Exclusive to Campania: Coda di Volpe Bianco, the Tail of the Fox

Don’t you wish we could book our flight to Italy right now? Of course! But don’t despair. The Italian Food, Wine, Travel (#ItalianFWT) group of which I’m a member plans virtual trips to this memorable country on the first Saturday of each month. Our May 2020 topic is the region of Campania and under the leadership of Susannah Gold of Avvinare, we’ve explored its ancient grapes, historical significance, distinctive wines and foods for pairing through writing, photographs and recipes. See links to my colleagues’ contributions at the end of this article.

The region of Campania is located on the Tyrhennian Sea and its main city is Naples. Mountains and hills dominate – only 14% of the landscape is flat. Volcanic activity, including that from Vesuvius, Campania’s most famous volcano, resulted in the spewing of lava and volcanic ash throughout Italy and beyond. As you may expect, the topsoil in the region is volcanic ash, an element that offers intense aromatics to the region’s wines. Most of Campania enjoys a Mediterranean climate with warm, wet winters and hot, dry summers. However, Irpinia located in the province of Avellino, has a Continental climate with dry, hot summers and cold winters.

The diverse vineyards in Campania are planted with vines thought to be directly related to those brought to Italy by ancient Greek explorers. Red varieties include the popular Aglianico, as well as Piedirosso, Pallagrello Nero and Casa Vecchia. White grapes to note are the well-known Falanghina, Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo, along with minor grapes Biancolella, Forastera, Pallagrello Bianco, Coda di Volpe and Asprinio.

Just recently, I wrote about Aglianico, an ancient red wine grape from Campania with the ability to age for decades. (For my article, click here.) This month, I chose to focus on Coda di Volpe Bianco, a full-bodied white wine cultivated throughout Campania, mainly in Avellino and Benevento, and is exclusive to the region. The name of the grape means “Tail of the Fox,” a reference to the long bunches of grapes that have an uncanny likeness to the bushy white tail of a fox.

According to Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and Jose Voullamoz in their book, Wine Grapes, “the earliest mention of Coda di Volpe Bianco from Campania dates back to Giovan Battista della Porta (1592). The synonym ‘Falerno’ probably came about because Coda di Volpe Bianco is thought by some to have produced the famous Falerno wine in Roman times.”  In fact, Falerno was considered a “cult wine” and prized by the Ceasars of Rome.

The variety offers moderate amount of yields, mid to late ripening, high sugar levels and vibrant acidity. Coda di Volpe Bianco was considered a grape used only in blends, but in the mid-1980s more quality grapes began to be cultivated, especially in Sannio, Irpinia and Taburno DOC, and producers are now bottling it as a single variety. In general, the wines shimmer with a pale to moderate gold color. They’re full-bodied with moderate acidity, an array of aromas from stone fruit to spice and flavors that may include minerality and a burst of salinity.

Coda di Volpe and Foods for Pairing

Thanks to its full body and flavor profile, Coda di Volpe is a delicious choice with pizza, pasta, polenta and seafood such as broiled soft-shell crabs with garlic and breadcrumbs. I chose to pair my bottle of Tenuta Cavalier Pepe Bianco di Bellona 2012 of 100% Coda di Volpe with a side dish of Polenta with Black Pepper and Parmesan (for recipe, click here) for a unique taste of Campania.

Award winning wines from Tenuta Cavalier Pepe have been produced by the Pepe family for several generations and now Milena Pepe is working diligently to help cultivate and create high quality wines.  All members of the Pepe family are involved, as well as professionals who are consulted for their state-of-the-art techniques in cultivating premium wine grapes.

The estate, Domaine Cavalier Pepe, is located in Sant’Angelo all’Esca. Forty hectares of vineyards are on the slopes of three communes which are part of the seventeen DOCGs:  Sant’Angelo all’Esca, Taurasi, and Luogasano.  All red wines and one white wine, Coda di Volpe, are produced from grapes harvested in these vineyards.  The land reaches to the southern slopes and the southeast of the mountain side at an altitude of 300-350 meters.  The soil is clay and sandy with limestone subsoil and the climate presents hot and warm summers with cold, windy winters. Late harvesting occurs from mid-October to mid-November.

The wine I tasted, Bianco di Bellona, is dedicated to Bellona, the enchanting goddess of war who was as ruthless in battle as she was sweet and yielding “at rest.” According to legend, she liked to celebrate her victories with the troops by offering this fascinating wine.

Bianco di Bellona 2012, Irpinia Coda di Volpe DOC is from vineyards found in the hilly area of Carazita, on the southern side of the municipality of Luogosanto at 300 meters above sea level and on clay-like and chalky soil. The wine shimmered pale to medium gold color in the glass – a lovely introduction. On the nose I found a waft of smoke, ripe peaches, dried apricots, juicy pineapple, herbs, yellow flowers and minerality and the palate was full-bodied with a round mouthfeel and moderate acidity. Flavors of flint, olives, ripe orchard fruit and toasted pineapple led to a rich, lingering finish.

The lush and textured notes of Parmesan and the snappy black pepper flavors in the polenta paired beautifully with the aged characteristics of the Coda di Volpe 2012. This was yet another delicious (and exclusive) taste of Campania.

Cheers! ~ Cindy

You’d like more Grape Experiences? Please click here. 

For additional articles about Campania, enjoy those written by my #ItalianFWT colleagues.

Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares “Melanzane a Scarpone + Cantine Astroni Gragnano Penisola Sorrentina 2018”

Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farmposts “Polpette and Terredora di Paolo Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso”

David at Cooking Chat shares “Salmon with Pesto and Orzo with Wine from Campania”

Pinny at  Chinese Food and Wine Pairings adds  “Campania’s Donnachiara Greco di Tufo Paired with Fish and Chips #ItalianFWT”

Gwendolyn at Wine Predator shares “3 Wines from Campania’s Feudi Di San Gregorio paired with pizza and wild boar ragu”

Linda at My Full Wine Glass posts “A Coda di Volpe wine from Campania’s protector of native grapes (#ItalianFWT)”

Jen at Vino Travels joins with “The Lacryma Christi wines of Vesuvio”

Terri at Our Good Life  “Chicken Pot Pie and A Beautiful Wine from Campania for a Spring Day”

Katarina at Grapevine Adventures muses “Campania Makes You Dream Big About Amazing Wine”

Nicole at Somm’s Table dishes on “Donnachiara Taurasi and Lamb Spezzatino”

Jeff at Food Wine Click! writes about “Vini Alois: Champions of Campania’s Native Grapes”

Rupal at Syrah Queen brings “NYC Somm Jordan Salcito Making A Splash With Campania Wines”

Lauren at The Swirling Dervish adds “Mastroberardino Greco di Tufo: White Wine from Campania’s Volcanic Arch”

Lynn from Savor the Harvest shares “Italy – Organic Wine and Rare Grapes In Campania #ItalianFWT”

Susannah at Avvinare “Taking Another Look At Falanghina from Campania