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• A taste of Fiano
• Terredora 2000 "Terre di Dora" Fiano di Avellino
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A taste of FianoLast week, after I reported on Greco di Tufo from the Southern Italian region Campania, several of you wrote to suggest that I give equal billing to Fiano, another white grape of this sunny region around Naples and Mount Vesuvius. I needed little persuasion. Although not widely known, Fiano is one of the world's great white wines.
Pronounced "Fee-ah-no," it's a variety so old that it got its name from the ancient Romans, who called it "apiano" because its aromatic fruit attracted the honeybee ("apis" in Latin). The Fiano grown around the town of Avellino is generally considered the most desirable, making a wine - like that in today's tasting - labeled "Fiano di Avellino."
Like Greco di Tufo, Fiano is a fine choice for those seeking intersting variations on the widely produced international varieties, so if you're looking for a break from Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, Campania is an excellent place to look. Fiano's complex aromas and rich, balanced flavor make it interesting enough to sip alone as an aperitif, but its affinity for seafood and fish earn it a place at the dinner table.
If the name seems familiar, by the way, you may be recalling that I reported on another producer's Fiano di Avellino early this year; that report is online at
http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor/wax020103.shtml.
One day soon we'll come back to Campania again for a closer look at the region's top red grape, Aglianico.
Terredora 2000 "Terre di Dora" Fiano di Avellino ($17.99)
Clear gold. Quite aromatic, almonds and beeswax and fresh white fruit. Ripe and fresh, flavors follow the nose, mouth-filling and long, a really excellent wine. Fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel, it's all fruit, seeing no oak at all. U.S. Importer: VIAS Imports Ltd., NYC. (April 29, 2002)
FOOD MATCH: A wonderful match with linguine in white clam sauce. The recipe was featured in the Wine Advisor FoodLetter on April 4, online at
http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor/tsfl020404.phtml.
VALUE: There's plenty of white wine available for less than $18, but aromatic intensity and complexity make this one noteworthy. For $2 less than this producer's Greco di Tufo (reviewed April 24), it's an even better buy.
WEB LINK: The importer's fact sheet on this wine is at:
http://www.viaswine.com/prodotti/prod_vini.asp?vino=159.
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Thursday, May 2, 2002
Copyright 2002 by Robin Garr. All rights reserved.
