The wine snobs overlook Campanian whites. But they're missing out

On Sundays, we like to treat ourselves with a lupini pasta, lime juice, and coriander. With a hint of chili. The recipe might not appeal to those who voted for Casini, but it works, as long as you have a sense of proportion. And, even more importantly, the right bottle by your side. Ours is particularly fortunate, eager, in sparkling form: Fiano di Avellino 2015 Rocca del Principe. The only criticism we have: it's still too young. The reflections are still somewhat greenish and very bright, the aromas multifaceted, the taste plunging and prolonged. The sapid, delicately sulfurous finish immediately calls for a second glass, the bottle evaporates from the table by the third forkful. The blend of a sunny vintage and terroir, we're in Alta Irpinia at 600 meters in the municipality of Lapio, gives us a wine with a perfectly married dual soul. And it reminds us that often the slightly richer vintages, like 2015 could be, offer particularly long and interesting trajectories over time.

The price of the uncorked wine? We paid €13 four years ago, the latest vintage is available online for around €16. An incredibly low figure considering the quality in the glass, but rather in line with many excellent Campanian white wines offered on the shelf at similar prices. It's definitely an opportunity for buyers, not for producers. The issue suggests a couple of considerations. The first concerns the individual reality that failed to add value to a craft of the highest quality, the second concerns the Irpinia system which over the years has certainly not distinguished itself for organic national and international promotion. The third concerns us journalists who have failed to make a difference.

In fact, today drinking a Fiano di Avellino, a Greco di Tufo or a white from Cilento isn't trendy, it isn't cool. And yet, over the years, we've tasted truly amazing whites from the region, ones that stand the test of time after 10-15 years. A discussion that we can easily extend to Falanghina as well as to great expressions of the Coast. On the other hand, we wine snobs, rather than uncorking a great Etna Bianco, a Soave, or indeed a well-proven Fiano like ours (which wasn't even halfway through its journey), we give ourselves airs by uncorking white Burgundy on special occasions. It doesn't matter that nowadays to drink well in the area you have to go beyond €70, it doesn't matter that the phenomenon of premox (premature aging) is much more widespread than elsewhere. The anger at important, spoiled whites stops at the charm of the label, at the sound of the impressive name. With good fortune for Campania felix.