Donnachiara, Aglianico Campania, 2021

Grapes

Aglianico

Vintage report

The 2021 vintage in Campania threw winemakers a proper curveball, starting with a cool, wet spring that delayed budbreak and kept everyone on edge about disease pressure. Summer brought the heat but in measured doses rather than the scorching extremes that sometimes batter the volcanic slopes around Vesuvius and the hills of Irpinia. The key was September — dry, sunny days with cool nights that let the grapes ripen slowly and hang longer than usual, particularly crucial for the late-ripening Aglianico that defines so much of Campania's reputation.

What emerged was a vintage of surprising freshness and precision, especially for the whites. Fiano showed brilliant acidity while retaining its characteristic richness, and Greco delivered that mineral backbone we love with more aromatic lift than usual. The reds tell an interesting story: Aglianico from both Taurasi and Vulture regions produced wines with structure and power, but wrapped in more approachable tannins than the region's reputation might suggest. Most 2021 Campanian wines are drinking beautifully now, though the serious Aglianico-based reds will reward patience until 2026 and beyond.