The Ciro Picariello Fiano has verve and zip and is undeniably fresh, showing grapefruit-tinged green apple, wild herbs, and crushed stone minerality. On the palate, it floods the senses with zesty minerals before giving way to savory spices, hints of pear, and hazelnut. The finish maintains the wine’s energetic persona, while resonating on saline-minerals and pretty yellow florals.
Ciro Picariello started his winery in 1997 but did not bottle wine under their own label until 2004. Their 12 hectares of vineyards are located at relatively high elevation in the province of Campania, divided between the villages of Montefredane (1,600 feet above sea level) and Summonte (2,100 feet). The harvest for the Fiano occurs in late October, very late for white wine. The grapes are hand-picked and carefully sorted and then pressed slowly with only the first press fraction used in the DOCG Fiano. The wines are then fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless tanks. The Fiano is aged on its fine lees for an extended period between 11-12 months (plus several months more in bottle before release), with the Irpinia Fiano slightly shorter, 7-8 months. Use of SO2 is minimal; the wines are not filtered nor fined.