Feudi di San Gregorio

Feudi di San Gregorio was established in 1986 in Sorbo Serpico by the Capaldo and Ercolino families, with investment in wine production partly motivated by the catastrophic 1980 earthquake that devastated much of Irpinia. The estate takes its name from the land historically owned by Pope Gregory the Great (Pope Gregory I). Today, Chairman Antonio Capaldo leads the estate, which has grown into the largest family-owned winery in Southern Italy. The vineyards sit within the province of Avellino at altitudes between 350 and 600 meters, benefiting from the region's cool mountain climate, diverse soils, and ancient viticultural heritage stretching back to Roman times.

• Founded 1986 by Capaldo and Ercolino families; winery name honors the lands of Pope Gregory I
• Sorbo Serpico, Avellino province; vineyards at 350-600m in the Apennine foothills of Irpinia
• 740+ acres across 800+ individual plots with varying altitudes, exposures, and soil types
• Today led by Chairman Antonio Capaldo; operates under the Tenute Capaldo group with estates also in Basilicata and Bolgheri

Feudi di San Gregorio fundamentally changed international perceptions of Southern Italian wine, demonstrating that indigenous Campanian varieties could achieve complexity and refinement on a world stage. The province of Avellino became one of the first in Italy to accumulate three DOCG designations: Taurasi in 1993, and Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo in 2003. The winery's early investment in internationally renowned design and winemaking talent, including label work by Massimo Vignelli and sparkling wine consultation with Champagne expert Anselme Selosse, gave Campania a visibility it had not previously enjoyed. Feudi is widely credited as a catalyst for the broader wave of investment and quality improvement across the region.

• Campania earned three DOCG designations: Taurasi (1993), Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo (both 2003)
• Taurasi was the first red wine in Southern Italy to receive DOCG status
• Collaborated with Champagne producer Anselme Selosse to develop DUBL, a Metodo Classico sparkling from native Campanian grapes
• Winery project exhibited twice at the Venice Biennale as an example of architectural excellence

The estate manages 800+ individual vineyard plots, each monitored with meteorological stations to optimize harvest timing and phenolic ripeness. Winemaking emphasizes minimal intervention combined with modern infrastructure from the 2004 cellar. Whites are fermented in stainless steel with extended lees contact to develop mineral complexity without oak dominance. Reds use a combination of French barriques and large 50-hectoliter oak vessels, with extended bottle aging before release. Antonio Capaldo has noted that time in bottle is considered as important as time in oak, which is why flagship reds such as Serpico and Piano di Montevergine receive three to five years of total aging before release.

• 800+ vineyard plots individually monitored; harvest decisions guided by meteorological data and plot-by-plot assessment
• Whites fermented in stainless steel with extended lees contact for mineral complexity
• Reds aged in a combination of French barriques and large 50hl oak barrels, with significant bottle aging before release
• Extended total aging for reds: Serpico and Piano di Montevergine typically receive three to five years before release

Feudi's range spans Campania's major appellations. Greco di Tufo DOCG and Fiano di Avellino DOCG represent the white wine benchmarks, showcasing the volcanic mineral character and cool-altitude freshness of Irpinia. The flagship red Serpico is an Irpinia Aglianico DOC sourced from the historic Dal Re vineyard (meaning Vineyard of the King), a 2-hectare plot of approximately 400 pre-phylloxera, ungrafted vines over 150 years old, trained on the traditional pergola system; it is aged a minimum of 12 months in French barriques and 50-hectoliter barrels and then a further 12 months in bottle. The Taurasi Riserva Piano di Montevergine DOCG is 100% Aglianico, aged 18-24 months in oak followed by 24 months in bottle, meeting and exceeding the DOCG Riserva minimum of 4 years total aging with 18 months in wood. DUBL is a Metodo Classico sparkling wine made from native Campanian grapes, developed in collaboration with Anselme Selosse.

• Serpico: Irpinia Aglianico DOC from the Dal Re vineyard; 150+ year old ungrafted, pre-phylloxera vines on 2ha; minimum 12 months barrique and large oak, then 12 months bottle
• Piano di Montevergine: Taurasi Riserva DOCG, 100% Aglianico; 18-24 months in oak, 24 months in bottle, exceeding the 4-year Riserva minimum
• Greco di Tufo DOCG and Fiano di Avellino DOCG: stainless steel fermentation with lees aging, showcasing volcanic minerality and cool-altitude freshness
• DUBL: Metodo Classico sparkling from native Campanian grapes (Greco and Aglianico), developed with Champagne consultant Anselme Selosse

Feudi di San Gregorio whites display the hallmark of high-altitude Irpinia: restrained aromatics, crystalline acidity, and a persistent mineral salinity rooted in volcanic and clay-limestone soils. Greco di Tufo presents pale straw with greenish reflections, lemon, white almond, and chalky minerality with a laser-focused acid line. Fiano di Avellino shows slightly deeper gold, with golden apple, hazelnut, delicate floral notes, and a textured midpalate that retains freshness. Both styles develop honeyed, dried stone-fruit complexity over years in bottle. Reds display deep ruby color, with Serpico and Piano di Montevergine showing black cherry, plum, balsamic notes, spice, and the firm but refined tannic structure typical of Aglianico, resolving into leather, tobacco, and dried fruit with extended aging. Feudi's labels, designed by Massimo Vignelli since 2001, are immediately recognizable for their smaller-than-standard format, precise color palettes, and hot-stamped gold accents.

• Greco di Tufo: pale straw, lemon, white almond, chalky minerality, crystalline acidity; stainless steel fermented
• Fiano di Avellino: gold-straw, golden apple, hazelnut, floral notes, textured midpalate with fresh acidity
• Aglianico reds: deep ruby, black cherry, plum, spice, balsamic; firm structured tannins that soften with extended aging
• Vignelli labels since 2001: distinctive small format, precise color palette, hot-stamped gold accents

Feudi di San Gregorio operates as a cultural and hospitality destination as well as a wine producer. The 2004 winery was designed by Japanese architect Hikaru Mori and her husband Maurizio Zito, with interiors and furnishings by Massimo and Lella Vignelli; the project was exhibited twice at the Venice Biennale as a landmark of architectural excellence in the Italian wine world. On site, the Marenna restaurant has held a Michelin Star since 2009, offering a contemporary reinterpretation of Campanian and Irpinian cuisine. Borgo San Gregorio provides agritourism accommodations. In May 2021, Feudi became a Benefit Company, the first winery in Southern Italy to do so; in June 2022, it achieved B-Corp certification. Sustainability commitments include solar energy, water recycling, Equalitas certification (obtained August 2021), and a formal commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

• 2004 winery by architect Hikaru Mori and Maurizio Zito; interiors by Massimo and Lella Vignelli; exhibited twice at the Venice Biennale
• Marenna: Michelin Star since 2009; Borgo San Gregorio offers agritourism accommodation on the estate
• Benefit Company since May 2021; B-Corp certified since June 2022; Equalitas certified August 2021
• Sustainability: solar energy, water recycling, sustainable agriculture, UN SDG commitments