San Salvatore 1988 Palinuro Bianco 2017

Sweet, sunny and easy going. Luminous straw yellow colour, sweet fruit and floral aromas of banana, golden apple, pineapple, mimosa and mediterranean flowers, on the palate a medium acidity with delicate structure and a honeyed finish. 

Food Pairings: Light and fresh with sweet overtones, this wine is best served with savoury, light pasta dishes, white meat or fish. Some examples include: Caprese salad, roasted chicken with grilled vegetables, Baccalà. 

There is a lot I could say about San Salvatore 1988.  I have had many opportunities to try these wines given that they are found almost every where in the area of Campania. As I will probably write about more of these wines in the future, for now I’ll keep it simple and focus on the man and the place.

Giuseppe Pagano, owner of the winery, is an ambitious man with vision and determination. In the heart of Cilento National Park, a costal area south of Naples that is often forgotten or overlooked,  he has created a sort of empire. Rather than overtake the beauty of the place, his many enterprises give it value and accesibility.

The winery’s property is 97 hectares including  vineyards, orchards, olive groves, woods and 450 Buffaloes. In addition to the vineyards, Pagano runs two hotels, The Savoy luxury hotel and The Esplenada Boutique Hotel. These hotels are a popular choice for traditional Italian wedding receptions given the beautifully elegant premises and high standard of dining. Recently He has opened “La Dispensa”, a type of restaurant with a garden where vegetables are grown and prepared in traditional dishes cooked by women from Cilento. The winery itself is focused on sustainable farming and produces 16 different wines. Despite the number and scale of all of these businesses, each one is meticulously kept and offers some of the best services in the area while preserving Cilento traditions.

Palinuro Bianco is a blend of Fiano, Greco and Falanghina, autochonous varietals of Campania. The grapes are softly pressed, feremented in stainless steel vats, and aged for 8 months in the winery’s state-of-the-art facilities. The name is an homage to the beautiful beach town of Paulinuro. In fact, almost each wine from San Salvatore is an homage to a town in the Cilento National Park. What better way to celebrate one’s territory? I’ll let the pictures do the talking with just a few examples…