La Guardiense

Campania has had vines since Etruscan and Greek times, and was known as Campania Felix - blessed Campania - by the ancient emperors who had their pleasure palaces on the coast. It was also here, in the shadows of Vesuvius, that the Romans vinified the great Falernian, first growth of the ancient world. La Guardiense is a co-operative of growers located in Sannio DOP, around Benevento north of Naples. Started in 1960 by 33 local farmers and now encompassing 1,000 smallholders in the region, it has around 1,600 hectares under production. Despite the image of nearby Capri, much of Campania is cool and mountainous, home to ski resorts and vineyards alike, giving freshness and shape to the wines. Harvests here can continue well into October. The focus is on the indigenous varieties, with aglianico for the reds, fiano, falanghina and greco di tufo for the whiles. Soils are a mixture of clay and limestone with some volcanic outcrops, the last of which particularly favour falanghina. The Janare wines are the perfect introduction to the varietal personalities of Campania's main players. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel with natural yeasts, and only the aglianico sees wood but only 20%. Since 2007, the high-profile Riccardo Cotarella of Antinori fame has consulted on the wines.