Penisola Sorrentina DOC

Region: Campania

Synopsis

Region:

Campania,

History: Established as a DOC in 1994

Vineyard Area: 50 ha / 124 acres (2023)

Production: 2,960 hl / 32,900 cases (5-year average)

Principal White Grape Varieties:

Biancolella, Falanghina, Greco

Principal Red Grape Varieties:

Aglianico, Piedirosso, Sciascinoso

Styles and Wine Composition

WHITE WINES

Bianco (Wh): Minimum 60% Biancolella, Falanghina, and/or Greco, with a minimum 40% Falanghina; maximum 40% OANWG

RED WINES

Rosso (Rd, RdFr): Minimum 60% Aglianico, Piedirosso (locally Pèr e Palummo), and/or Sciascinoso (locally Olivella), with a minimum 40% Piedirosso; maximum 40% OANRG

Subzones and Other Geographic Terms

Gragnano (Rosso frizzante only)
Lettere (Rosso frizzante only)
Sorrento (Bianco and Rosso tranquillo only)

Significant Production Rules

Maximum vineyard elevation: 600 m (1,970 ft), except up to 650 m (2,130 ft) for the commune of Agerola
Minimum alcohol level: 10.0% for Bianco and Rosso frizzante; 10.5% for Rosso tranquillo; 11.0% for Sorrento Bianco, Gragnano, and Lettere; 11.5% for Sorrento Rosso
Aging: No minimums specified

Last Disciplinare Modification:

11/30/2011

Notes:

Editor’s Note: In answer to a query from a reader about the contradictory-sounding rules of Penisola Sorrentina, it is a bit complicated and hard to put into a few words. Looking at the white version, there must be at least 40% Falanghina in the wine, and at least 60% of the wine must be made from a combination of Biancolella, Falanghina, and Greco. The rest of the wine can be any approved white grape variety. So, if you wanted to maximize Falanghina, the wine could be 100% Falanghina. If you wanted to maximize Greco, it could be 60% Greco, but it still has to be 40% Falanghina. And if you want to maximize some other approved variety—say, Fiano—you could use 40% Fiano, along with at least 40% Falanghina and up to 20% Greco and Biancolella. The rules for the red version are comparable.