...
notes that some historians speculate that Fiano may have been the grape behind the Roman wine Apianum that was produced in the hills above Avellino. The wine was produced by a grape known to the Romans as vitis apiana, with the root of apiana being the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for bees. Even today bees are strongly attracted to sugary pulp of Fiano grapes and are a prevalent sight in the vineyards around Avellino.
The small, thick-skinned berries of Fiano usually produce very little juice and, given the vines natural propensity for low yields, can make Fiano an unprofitable variety to grow. It was for reasons such as this that Fiano saw significant declines for most of the 19th and 20th century as growers uprooted the grape in favor of varieties like Trebbiano
Trebbiano
Trebbiano is the second most widely planted grape in the world. It gives good yields, but makes undistinguished wine at best. It can be fresh and fruity, but does not keep long. Its high acidity makes it important in Cognac production...
and Sangiovese
Sangiovese
Sangiovese is a red Italian wine grape variety whose name derives from the Latin sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jove"...
that could yield larger amounts of wine. However, in recent years, the variety has enjoyed an uptick in interest as southern Italian wine regions see an influx of investment in the modernization of winemaking
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
techniques and equipment, as well as a desire to revitalize indigenous
Indigenous
Indigenous means: belonging to a certain place.Indigenous may refer to:In Ecology and Geography*Indigenous resources, resources which exist within local geography, that are not imported...
and classical varieties.
Wine regions
The Fiano grape is most closely associated with the Campanian DOCG wine of Fiano di Avellino. Nearing extinction in the later half of the 20th century, interest in the variety, spearheaded by producers such as Mastroberardino, saw a renaissance of planting around Avellino. Some of the most notable plantings of Fiano are found in hazelnutHazelnut
A hazelnut is the nut of the hazel and is also known as a cob nut or filbert nut according to species. A cob is roughly spherical to oval, about 15–25 mm long and 10–15 mm in diameter, with an outer fibrous husk surrounding a smooth shell. A filbert is more elongated, being about twice...
plantations around Avellino with wine tasters such as Jancis Robinson noting that the wines produced from these grapes can have a slight hazelnut flavor to them.
In 2003, the area around Avellino received DOCG status for the Fiano based wine produced. For the Fiano di Avellino DOCG, at least 85% of the wine must be made from Fiano with Greco
Greco (grape)
Greco is an Italian wine grape that may be of Greek origin. The name relates to both white and black wine grape varieties. While there is more land area dedicated to Greco nero, the Greco bianco is the grape most commonly referred to by the shorthand "Greco"...
, Coda di Volpe
Coda di Volpe
Coda di Volpe is a white Italian wine grape variety that has been historically grown in the Campania region around the town of Naples. It is often confused with another white Italian wine grape, Emilia, that share many of the same synonyms as Coda di Volpe....
and Trebbiano
Trebbiano
Trebbiano is the second most widely planted grape in the world. It gives good yields, but makes undistinguished wine at best. It can be fresh and fruity, but does not keep long. Its high acidity makes it important in Cognac production...
permitted to round out the remainder of the blend. Grapes destined for this DOCG wine must be limited to a maximum harvest
Harvest (wine)
The harvesting of wine grapes is one of the most crucial steps in the process of winemaking. The time of harvest is determined primarily by the ripeness of the grape as measured by sugar, acid and tannin levels with winemakers basing their decision to pick based on the style of wine they wish to...
yield of 10 tonnes/hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
and fermented to a minimum alcohol level of 11.5%. Italian wine laws allow for producers to use the name Apianum along with the Fiano di Avellino DOCG designation to show the modern wine's connection with the historical Roman wine.
Other DOC wines
The following is a list of DOC wines, beyond Fiano di Avellino, that include Fiano as a permitted grape variety, along with other grapes that may be included in the blend under varying percentages that are regulated under the DOC/G label. The wines of which Fiano must account for a majority of the blend are in bold.- Aversa DOC-Primarily Asprinio, with up to 15% permitted to be Fiano and/or other local white grape varieties.
- Campi Flegrei DOC - Primarily FalanghinaFalanghinaFalanghina, also called Falanghina Greco, is a variety of wine grape of Vitis vinifera, used for white wines. It is considered a characterful ancient grape variety which may have provided a basis for the classical Falernian wine...
, BiancolellaBiancolellaBiancolella is a white Italian wine grape variety grown primarily in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is a permitted grape in a few Campanian Denominazione di origine controllatas but is used mostly as a blending variety.-Synonyms:...
and Coda di VolpeCoda di VolpeCoda di Volpe is a white Italian wine grape variety that has been historically grown in the Campania region around the town of Naples. It is often confused with another white Italian wine grape, Emilia, that share many of the same synonyms as Coda di Volpe....
with up to 30% permitted to be Fiano and/or other local white grape varieties. - Castel San Lorenzo DOC - Primarily TrebbianoTrebbianoTrebbiano is the second most widely planted grape in the world. It gives good yields, but makes undistinguished wine at best. It can be fresh and fruity, but does not keep long. Its high acidity makes it important in Cognac production...
and MalvasiaMalvasiaMalvasia is a group of wine grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region, Balearic islands, Canary Islands and the island of Madeira, but now grown in many of the winemaking regions of the world...
with up to 20% permitted to be Fiano and/or other local white grape varieties - Cilento DOC- Must contain between 60-65% Fiano with 20-30% Trebbiano, 10-15% GrecoGreco (grape)Greco is an Italian wine grape that may be of Greek origin. The name relates to both white and black wine grape varieties. While there is more land area dedicated to Greco nero, the Greco bianco is the grape most commonly referred to by the shorthand "Greco"...
and/or Malvasia and up to 10% of other local grape varieties. - Costa d'Amalfi DOC - Primarily Falanghina and Biancolella with up to 40% permitted to be Fiano and/or other local white grape varieties.
- Galluccio DOC - Primarily Falanghina with up to 30% permitted to be Fiano and/or other local white grape varieties.
- Guardiolo DOC- Primarily Falanghina with up to 30% permitted to be Fiano and/or other local white grape varieties.
- Ischia DOC - Primarily ForasteraForasteraForastera is a white Spanish wine grape variety that is primarily grown in the Canary Islands. While it may have historically been used in sack production, now it is mostly a minor blending grape permitted in the Denominaciones de Origens of the Canary Islands.-Synonyms:Various synonyms have been...
, Biancolella and San Lunardo with up to 15% permitted to be Fiano and/or other local white grape varieties. - Locorotondo DOC - Primarily Verdeca and Bianco d'Alessano with up to 5% permitted to be Fiano, Bombino biancoBombino BiancoBombino Bianco is a white Italian wine grape variety planted primarily along Italy's Adriatic coast line, most notably in Apulia. The vine is prone to high yields.-Synonyms:...
and/or Malvasia. - Martina Franca DOC - Primarily Verdeca and Bianco d'Alessano with up to 5% permitted to be Fiano, Bombino bianco and/or Malvasia.
- Monreale DOC - Primarily CatarrattoCatarrattoCatarratto is a white Italian wine grape planted primarily in Sicily where it is the most widely planted grape. Overproduction in recent years has led to this grape being a substantial contributor to the European wine lake problem...
, Ansonica and InzoliaInzoliaAnsonica or Inzolia is a white Italian wine grape planted primarily in western Sicily where it can be used to produce Marsala wine. The grape is noted for its nutty aroma...
with up to 50% permitted to Fiano and/or other local white grape varieties. - Penisola Sorrentina DOC - Primarily Falanghina, Biancolella and Greco with up to 40% permitted to be Fiano and/or other local white grape varieties.
- Sannio DOC - Primarily Trebbiano with up to 50% permitted to be Fiano, Samnium-Aglianico, MoscatoMoscatoMoscato can have several meanings see:*Muscat *Judah Moscato *Vincent Moscato...
, Coda di Volpe, Falanghina and Greco. - Sant'Ágata dei Goti DOC - Primarily Falanghina and Greco with up to 20% permitted to be Fiano and/or other local white grape varieties.
- Solopaca DOC - Primarily Trebbiano, Malvasia, Coda di Volpe with up to 10% permitted to be Fiano and/or other local white grape varieties.
- Taburno DOC - Primarily Trebbiano and Falanghina with up to 30% permitted to be Fiano and/or other local white grape varieties.
Wine styles
According to Jancis Robinson, Fiano can produce an ageworthy wine that has to potential to develop in the bottle for several years after the vintageVintage
Vintage, in wine-making, is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product . A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year. In certain wines, it can denote quality, as in Port wine, where Port houses make and...
date. In its youth Fiano is often intensely flavored and aromatic with honey notes that over time develop more spicy and nutty notes. The advent of modern winemaking techniques with its emphasis on limiting oxidation and preserving freshness, have improved the overall quality of Fiano wines over the years. However, some producers that still practice more traditional winemaking techniques can still produce wines that come across as heavy and be prone to premature oxidation
Premature oxidation
Premature oxidation, is a flaw that occurs in white wines, when the presumably ageworthy wine is expected to be in good condition yet is found to be oxidised and often undrinkable. In particular the affliction has received attention in connection to incidents of whites produced in Burgundy...
.
In the opinion of wine expert Oz Clarke
Oz Clarke
Robert "Oz" Clarke is a British wine writer, television presenter and broadcaster.-Biography:Clarke’s parents were a chest physician and a nursing sister. He was brought up near Canterbury with a brother and a sister. Clarke became a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral and subsequently won a choral...
, well made examples of Fiano from favorable vintages should have a fair amount of weight on the palate with a floral aroma and notes of honey and spice with the potential to continue improving with bottle age.
The Italian wine Fiano di Avellino is often characterized as a pale straw colored wine with strong aromas of spice and floral notes. On the palate, those aroma notes are often present along with honey and nutty hazelnut notes.