I’ve been in Italy, vineyard hopping, snow permitting, from Umbria down to Campania and Naples. Not just me, I should add, but a party of fabulous people gathered in Italy for the International Wine Tourism Conference and various trips out after, if we behaved ourselves!

The Mustilli Winery was just one such stop, quite quick, in the little town of Sant’ Agata dei Goti. An old, established local family with vineyards reinvigorated since the 1960’s. They appear to own several buildings in the town – a 400 year old cellar, an Agriturismo that “serves authentic regional cuisine” and the family home itself that also houses a wine bar the “Le Cantine di Mustilli” with live music, plus a guest house. Not entirely sure where we went after delving into the cellars but assume it’s the restaurant.

It is local grapes all the way with the Mustilli’s – Falanghina and Agliancio perhaps more well-known than the Fiano, the Piedirosso and the Grifo di Rocca. All these wines shine brighter with food; and even expert palates struggle to appreciate this when faced with nothing more than a bread stick. Actually we didn’t even have those.

We were offered some local apples after, the Annurca variety that only reveals its delicate red hue once picked and stored and turned regularly, we were told.
Three wines were offered. The sparkling Mustilli Spumante is made from Falanghina, its applely, dry in an aperitif style and, as was suggested, would be good with various fish dishes, just as a still Falanghina would.

“a lemon and mandarin thing going on here… a mineral apple thing” – Julie Pegg

The Mustilli Falanghina Sant Agata Dei Goti 2010 [Adegga / Snooth] demonstrated this; the acidity is quite marked. Flavours of those Annurca apples abound.

“a decent nose -a little touch of honey… a little peel… citrus” – Bill Eyer
“Very fresh, citrus, and floral tasting. Would taste great with seafood” – Mary Cressler
“There’s a definite aroma of perfumed talc… old lady’s perfumed talc” – David Lowe

The red variety, the Aglianico, really is a beast of a wine (in general) with the Mustilli version really crying out for food. The Mustilli Cesco di Nece Aglianico 2007 [Adegga / Snooth]. is the house ‘cru’ wine, named after the hills on which it is grown.

“really impressed with the nose, fruit forward, rich, jammy fruit lots of raspberries. Very approachable. Medium to full bodied, a little dryness on the after taste. Tannins as expected. Really nice.” – Melba Allen

The tasting was preceded by an exploratory wander through the estates ancient cellar – mould covered walls, racked vintages snuggly aging, and oak barrels maturing the latest vintages. Well worth a visit.
Mustelli lies just a little inland from Naples and is open to visitors and staying guests. The historic cellars, wine bar and room for wine sales are on Via dei Fiori 20.