Appears in
Oxford Companion to Wine

By Jancis Robinson

Published 2006

  • About

Ischia island and tourist destination in the Bay of Naples in the Italian region of campania (see map under italy) which has managed to preserve a small part of the vineyards which once covered a significant part of the island. The doc Ischia wine, produced from 60 ha/148 acres of vineyards, is most commonly a white blend based on 45 to 70% forastera grapes with biancolella. Reds are typically a blend of guarnaccia and piedirosso (locally known as Per’e Palummo), the latter of which, on its own, may be either a dry red or a sweet dried-grape wine. While these red wine grapes are widespread in Campania, Forastera and Biancolella are almost exclusively grown on Ischia on steep, terraced vineyards, often accessible only by monorail. Only few producers persevere but Casa d’Ambra is notable.