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Taste the wines of Terredora with winemaker Lucio Mastroberardino
Two tastings and a wine dinner
In past stories I’ve written about the wines of the Campania region of Italy, as well as the Campania producer Terredora di Paolo. Now, during the second week in March, Terredora’s winemaker, Lucio Mastroberardino, is coming to Maine for a series of events. On Wednesday, March 10, from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m., he’ll be at a tasting of Terredora wines at Old Port Wine Merchants in Portland. The next night, March 11, Mastroberardino will preside over a wine dinner at the Sea Glass Restaurant at Inn by the Sea, where a five-course meal will be accompanied by Terredora wines. And then on Saturday, March 13, from 2 to 6 p.m., Mastroberardino will be at another tasting of his wines at the Rosemont Market on Brighton Avenue in Portland.
The Mastroberardino family is the most well-known name in Campania winemaking. As a result of a split between two Mastroberardino brothers in the 1970s, the Mastroberardino winery went to Antonio Mastroberardino, while Walter Mastroberardino got the family’s vineyards. Walter Mastroberardino then started the Terredora di Paolo estate, which later built a winery that began bottling wine from the estate’s own grapes in 1994. Terredora is now the largest wine producer and vineyard owner in Campania. Its wines are imported by Vias Imports, and are distributed in Maine by Pine State Trading Company.
Terredora di Paolo is truly a family operation. The founder, Walter Mastroberardino, is still at the helm of the estate, while his three children, Lucio, Paolo and Daniela, run various aspects of the business. Lucio heads up international sales in addition to running the winemaking operation, Paolo is in charge of the vineyards and domestic sales, and Daniela is the Chief Financial Officer.
The indigenous grapes of Campania are of ancient origin, many dating back to the original Greek settlers, and Terredora produces wines from only the following indigenous grape varieties: Falanghina, Fiano, Greco, and Coda di Volpe for the whites; Aglianico and Piedirosso for the reds. Terredora’s Falanghina, Greco di Tufo, and Fiano di Avellino white wines are sold in Maine, as are their Aglianico, Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio, and Taurasi reds. Taurasi, produced from Aglianico grapes, has long been considered the king of Campania red wines. Terredora’s Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio is made entirely from the rare Piedirosso grape variety. Most, if not all, of the current vintages of these wines will be poured during the various tasting events in the Portland area. It’s a great chance to try some of the most distinctive and original wines in the world.