There is a place in Irpinia where time seems to move differently. It is called Lapio — a small town in the Avellino hills, 600 meters above sea level, where the air is cool even in summer and the nights slowly refresh the grapes, with the patience that only nature knows how to have.
Here, on volcanic soils rich in tuff and clay, Fiano di Avellino by Rocca del Principe is born. A wine that needs no introduction among enthusiasts — but deserves to be told to those who do not yet know it.
The story: a family, a calling
Rocca del Principe is the winery of Ercole Zarrella and Aurelia Fabrizio — husband and wife, winemakers by choice and by passion. Not a large industrial winery, not a wine group. A family business, small in size and immense in quality.
Ercole and Aurelia chose to stay in Lapio when many were leaving. They chose to work the family vineyards with respect for tradition and meticulous attention to detail. They chose not to follow trends — neither easy wines nor glamorous labels.
The result is a Fiano di Avellino that year after year is cited among Italy's best whites.
The territory: Lapio and the heart of Fiano
Fiano di Avellino DOCG covers a vast area, but not all municipalities are the same. Lapio is considered one of the historic cru — the place where Fiano expresses its deepest and longest-lasting soul.
The soils of Rocca del Principe are rich in volcanic tuff, with a clay component that retains moisture and guarantees freshness even in the hottest vintages. The vines are grown in bush and Guyot systems, with low yields that concentrate the aromas in the cluster.
The altitude — between 500 and 650 meters — guarantees significant temperature fluctuations between day and night. It is this temperature difference that builds the aromatic complexity of Fiano: the freshness, the minerality, the acidic tension that makes it unique.
The wines: essential, deep, long-lasting
Rocca del Principe produces only a few wines. No dispersion, no compromise.
Fiano di Avellino DOCG — the entry-level wine, what an entry. Steel fermentation, aging on the lees, late bottling. On the nose it is floral and fruity — white peach, hazelnut, wildflowers. On the palate it is savory, fresh, with a minerality that recalls wet stone. A white that can age 10, 15, even 20 years.
Fiano di Avellino Tognano Riserva DOCG — the selection of the oldest vineyards, in the Tognano area. More complex, deeper, longer. A wine for contemplation that opens in the glass over time, revealing layers of candied citrus, acacia honey, aromatic herbs and an almost saline minerality.
Fiano di Avellino Versante d'Ercole DOCG — Ercole's vineyard, the most personal wine. Longer aging, more austere character. For those who want to understand how far Fiano di Avellino can go when treated as a great aging wine.
Fiano di Avellino Neviera di Sopra Riserva DOCG — the newest, from a historic vineyard in one of the coolest positions in Lapio. Extreme minerality, acidic tension, infinite length.
Why Fiano di Avellino ages so well
The answer lies in the grape and the territory. Fiano is naturally rich in polyphenols — antioxidant substances that protect the wine from oxidation and allow it to evolve over time. Combined with the acidic freshness guaranteed by Lapio's altitude and the minerality of the volcanic soils, the result is a wine that not only stands the test of time — but improves with it.
A bottle of Rocca del Principe opened 10 years after the harvest is a completely different experience from the same bottle opened young. More complex, deeper, more exciting.
How to enjoy it
Serving temperature: 10-12°C for young wines, 13-14°C for the Riserves and more mature vintages.
Glass: a large glass, for structured white wine — not the classic flute, but something that lets the wine breathe.
Pairings: pumpkin and truffle risotto, pasta and beans with mussels, Neapolitan-style cod, soft blue cheeses, fried small fish. And — why not — on its own, as a contemplative wine in front of an Irpinia sunset.
Rocca del Principe - Discover the wines on Vitigni Irpini
We have selected the wines of Rocca del Principe because they represent exactly what we believe in: territory, authenticity, craftsmanship. Wines that tell the story of a precise place and a precise family — not an industrial formula.
If you have not yet tasted Ercole and Aurelia's Fiano di Avellino, now is the time. Book the tour with us.
⚠️ The sale of wine is reserved for adults. Drink responsibly.
