We look to the future while staying rooted in our past

In 1948, just as Italy was recovering from World War II, Giovanni Russo founded his small family winery on the volcanic slopes of Mount Vesuvius.

At the time, wine was trasported to Naples by horse-drawn wagon, where small, rural vintners sold their wines to larger merchants, who then supplied shops and restaurants around the city.

Giovanni's son, Maurizio, began working at a young age in the family business, starting out as a humble field hand.

After years of working in the winery, Maurizio decided to make a change: 18 years ago he opened his doors for visits and tastings, invested in improving the quality of the wines, and limited distribution exclusively to the winery shop.

Organic production

Respect for the land and its wines

We have been using organic methods since 1996, fertilizing this sandy, volcanic soil exclusively with organic products and treating the vines only with copper sulfate and sulfur. We can recently obtained all the necessary certifications to officially produce organic wines. Our wines do not contain sulfites.

Limited production

Each year we produce only a limited number of bottles from Caprettone, Piedirosso, Aglianico, and Falanghina grapes, using both traditional and organic agricultural methods.

Products

Direct sales

We have chosen to make our wines and other products available to our customers for purchase exclusively in our winery shop or through our website, cutting out the middle man.

Purchase online

Winery visits

We were among the first wineries in southern Italy to offer tours and tastings,and today we are one of the most popular for both for the quality of our wines and the gorgeous scenery.

Tastings

Technical information about Cantina del Vesuvio

Hectares of vineyard: 16 owned + 3 leased
Oenologist: Antonio Pesce
Agronomist: Antonio Pesce
Vine training and density: Guyot for Piedirosso, Pergola Vesuviana for Caprettone. Around 4000 vines/hectare for both Piedirosso and Caprettone
Soil composition: sandy, volcanic, potassium rich
Yield in kg/vine: 1.7 for Caprettone and 1.2 for Piedirosso
Vineyard exposure: south to southwest
Vineyard planting date: 1996
Average altitude: 220-265 meters above sea level
Agricultural labor: mechanical cutting only
Fertilizers: manure and organic mineral
Treatments: copper sulfate and sulfur
Agricultural method: certified organic
Yeasts: indigenous
Grape varieties grown: Piedirosso, Caprettone, and Aglianico
Other products: extra virgin olive oil from Vesuvius, apricot distillate, Lacryma Christi vinegar condiment

"The best way to experience one of the oldest wine countries in the world is to visit in person, and sample the simple yet bold wines...straightforward and perfect to pair with any meal. A visit here is both a pleasure and a journey of discovery: explore the vineyard and gardens and savor a heaping plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce - one of the most humble yet most delicious dishes in history - against the backdrop of the sweeping view".

Luciano Pignataro, gourmet writer

The winery

Our aging silos are located inside the winery, where the entire winemaking process from grape to bottle takes place. Our grapes are not transported long distances after harvest, but go from fruit to must to wine right here at Cantina del Vesuvio.

The vineyards

Cantina del Vesuvio grows Caprettone and Piedirosso varieties, which are among the oldest grapes cultivated, dating to before the Ancient Romans.

The Piedirosso vines are trained on Guyot trellises, and the Caprettone vines are trained in the Pergola Vesuviana style, to protect them from the sun.

Azienda Agricola Vitivinicola Cantina del Vesuvio Via Panoramica 15 - 80040 Trecase (NA) Italy Tel. +39 081 536 90 41 / +39 081 350 7001 info@cantinadelvesuvio.it

My reservations

Company Info

Cantina del Vesuvio
Az. Agr. Vitivinicola di Maurizio Russo Via Tirone della Guardia, 18 - 80040 Trecase (NA) Tel/Fax 081 5369041 P.IVA 03320251212 CF RSSMRZ66E03B077Q