Molise

History

There is little historical information on the production of wine in Molise during the antiquity. Information dating back to 1871 mentions Molise as an area of important wine production. The first DOC awards date to 1983 with the creation of Biferno (white and red) in the province of Campobasso and Pentro in the province of Isernia.

Territory

Molise is a small region, mostly hilly (45%) and mountainous (50%) with vineyards located in hilly and mountainous areas. The total vineyard area is only 8,000 hectares, mainly in the province of Campobasso. The soil is Quaternary in origin, clay and sand based, reddish yellow colored, at times with a significant iron content. Hillside soils generally have a high percentage of clay that makes them have a grayish color. The most fertile lands are located along the main river of the region, the Biferno. The climate is Mediterranean in the coastal area and colder and continental inside and towards the mountains. In this region the most interesting wines are reds and are made with the Tintilia indigenous variety. The traditional “tendone,” literally tent, or canopy growing system is disappearing in favor of more modern spurred cordon systems. Whether that is a good idea in these times of climate change remains to be seen. Of the four regional DOCs, two—Tintilia del Molise DOC and Molise DOC—cover the entire regional area. The other regional DOCs have few producers declaring wines.