2025 Nativ Vico dell'Amore Greco di Tufo DOCG

Just an hour from Naples (birthplace of pizza) and the ancient ruins of Pompeii lies one of Italy's most exciting wine discoveries. Meet Nativ Winery, founded in 2008 in Irpinia's heart by the legendary Dr. Mario Ercolino and Dr. Roberta Pirone.

For those who don’t know, Dr. Mario Ercolino is a titan in the Italian wine industry. If you've heard of the iconic Feudi di San Gregorio, a cult favorite among Italian wine lovers, it's thanks to Ercolino, who redefined Southern Italian wine and put that winery on the map. He was also at the helm of San Marzano producing some of the highest awarded wines from Puglia. Now, his focus is on his own brand Nativ from Irpinia, a region poised to rival the world's most celebrated winegrowing areas.

Here's why this matters: Irpinia sits on rich volcanic soils from ancient Mount Vesuvius eruptions, with layers of ash, pumice, and basalt creating mineral-rich, perfectly-drained terroir that's absolute magic for native grapes like Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo, Falanghina, and the powerhouse Aglianico. Nativ’s wines are made from native grapes (hence the name) that have defined the region for centuries, representing the true essence of “Made in Italy.”

Greco di Tufo is one of Southern Italy's oldest grape varieties — supposedly brought by the Greeks themselves, back when Campania was a vital trading hub. It found its perfect home in these volcanic soils, where the mineral backbone and bright acidity become part of the wine's identity.

Nativ farms 30 hectares of native vines on volcanic soils shaped by the Tyrrhenian climate, including centuries-old Greco vines. The grapes are perfectly adapted to the highly mineral clay-limestone soils that give the wine its structure and length.

In the glass: straw yellow with golden highlights. The nose opens with white flowers, citrus, and a hint of Renette apples and broom flowers.

The palate delivers peachy white stone fruit juiciness — almost tropical — backed by minerality and lively acidity. Dry, crisp, and built for food.