White grape variety
Falanghina
A fresh, floral Campanian white, widely planted and consistently good value.
What is Falanghina?
Falanghina is fresher and more immediately appealing than Fiano or Greco, with floral aromatics and crisp acidity, and represents reliable value.
What it tastes like
This is the envelope across every expression of Falanghina, not a description of one bottle. Wide ranges are the honest answer.
| Dimension | Typical | Range | Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low | Consistent | |
| Acidity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Alcohol | medium | Some variation | |
| Body | medium | Some variation | |
| Fruit intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Oak influence | low | Consistent | |
| Savoury character | low-medium | Consistent | |
| Floral character | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Herbal / green character | low | Consistent | |
| Spice | low | Consistent | |
| Earthy character | low | Consistent | |
| Perceived freshness | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Texture | medium | Consistent |
Common flavours
Where it grows
- Campania — Italy
If you like Falanghina, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Vermentino
Both are fresh, floral, dry Mediterranean whites.
More saline and herbal.
Torrontés
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more aromatic, and more floral.
Mtsvane Kakhuri
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be broader and softer, and more tannic and structured.
Similar but lighter
Something like this, but lighter?
Moschofilero
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more aromatic, and fresher.
Parellada
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and more restrained in fruit.
Loureiro
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Something like this, but less alcoholic?
Moschofilero
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be lighter, and more aromatic.
Loureiro
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and lighter.
Mantinia Moschofilero
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be lighter, and more aromatic.
Similar but fuller
Something like this, but richer?
Fiano
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more oaky, and more savoury.
Fiano di Avellino
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more oaky, and more savoury.
Malagousia
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be softer and rounder, and broader and softer.
What to eat with it
Ranked by WineHQ's pairing engine, which reasons from the structure of the dish.
Fillet steak
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Salmon
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
Asparagus
Works because bitterness in the dish and tannin in the wine accumulate rather than balance.
Salmon in a cream sauce
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
Trout
Works because low tannin avoids the metallic interaction with fish.
Turkey
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
How to serve it
Temperature
9–12°C
48–54°F · Fridge cold
From a 20°C room, roughly two to three hours in the fridge, or about 20 minutes in a bucket of ice and water.
Decanting
No need to decant
Nothing about this wine suggests it needs decanting. Light, aromatic and sparkling wines generally lose more than they gain.
Glass
Universal wine glass
A medium tulip-shaped glass handles almost everything well. If you own one set of glasses, this is the set to own — the difference between a good universal glass and a grape-specific one is far smaller than the difference between a good glass and a bad one.
Ageing
Wines made from this grape are generally at their best within a few years.
Almost always made to be drunk within a couple of years, where the citrus and white-flower aroma is at its most vivid. Falanghina del Sannio and the bottlings from the volcanic soils of Campi Flegrei have more substance and a handful of producers release them later, but the everyday Campanian wine is not one to keep.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) — Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof