Roccamonfina IGT
Roccamonfina IGT is one of several IGT wine appellations of Campania, southern Italy. As is the norm for Campania's IGTs, wines made under the Roccamonfina name focus strongly on the traditional and well established Campanian grape varieties.
Red wines are predominantly Aglianico, Piedirosso and Sciascinoso (aka Olivella), with the occasional appearance from Primitivo. Whites typically rely on Fiano, Falanghina, Greco Bianco and Coda di Volpe. The Roccamonfina IGT disciplinare di produzione stipulates that the wines may be red, white or rosé and amabile (slightly sweet), frizzante (lightly sparkling) or passito (sweet).
The name is that of the ancient Roccamonfina volcano, the focal point of the appellation's catchment area. The village of the same name is perched on the south-eastern slopes. In addition, 24 other communes can claim the Roccamonfina IGT title.
Stretching from the Tyrrhenian coast right up into the foothills of the central Apennines, the Roccamonfina viticultural area covers the northernmost slice of Campania. It encompasses the viticultural area of the Falerno del Massico DOC. The latter is the modern-day incarnation of Falernian, an ancient wine often cited in classical literature.
The Roccamonfina volcano was active between 650,000 and 50,000 years ago. The large isolated cone – 25 kilometres (16 miles) in perimeter – lies between the Monti Aurunci, the Monti Trebulani and Monte Massico. Though dormant for many millennia, the volcano still produces minor seismic movements and is the reason for the area's mineral rich waters and soils.
Other IGT titles of significance in Campania include Beneventano, which covers the Benevento province, Terre del Volturno, which traces the course of the Volturno River, Pompeiano, which covers all of Napoli province except the island of Ischia, and Colli di Salerno.