Asprinio



Asprinio [ah-SPREE-noh]

Asprinio is a white-grape variety that is grown in Italy's Basilicata and Campania regions. The Aversa DOC wines are are made primarily from the Asprinio grape. Asprinio Aversa DOC (the traditional method of making sparkling white) makes a zesty, light sparkling wine.

Asprinio Aversa DOC is that main area where Asprinio. Asprinio grapes are grown only around the town of Aversa in Caserta province and in two villages in the adjacent Naples province. Asprinio vines cover fewer than 250 acres. The production area is quite restricted although it extends over the territories of 22 municipalities in the provinces of Caserta and Naples. It might well qualify as one of the world’s smallest and most obscure appellations.

The grapevines, moreover, have a very low yield because of the way they were trained up trees. To harvest these grapes the pickers climb up ladders about 10m high because the vines were trained up trees. This means that in spite of the rising market demand, production cannot be increased. Asprinio di Aversa may be destined to remain a wine for the few.

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