Fiano is one of the most exciting white grape varieties of southern Italy. Its homeland has, for at least 1,000 years, been the area around Avellino, from where it spread to Apulia and Basilicata (a document dated March 28, 1240, lists wines made from it on what appears to have been a kind of cellar inventory for Frederick II).
It is possible, however, that it was already known to the Romans as one of the vini apiane, whose grapes were so sweet that their juice was highly prized even by bees (api).
Be that as it may: by the early 1970s, Fiano had all but disappeared. Nobody paid it any attention, and hardly a bee got to enjoy its nectar. It could still be found here and there in old vineyards, but it held no particular importance there. That only changed when several large producers began to take a growing interest in it and started vinifying it as a single-varietal wine. Consumers, critics, and an increasing number of winemakers were enthusiastic. The variety spread rapidly throughout Avellino, the nearby Sannio, and Cilento, and was gradually planted in Apulia and Sicily as well (and even in California and Australia).
When vinified in the classic white style, Fiano produces well-structured wines with floral and fruity aromas (green apples, pears), occasional notes of honey, and often herbal nuances (wild fennel). It becomes truly interesting, however, with a bit of skin contact: toasty and smoky notes usually emerge as well, supported by a fairly firm and pronounced tannic structure thanks to the grape’s relatively thick skins. In the hands of the right winemakers, Fiano yields profound, substantial wines that can develop beautifully over many years.
