Giuseppe Fortunato, an engineer turned farmer, and his wife, Sandra Castaldo, live in Pozzuoli, Campi Flegrei, in the province of Naples, Campania. Their tiny farm— consisting of an apiary and 2 hectares of vines, with another 2.7 hectares that are leased from a relative— is a sanctuary of agricultural peace amidst the urban sprawl of Naples, Italy's third largest city.  The vines were extant when Giuseppe’s father bought the property in 1980. Their vineyards, planted to Falanghina and Piedirosso, are located at between 90 and 200 meters above sea level and are rich in volcanic sand above a base of igneous rock.

The area itself is remarkable; the Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields) DOC is a large volcanic area of craters and thermal springs, all of which are the remains of an immense underwater volcano that had Pozzuoli at its center.  The Romans believed this area to be the mythological home of the Roman god of fire, Vulcan. Even now, one can visit the Solfatara crater, with its active fumaroles. Because phylloxera could never embed itself in the sandy volcanic soils of the Campi Flegrei, Contrada Salandra’s vines are ungrafted, piede franco, on their own roots.

Practicing viticulture and beekeeping is an act of resistance in these parts, where the tiny vineyards must compete with real estate developers.  Giuseppe does his best to maintain biological diversity in these beautiful organic vineyards that overlook the sea, which is a mere 2km as the crow flies.  Contrada Salandra practices cover cropping and, in an effort to reduce copper and sulfur use, they use other natural products such as algae, and essential oils of stinging nettles, citrus, and horse chestnut.

The wines are released much later than most of their neighbors, undergoing extended time in elevage both in tank and in the bottle.

For a nice video on Contrada Salandra and a few more words of enthusiasm (in Italian), click here.