History
Established in 1750 by Pietro di Berardino (he adopted the title of Mastro, which eventually merged with Berardino) and officially registered in 1878 by Cavalier Angelo Mastroberardino, Campania’s Mastroberardino is one of Italy’s great winemaking estates.
The first of these, Fiano, features in several DOC and IGT wines, most notably in the Fiano di Avellino DOCG, established in 2003 (Greco di Tufa was accorded its DOCG in the same year). Antonio and Walter hold the credit for having saved the grape following its near devastation by phylloxera in the 1930s, and many see Fiano di Avellino’s DOCG status as their due for nursing a few remaining vines back from extinction and into flourishing. As much as Mastroberardino did for Fiano and Greco di Tufo, it did yet more for Aglianico. The winery also brought this grape back from extinction, but even more, Mastroberardino effectively established Taurasi, a mono-varietal Aglianico, as a world-class wine; Taurasi was formally recognized with a DOCG designation in 1992.
Just as Mastroberardino was the sole producer of quality Fiano for years, it was the sole maker of Aglianico. Among all producers, Mastroberardino recognized the grape’s potential to make a complex, long-aging, layered, and nuanced wine. Campania’s celebrated climate, volcanic soils, and high elevation all provide the ideal environment for this late-ripening grape that delivers a copious amount of black fruit, spice, and minerals. Aglianico produces quality expressions throughout Campania, with the most notable being Aglianico del Taburno, Irpinia Aglianico, and Sannio Aglianico. However the Taurasi zone, Campania’s only red DOCG, has earned a worldwide reputation for its excellence, earning the nickname the “Barolo of the South.”
In 1980, the historic winery and cellars sustained earthquake damage, so the winery received a full renovation. The earthquake also inspired the family to begin sourcing its Taurasi bottling exclusively from one vineyard, the 100-acre Mirabella site, which possesses a clay-calcerous soil that is particularly excellent for high quality Aglianico. The family rechristened the wine Taurasi Radici Riserva for its 1986 debut, with Radici (“roots”) signifying its intimate connection to the region and its varietals. The Mastroberardinos continue to undertake various research projects, including efforts in the areas of aroma detection and classification; polyclonal planting; and viticultural zoning.In 1996, the Italian government chose Mastroberardino for a special project; the estate’s Villa dei Misteri satellite plants ancient grapes in the ancient area of Pompei to craft historical wines. In the mid-90s, Walter left Mastroberardino to begin his own estate, Terredora di Paolo.
Antonio Mastroberardino largely retired in 1997, and in January 2014, he passed away at the age of 86. Today Mastroberardino is run by Antonio’s sons, Piero (the current president) and Carlo, who share their father’s passion for the region’s indigenous grapes.