THE HISTORY OF MOLISE’S WINES
The history of Molise’s wines began in the pre-Roman times when the
Samnites started to cultivate vines and produce wine after adopting the techniques of the Greeks
and Etruscans. The Roman conquest of Samnium then led to the development and refining of their
viticulture techniques. In his Naturalis Historia (77–78 AD), Pliny the Elder mentions
Isernia’s wines for the first time. There are not many traces of Molise’s viticulture during the
Middle Ages and the Renaissance, but we know that there was intense expansion between the 18th and 19th centuries
when Molise became the leading wine producer in the Kingdom of Naples. As with the rest of Italy,
Molise’s wines suffered a harsh blow due to the phylloxera epidemic in the late 1800s. Wine
production finally grew stronger again in the second half of the 20th century. From that point, vine cultivation
spread even more, not only in the mountains and hills but also in coastal areas. There are two main
areas in which Molise’s wine production is concentrated, one that occupies the Trigno valley and
Biferno valley, and one surrounding Isernia.
MOLISE’S WINE VARIETY
Wine production in Molise has long been linked to that of the neighbouring regions. In fact, you
could say that Molise’s wines act as a bridge between Abruzzo
wines and Puglia wines, with characteristics also
taken from nearby Campania. The most widespread grape
varieties in Molise are black grapes, of which Tintilia stands out as the only
native Molise variety. The other particularly widespread black grape varieties are
Montepulciano, Sangiovese, and Aglianico. Meanwhile, standout
white grape varieties include Falanghina, Trebbiano, Greco,
Bombino bianco, and white Malvasia. As it stands, there are no
Molise DOCG wines but there are four DOC wines in Molise: Biferno, Pentro (or Pentro d’Isernia),
Molise (or del Molise), and Tintilia del Molise. The Biferno DOC can be produced as a red
or rosé, with Montepulciano and Aglianico grapes, or white, with Trebbiano Toscano
blends. Meanwhile, the Pentro d’Isernia DOC uses Montepulciano and Sangiovese for the red
and rosé, and Trebbiano Toscano and Bombino Bianco for the white. There are actually
five different types of the Molise DOC: novello, red, spumante, passito, and
semi-sparkling – taking Molise into the field of sparkling wines. There are two IGT wines in
Molise: Osco (or Terra degli Osci) and Rotae.
TINTILIA: MOLISE’S ICONIC WINE
The Tintilia del Molise DOC is the wine that best represents the spirit of its ancient land. The
first written evidence of this wine dates back to the early 1800s. Legend has it that it was the
Spanish in the 18th century who imported this grape variety – in fact, the name
Tintilia is derived from “tinto” which means “red” in Spanish when referring to wine. The Spanish
would have chosen this grape variety because is particularly adaptable and it would have spread very quickly in
Molise. It is the only native variety in Molise, which spread to various municipalities in the
provinces of Isernia and Campobasso. In the 20th century, however, the grape variety was neglected to the point that
it almost became extinct, which benefitted more productive grape varieties. In the early 2000s, cultivation resumed
and in 2011 the Tintilia del Molise DOC was established. The protocol approved
vinification in red, rosé and red riserva versions – aged for at least two years – all based on at
least 95% Tintilia grapes. Tintilia is one of the most firmly structured red wines from Molise, with a very bright
ruby red colour, a high level of tannin but extremely elegant. The alcohol content is quite high and it is
fruity and spiced on the palate and nose, with notes of prunes, berries, and black pepper.
HOW TO PAIR THE WINES OF MOLISE
Molise’s wines obviously pair perfectly with local products. For example, Tintilia is perfect with
red-meat-based main courses, such as grilled, braised, and roast meat. Sunday lunch is always a success if you
pair Tintilia del Molise with grilled vitellone bianco dell’Appennino
Centrale IGT meat. Another typical product that pairs perfectly with
Tintilia is ventricina, a spicy cured meat typical of Molise and Abruzzo. Mutton
and lamb, on the other hand, combine perfectly with another of Molise’s red wines,
Biferno. If you opt for fish and choose the typical brodetto di Termoli
(Molise fish soup), a Falanghina will always be perfect, or for rosé lovers, a Montepulciano-based
Biferno rosé is ideal. To accompany
dessert, on the other hand, you could opt for a dry or sweet sparkling Molise
moscato.