2021 Lapilli Greco di Tufo Campania 750 ml

“Might Italy's greatest wines in fact come from the country's south?” Decanter mused in their review of the 2021 Lapilli Greco di Tufo Campania. “Taste this, and wonder.”

Tied for the highest score at the Decanter World Wine Awards, with 97 points—and awarded a Best in Show designation—it came in at the top of the nearly 15,000 bottles tasted. 

Greco di Tufo “produces one of southern Italy’s most complex whites,” according to Wine Spectator. One of the region’s great white wines, it’s the result of an advantageous marriage of a grape said to have arrived with the Greeks centuries ago and a rocky, volcanic terroir. The Greco appellation sits in the mountains of Irpinia, where the grape struggles in the harsh terrain but yields crisp, layered wines.

Lapilli’s Greco is planted in their highest-elevation vineyards, where cooler temperatures prevail, allowing the grape to take advantage of the area’s plentiful sunshine through a long growing season. That extended hang time—plus an intense diurnal temperature variation enhanced by the altitude—means that the wine shows off beautiful ripeness and texture without sacrificing an iota of citrus-driven brightness.

In Lapilli’s hands, the winemaking is simple and direct: Stainless-steel fermentation and aging allows the grape to shine. Like the ethos of the region’s cuisine, the goal is to allow the pristine prima materia to speak in its own voice.

We’ve been downing bottles with garlic-butter covered shrimp, pasta alle vongole, and grilled branzino, but a recent Kale Caesar salad was a perfect match as well. Despite its quality, it comes in at a stunningly low price—meaning it’s not only one of Italy’s best wines, but one of its best deals as well.