Castagnara

Castagnara is a red grape variety found primarily in the northern part of the Sorrento coast, particularly around the towns of Casola, Gragnano, Lettere, and Sant’Antonio Abate. Once common around Naples and the slopes of Vesuvius, it is now mainly used in DOC Penisola Sorrentina wines, especially from Lettere and Gragnano. The grape is not registered in the national registry, and its genetic ties to other Campanian varieties remain unclear. Castagnara is valued by farmers for its high yields.

The wine produced from Castagnara tends to be low in alcohol and lacks notable redeeming features. It has medium-sized, cylindrical, winged clusters with small, blue-black spherical grapes. While its flavor profile is not well-defined in available information, it is often seen as a less remarkable variety.

Found on the northern Sorrento coast, particularly around Casola, Gragnano, Lettere, and Sant’Antonio Abate, Castagnara was once more widespread around Naples and Vesuvius. It is currently used in DOC Penisola Sorrentina, but the exact proportion of Castagnara in these wines is uncertain.

Although some believe Castagnara is identical to Sannese and Santamaria, DNA analysis has not found genetic ties to any other known Campanian varieties, and the three are phenotypically very different.