Molise is a mountainous region in southeastern Italy, south of Abruzzo and north of Puglia. A short Adriatic coast gives way to an inland Apennine zone. Lower Biferno vineyards receive more maritime warmth, while inland sites see cooler nights, and the wines follow that divide.
The four DOCs are Biferno, Molise, Pentro di Isernia and Tintilia del Molise. Molise DOC covers Campobasso and Isernia, with red, rosato, white, sparkling, passito, novello and frizzante wines from a broad range of varieties. Biferno Rosso is dry, velvety and moderately tannic; its Riserva must age for three years. Pentro includes a fresh white based on Falanghina and Trebbiano Toscano, alongside darker reds based on Montepulciano and Tintilia.
Tintilia was largely abandoned after the Second World War because of its low yields. It began drawing renewed attention in the 1990s, and Tintilia del Molise became a DOC in 2011. Its reds are peppery and medium-bodied, with dark fruit, herbal lift, mid-weight tannin and relatively high acidity.
Inside the region
4 named areas
Each guide keeps its place within Molise clear, with a direct route back to the map.
- 01BifernoNo producers listed yetBiferno follows the river through a lower, warmer part of Molise. Maritime influence gives its wines generally lower acidity and more structure than Pentro, with red, white and rosato styles and a three-year-aged Biferno Rosso Riserva.
- 02Molise1 producerMolise DOC covers Campobasso and Isernia, with a broad range of permitted grapes and styles. Labels may be red, rosato, white, sparkling, passito, novello or frizzante, and can read either Molise or del Molise.
- 03Pentro di IserniaNo producers listed yetPentro di Isernia, also seen as Pentro, pairs a dry, fresh Falanghina and Trebbiano Toscano white with darker, more structured reds based on Montepulciano and Tintilia.
- 04Tintilia del MoliseNo producers listed yetTintilia del Molise is a 2011 DOC for a medium-bodied red with dark fruit, black pepper, herbal lift, mid-weight tannin and relatively high acidity.
Producer profiles
Producer profiles
Open the full directory when you want every producer currently placed in Molise.
- Di Majo NoranteFamily estate in Campomarino, Molise, farming 123 hectares of Montepulciano, Aglianico, and Falanghina on the Adriatic coastal plain.