Ciro Picariello Irpinia 2024

Ciro Picariello Irpinia Fiano is a brilliant, high-tension white wine that asserts this boutique estate's reputation as one of the definitive, cult-status reference points for the Fiano grape in Italy. Sourced from younger vines planted across the estate's high-altitude parcels in Summonte and Montefredane—perched up to 650 meters above sea level in Campania's rugged inland hills—this bottling serves as an accessible, energy-packed sibling to their iconic Fiano di Avellino DOCG. The vineyards are anchored in complex, mineral-rich soils of sandy clay marls and volcanic sandstone conglomerates.Winemaker Ciro Picariello and his wife Rita pursue a philosophy of strict, low-intervention purity: the hand-picked fruit is gently pressed, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and aged for roughly 7 to 8 months on its fine lees entirely in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Completely unmasked by oak barrels, fining, or filtration, it delivers an incredibly raw, crystalline snapshot of southern Italian mountain terroir.

In the glass, it shows a pale, luminous straw-yellow hue with electric green-gold glints. The nose is remarkably precise and expressive, unlocking a high-toned, aromatic bouquet of crunchy green apples, fresh apricot, and lemon peel, intricately underlaid with complex notes of wild flowers, rosemary, and an evocative, smoky flint reduction. On the palate, the wine delivers a masterclass in vertical tension and drive. It hits with a fruit-forward burst of citrus and stone fruit that is instantly chiseled wide open by a razor-sharp, enamel-melting line of brisk acidity. The mid-palate reveals a wonderfully tactile, chalky texture and a deep, underlying core of salty minerals, hazelnut skin, and wet stones that makes the mouth water. It finishes bone-dry, exceptionally clean, and refreshing, leaving an interminable, ringing trail of saline intensity and candied lime pith.

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