Terredora di Paolo

Terredora di Paolo's story begins with the Mastroberardino family's acquisition of vineyard land in Irpinia in 1978. In 1993, brothers Walter and Antonio Mastroberardino divided their shared family enterprise: Antonio retained the Mastroberardino name and winery, while Walter kept many of the family's historic vineyard plots. In 1994, at the age of sixty, Walter launched Terredora Di Paolo alongside his children Daniela, Lucio, and Paolo, naming the new venture after his wife, Dora Di Paolo. A cellar was built in Montefusco to vinify the estate's grapes. By 1998, an additional 100 hectares had been added to the original ten-hectare country estate, bringing the holdings to the approximately 180 hectares the estate manages today across five communes in Irpinia.

• 1993: Walter and Antonio Mastroberardino divided the historic family holdings; Antonio retained the Mastroberardino name; Walter kept prime vineyard plots
• 1994: Terredora Di Paolo officially founded; cellar built in Montefusco, positioned centrally among Taurasi, Fiano di Avellino, and Greco di Tufo DOCG zones
• 1998: Estate expanded by approximately 100 hectares, reaching today's total of around 180 hectares across Santa Paolina, Montefusco, Montemiletto, Montefalcione, and Lapio
• Walter Mastroberardino (1933–2025) was the last son of Michele Mastroberardino, a pioneer of early 20th-century Italian wine exports

Terredora di Paolo represents a defining chapter in modern Campanian viticulture. By focusing exclusively on indigenous grape varieties and emphasizing terroir expression over internationally fashionable styles, the estate helped elevate Irpinia's wines to serious critical and commercial recognition. Walter Mastroberardino's decision to retain the region's best native vineyard sites after the 1993 family division proved visionary. Winemaker Lucio Mastroberardino, who joined the estate from a young age, was nominated Oenologist of the Year for white wines at the International Wine Challenge in London in 2006, bringing international attention to Irpinian whites at a critical moment for the region. His death on January 29, 2013 at age 45, shortly after that of his mother Dora, was a profound loss; the estate honors his legacy through three single-vineyard Taurasi Riserva wines dedicated to him. Today, Paolo and Daniela Mastroberardino continue the estate's work.

• Walter's retention of prime Irpinian vineyard plots in the 1993 family division proved strategically decisive for the estate's quality trajectory
• Lucio Mastroberardino nominated Oenologist of the Year (white wines) at the 2006 International Wine Challenge, London; also served as president of the Unione Italiana Vini (UIV)
• Three single-vineyard Taurasi Riservas — from Pietradefusi, Lapio, and Montemiletto — are dedicated to Lucio, each expressing a distinct terroir within the Taurasi DOCG
• Estate is widely cited alongside Mastroberardino and Feudi di San Gregorio as one of the three most prominent Campanian producers in international markets

The estate's approximately 180 hectares are distributed across five Irpinian communes, each contributing distinct character. Vineyards sit at elevations of 400 to 650 meters on volcanic soils rich in limestone and clay, with south-facing exposures on windswept hillsides above the valleys of the Sabato and Calore rivers. The continental microclimate at altitude delivers the pronounced diurnal temperature variation essential for retaining acidity in whites and achieving full phenolic ripeness in Aglianico. Vines are planted at approximately 3,500 per hectare and trained using the Guyot system, with yields of around 60 hectoliters per hectare. The Campore estate in Lapio is the flagship site for both Taurasi and Fiano di Avellino; Terre degli Angeli in Santa Paolina and Loggia della Serra in Montefusco produce Greco di Tufo; Pietradefusi yields the Pago dei Fusi Taurasi; and Casali della Baronia in Montemiletto supplies Aglianico for Fatica Contadina and Falanghina.

• Campore (Lapio): flagship site for Grand Crù Taurasi Riserva CampoRe and Fiano di Avellino CampoRe; altitude exceeds 600 meters, producing the latest-ripening Aglianico on the estate
• Terre degli Angeli (Santa Paolina) and Loggia della Serra (Montefusco): Greco di Tufo production on volcanic tufo-rich soils
• Pietradefusi: lower altitude around 350 meters, earliest-ripening Aglianico, used for Pago dei Fusi Taurasi
• Volcanic and clay-limestone soils impart the mineral structure and tension characteristic of Irpinian wines across all three DOCGs

Terredora's portfolio is organized from entry-level regional wines up to two Grand Crù expressions. The Grand Crù Taurasi Riserva CampoRe, produced only in the best vintages from the Campore estate in Lapio, is 100% Aglianico: grapes are macerated on skins for 15 to 18 days at controlled temperature, then aged 24 months in French oak barriques followed by a further 24 months in bottle before release. The Grand Crù Fiano di Avellino CampoRe from the same Campore vineyard is split-fermented, with half in French oak barrels and half in stainless steel. Below the Grand Crù tier, the portfolio includes the Taurasi Fatica Contadina and Taurasi Pago dei Fusi (from Pietradefusi), two Greco di Tufo expressions (Loggia della Serra and Terre degli Angeli), Fiano di Avellino Ex Cinere Resurgo, and Falanghina and Aglianico under the Irpinia DOC. A range of Campania IGT and Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio wines broadens the offering further.

• Taurasi Riserva CampoRe: 100% Aglianico from Lapio; 15–18 days maceration; 24 months French oak plus 24 months bottle aging; produced only in best vintages
• Fiano di Avellino CampoRe: half fermented in French oak, half in stainless steel, from the same Campore estate in Lapio
• Supporting Taurasi wines: Fatica Contadina (Campore and Casali della Baronia) and Pago dei Fusi (Pietradefusi); three dedicated Riserva Lucio wines from Pietradefusi, Lapio, and Montemiletto
• White portfolio includes Greco di Tufo Loggia della Serra and Terre degli Angeli, Fiano di Avellino Ex Cinere Resurgo, Falanghina Corte di Giso, and Coda di Volpe Le Starse

Terredora integrates Campanian winemaking tradition with modern technical precision. Grapes are harvested by hand and placed into small baskets, minimizing the time between picking and pressing and reducing oxidative stress. Fermentations in stainless steel use temperature control to preserve aromatic complexity. Maceration protocols are calibrated by variety: Aglianico for the Taurasi Riserva CampoRe undergoes 15 to 18 days of skin contact at controlled temperature to achieve optimal tannin extraction without astringency. Oak aging for the top reds involves French oak barriques for 24 months. White varieties are kept away from excessive oak exposure to protect their territorial mineral character, with the CampoRe Fiano offering a partial barrel-fermented expression as the estate's most complex white. The family has always maintained direct control over all stages of production, from vine to bottle.

• Hand harvesting into small baskets minimizes oxidation from vine to press; direct family oversight of all production steps
• Aglianico maceration 15–18 days at controlled temperature; temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation preserves aromatic precision
• French oak aging 24 months for Taurasi Riserva; white varieties receive minimal oak to preserve mineral and aromatic integrity
• Philosophy centers on indigenous varieties exclusively, phenolic ripeness over high alcohol, and terroir transparency over winemaker intervention

Terredora di Paolo has established a firm presence in more than thirty countries, with the United States, Europe, Canada, and Japan among its principal markets. The estate is consistently cited alongside Mastroberardino and Feudi di San Gregorio as one of the defining producers of Campania on the international stage. Lucio Mastroberardino's 2006 International Wine Challenge nomination was a watershed moment for the estate and for Irpinian whites broadly. The winery's commitment to indigenous varieties and terroir-driven winemaking has made it a benchmark reference in fine dining and premium import portfolios worldwide. Following the deaths of Dora Di Paolo and Lucio Mastroberardino, and the passing of founder Walter in February 2025, the estate continues under the leadership of Paolo and Daniela Mastroberardino, carrying forward the family's founding values.

• Present in 30+ countries; Vias Imports handles US distribution; wines appear in premium retail and fine dining globally
• Lucio's 2006 International Wine Challenge nomination brought early international recognition to Irpinian whites
• Estate now led by second-generation siblings Paolo and Daniela Mastroberardino following founder Walter's death on February 4, 2025
• Regularly cited alongside Mastroberardino and Feudi di San Gregorio as one of Campania's three most internationally visible estates