2025 Nativ Vico Riviera 99 Campania Falanghina IGP

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.”

Campania's Falanghina is one of southern Italy's most expressive white grapes — ancient, aromatic, and shaped by volcanic soils and sea air. This bottling from Nativ Vico captures the variety at its brightest: harvested at peak aromatic intensity, vinified with minimal intervention in a concrete egg to preserve freshness and texture.

Pale straw in the glass, it opens with honeydew melon, stone fruit, citrus blossoms, and a faint almond nuttiness. The palate delivers preserved lemon, white peach, and melon, framed by bright acidity and a stony mineral grip that runs through the finish.

This is the kind of white that belongs next to bottles twice the price. Falanghina's combination of fruit intensity, structure, and minerality makes it as versatile at the table as it is satisfying on its own.

Drink it now through 2027 — it's built for easy pleasure, but the acidity and texture give it a year or two of room if you want to tuck a few away.