I was invited on a press trip a few years ago by Campania Stories to Benevento. As part of the program I was able to select the wineries I wanted to visit. One of the wineries I chose was the Michele Alois Winery as I have always enjoyed their wines. I had a very nice time at the winery and I was invited to come back. A few years ago, I was in Naples and contacted Massimo Alois. He invited me to visit the winery again. On the way to the winery we stopped in Caserta to pick up his son Gianfrancesco and a friend who were at basketball practice. I was surprised to learn that Basketball is the #1 sport in Caserta. At the winery we had a fantastic lunch prepared by Talita de Rosa, Massimo’s wife, which I wrote about in a previous blog.

Massimo Alois and his son Gianfraneseco
Recently Gianfranco Sorrentino, owner of Il Gattopardo, invited me to his restaurant for a lunch featuring the wines of Michele Alois. Massimo Alois was there to speak about the wines. It was the perfect combination, Alois wine and the food of IL Gattopardo prepared by Chef Vito Gnazzzo. When I arrived, Massimo greeted me and introduced me once again to his son Gianfrancesco.
Massimo spoke about his family’s involvement in the silk business going back several centuries to the era of the Bourbon rulers when Naples was a part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. They supplied silks to the crowned heads of Europe as well as many noble families. Examples of their work can be found in the Louvre Museum and even in the White House. The factory is now a museum which I have visited with Massimo.
In the early 1990’s Michele Alois, Massimo’s father, decided to go in a new direction by opening a winery with 9 hectares of vines in the foothills of the Caiatini in the province of Caserta. Michele wanted to restore forgotten varietals and produce wine from them.
The wines
Pallagrello Bianco “Caiati” 2021 (Campania) Alois 100% Pallagrello Bianco from a 2.13 hectare vineyard at 280 meters with 13 year old vines. The soil is volcanic with minerals. The training system is guyot, there are 4,800 plants per hectare and the harvest is in the middle of September. Fermentation takes place on the lees for 30 days. Malolactic fermentation is in stainless steel at a controlled temperature. The wine remains in the bottle for 4 months before release. The wine has hints of almonds, citrus fruit, melon and grapefruit with a long finish and pleasing aftertaste.
Assortment of appetizers
Massimo said the name Pallagrello derives from “u Pallarell,” local dialect for “small ball” because of the grape’s tiny round shape. Its shape distinguishes the grape cluster. It is a vigorous varietal, producing grapes with high sugar content. Native to the hills around the Campania town of Caiazzo, it may be related to the ancient Roman varietal “Pilleolata” mentioned by Pliny the Elder (d.79 AD) in his Historia Naturalis. The wine was the favorite of the Bourbons when they ruled in Naples. It has now become a favorite of mine.
Parmigiana di Zucchine con scamorza e salsa al pomodoro
Terra del Volturno Pallagrello Bianco IGT “Marrone” 2018 Alois (Campania). Made from 100% Pallagrello Bianco from the 15 year old Morrone della Monica 2.13 hectare vineyard at 350 meters in Pontelatone. The exposure is east/west and the soil is limestone. There are 5,200 plants per hectare and the training system is guyot. Harvest takes place in early September. Two-thirds of the wine is vinified in stainless steel at a controlled temperature for one month and one-third of the wine is on the lees in neutral oak for nine months. The wine remains in the bottle for 12 months before release. This is a full bodied intense wine with hints of citrus fruit, melon, a touch of chamomile and a note of apricot. This is the second time I had this wine. The first time was at Trattoria San Ferdinando in Naples. I was very impressed with this wine then and I was just as impressed this time.

Cavatelli di grano Senatore Cappelli ai frutta di mare — Handmade pasta from the prized Senator Cappelli flour with a light tomato and seafood sauce.
Campania IGT Falanghina “Caulino” Alois 2021. Made from 100% Falangina from a 4 hectare plot at 500 meters with 30 year old vines. The soil is organic and the training system is guyot. There are 5,200 vines per hectare. Harvest takes place at the end of September. Fermentation is on the lees for 30 days. Malolactic ermentation takes place in stainless steel. The wine remains in the bottle for 3 months before release. The wine has hints of yellow peach, apricot, a touch of lemon and a note of bitter almonds.
Aglianico “Campole” Alois 2018 made from 100% Aglianico from 30 year old vines in volcanic soil at 156 meters. Harvest is the first week of October. Fermentation is in stainless steel tanks with skin contact for 16 days with several rankings. Malolactic fermentation is in large Italian casks. The wine remains in bottle for 8 months before release. The wine has hints of dark fruit, spice currents.

Agnello al Forno con padellata di Friariella e patate — Loin lamb chops with broccoli rabe and potatoes
Terre del Volturno IGT Campania Settimo Alois 2018 Pallagrello and Casavecchia from a 4 hectare vineyard at 500 ft with volcanic soil. There are 5,200 plants per hectare and the soil is volcanic. Harvest takes place the first week of October. Stainless steel vinfication with maceration on the lees for 14 days. Malolactic fermentation is in stainless steel. The wine remains in the bottle for 6 months before release. This is a light bodied red wine with hints of cherry.
Trebulamum Alois 2015 made from 100% Casavecchia from a 3 hectare vineyard vineyard at 180 meters. The soil is volcanic with minerals, training system is guyot and there are 5,200 plants per hectare. Harvest is in the first weeks of October. Vinification is in stainless steel tanks with maceration on the skins for 10 days. Malolactic fermentation in Italian botti 25HL for 18 months then 24 months in bottle before release. This is a big wine with hints of licorice, tar and smoke, a very long finish and a pleasing aftertaste.
The Casavecchia grape variety is of unknown origin. There is a legend that a small old grape vine was in an abandoned house in the town of Pontelatore, hence the name “Casavecchia”. Massimo said the vine survived phylloxera, and the parasite fungus of Oidio in 1851. Others say that it is related to the ancient Roman varietal “Terbulanum,” praised by Pliny.
Massimo said that the propagation started with the cutting and then setting small branches, and the provine, an ancient method that places the vine branch in the soil until it develops its own roots.
Un piccolo Baba al Rhum — Rum flavored baba’, a Neapolitan clasic
I was a wonderful lunch with the wines of Alois and the food of Il Gattopardo-it was just like being in Napoli.
Frascati Superiore DOCG Bianco 2019 Castel De Paolis (Lazio) made from 70% Malvasia del Lazio, and 30% Trebbiano, Giallo, Bambino and Bellone. The soil is volcanic, rich in potassium and tufa. The vineyard is at 250 meters and the training system is trellised/cordon spur. There are 5,000 vines per hectare and the average age of the vines is 30 years. Fermentation is in steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 18C for 8/10 days. The wine has hints of pear and apple, a touch of pineapple and a note of almonds. I visited the winery in Grottaferrata a number of years ago. From the terrace, you can see the dome of St. Peter’s in Rome. Restaurant il Falchetto
Bellone “Collesanti” Marco Carpineti (Lazio)
NV Brut Spumante made from 100% Bellone Cincinnato (Lazio). The grapes are picked in September when the acidity is high. Fermentation for about 10 days at 15C and malolactic fermentation does not take place. Charmat method (tank) process for about 2 months and the wine remains in the bottle for 4 months before release. The wine has tiny bubbles, is slightly aromatic with hints of acacia, citrus fruit and white peach.
Fiano di Avellino DOCG Sertura made from 100% Fiano di Avellino(Campania). The vineyards are in Montefalcione, a tiny village perched on a hill a short distance from Avellino. The vineyards are at 380 meters and the soil is clay. The training system is guyot and there are 4,000 plants per hectare. Harvest is by hand in early October. The grapes are soft pressed and fermented for 21 to 25 days at a controlled temperature. This is a complex, full bodied wine with aromas and flavors of citrus fruit, hints of pear and green apple. Hostaria Manfredi


KATÁ IGP Catalanesca Del Mount Somma 100% Catalanesca. Cantine Olivella (Campania) The grapes are carefully selected and hand harvested in the first half of October. Fermentation and maturation is with natural yeast and takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The refining process “sur lie” (lees contact starts in stainless steel and ends in the bottle after a three month period). The wine has very nice citrus aromas and flavors with hints of apricot and cantaloupe and good acidity. There is a mineral aspect to the wine, which may come from the volcanic soil. Restaurant Casa Bleve, Rome
Falanghina del Sannio made from 100% Falanghina from Pozzillo vineyards. Società Agricola Mustilli (Campania) The soil is calcareous and volcanic, rich in clay and the exposure is southwest. The training system is guyot. There is a light cold skin maceration followed by alcoholic fermentation in steel. Aging is in steel for 10 months. The wine has floral notes, with a hint of pear, acacia honey, and touch of apple and lemon. I visited the winery in 2016 on a Campania Stories press trip and tasted a Falanghina from the 2002 vintage which was drinking very nicely.
Trebbiano d’ Abruzzo 2017 Made from 100% Trebbiano d’Abruzzo
Marche Bianco IGT “Campo delle Oche” 2018. Fattoria San Lorenzo made from 100% Verdicchio. The Campo delle Oche vineyard is at 300/320 meters and the soil is clay and limestone with savory components given by the salty aquifers. The vineyard was planted in 1965/1980. There are 3,000 vines per hectare. Harvest
While we pondered the menu, Marco sent us out a delicious salad to enjoy with our wine. It consisted of cubes of provolone local cheese, prosciutto, arugula and cherry tomatoes in a light dressing.
Grilled anchovies
Fried calamari and shrimp — While this may seem like a familiar Italian specialty, it stood out for both the quality of the very fresh seafood and the skill of the frying. And did I mention the presentation? That’s fried spaghetti in the background.
On our second visit, we ordered the fried fish and seafood combination. It, too, was excellent with some small local fishes added to the mix.
A plate of assorted vegetables
Fried arancini (rice balls) and potato crocche’
Calamarata Pasta with sea food and a light tomato sauce
Grilled calamari
Asparagus and ceccinelli (tiny fish) risotto
For dessert — A tasting of cake layered with cream and homemade fruit jam.
































































