Greco is a grape variety widely grown throughout central Italy, particularly in Campania, but also in Abruzzo, Lazio, Liguria, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia, Tuscany, and Umbria. Like almost all grape varieties that contain the term “greco” or references to it in their name, it most likely originates from Greece and was brought to Italy by the settlers who founded the first cities of Magna Graecia, the geographical area of southern Italy that was colonized by the Greeks starting from the 8th century BC. From the original Greco variety, two distinct grape varieties have developed: Greco Bianco, a Calabrian grape named after the town of Bianco on the region’s Ionian coast, and the Greco proper.

The Greco grape is part of numerous denominations in southern Italy, particularly the Greco di Tufo DOCG in Campania, which includes the town of Tufo and seven other hill communities. Despite being one-third the size of the Fiano di Avellino DOCG, the Greco di Tufo DOCG is the largest denomination by production of PDO wines in Campania. The vineyards of the region are rich in tuff, a rock formed from volcanic ash, from which the town of Tufo gets its name. The wine must contain at least 85% Greco, with Coda di Volpe usually making up the remaining percentage. Greco di Tufo wines are ready to drink up to 3-4 years after harvest and have good aging potential, evolving up to 10-12 years. The Greco grape has a late ripening and is susceptible to downy mildew and powdery mildew. It features characteristic “winged” clusters, and after veraison, the grapes take on a gray-golden color. The phenolic compounds present in the grapes contribute to the characteristically deep color of the wine. Wines made from the Greco grape are known for their aromatic qualities and are characterized by a bouquet vaguely similar to Viognier, with fruity notes of peach and slightly herbaceous notes that tend to become more intense with the wine’s age.