A true Neapolitan cannot ignore the history of their own land, upon which so many peoples chose to establish their kingdoms, leaving great traces of their passage.
Territory, art, breathtaking landscapes and a unique culture.
All these things are also the cornerstones of Cantine Astroni, a historic Neapolitan estate born on the slopes of the Astroni crater, once a historic Bourbon hunting reserve and today a State Nature Reserve managed by WWF Italy.
Volcanic eruptions are certainly not a phenomenon easy to live with, even for "Daktulosphaira vitifoliae", an insect with an unpronounceable name, better known as phylloxera – a parasite that, arriving from the New World, attacked French vineyards in 1863 before eventually reaching the far south of Italy years later.
This "stroke of luck" has allowed the preservation of ancient ungrafted vines, such as the Flegrea Falanghina and Piedirosso, the cornerstones of the Astroni estate.
The volcanic soils of the Campi Flegrei are rich in tuff, ash, pumice, lapilli, and microelements that give the grapes – and thus the wines produced from them – extraordinary flavors and aromas which, when skillfully orchestrated, unfold on the nose and palate, expressing the full potential of this remarkable territory.
Fertile ground for the vines, inhospitable to phylloxera, and the cradle of this estate that for four generations has been filling the glasses of countless people.
In 1891, Vincenzo Varchetta decided to turn his passion for winemaking into a family business; but it was thanks to the hard work of his son Giovanni, who had just returned from World War II, that his father's dream truly took off.
"Don Giovanni" remains a historic figure in his own neighborhood, Pianura – knowing him was a source of pride and honor.
A person you simply could not forget, just as his passion and dedication have not been lost, having been passed on to his children and grandchildren who today continue to run the winery, blending tradition skillfully with technological innovation.
Two wine lines carry the historic label:
the selection line of whites (Colle Imperatrice, Strione, Cratere Bianco), five reds (Gragnano, Rais, Cratere Rosso, Colle Rotondella, Tenuta Camaldoli), the rosé Astrorosa and the sparkling wines Astro Extradry and Brut, produced from 100% falanghina grapes and aged using the sur lie method in steel and wood for several months.
The tradition line, meanwhile, comprises whites (Falangos, Lacryma Christi Bianco) and five reds (Gragnano, Lettere, Per' e Palummo, Gragnano, Aglianico and Lettere).
Bourbon wines born of a territory that gives so much to this winery, which repays the debt by enhancing and promoting it, also through cultural events.
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