THE LOCALITY. The pentry Sanniti, a proud and combative mountain population who fought with Rome for the dominion of Italy, once where here. On the coast, at Cuma, the Greeks, who preferred the contact with the sea and maintained profitable commercial relations with the Sanniti. A marvelous gift was the result of the meeting of these two cultures, which reveals his noble origins in his name, Aglianico, or Ellenikon in Greek, which has found its natural habitat at the base of the Taburno and for more then two thousand years is part of exquisite country banquets.
The area is perfect for pleasant walks and excursions. Among the rolling hills, vineyards and olive groves and fields of tobacco, its lovely to discover medieval towns and cities. For example, Sant’Agata dei Goti, with its perfect, elegant historic center. Morcone, which sits on the hill that separates the province of Benevento from Campobasso, where during the first days of january the population partecipates en masse in the reenactment of one of the most important xmas crèches in Italy.
Guardia Sanframondi, home of great wines, where every seven years at “ferragosto” the incredible penitential procession in honor of the Assumption is held. Cerreto Sannita, famous for its ceramics of exquisite taste, a small city constructed by the Bourbons in the XVIII century on an orthogonal design. Benevento, the capital, a city of antique origins, decorated with Roman monuments like the Arch of Traiano, which contains, a unique example, historic records of the long domination by the Longobardi, and home to remote fascinating legends like the one of the magic walnut tree used as a meeting point for witches.
Gastronomy. The wines of sannite region are among the most famous in Italy. To Aglianico del Taburno (already mentioned), prince of red wines, one must add Solopaca and Barbera del sannio. Among the white wines, one of the most
famous is the Falanghina, pale straw colored, with green highlights and slightly acidulous taste. Cantines and wine makers praised by the best wine guides (they also produce monovitigno grappa, walnut wine, and excellent spumante) are found in Sant’Agata dei Goti, Castelvenere, Ponte, Dugenta, Foglianise, Torrecuso, all of which are found at a short distance from Mesogheo. Typical agricoltural products are an excellent virgin olive oil, cheeses, milk products, taralli (special biscuits) and other bread derivatives, juicy meats, and, last but not least, typical cakes and cookies including the well known torroni. As far as fruit is concerned, the most characteristic of the area, the annurca apple, “brutta ma buona”, is never absent from the table.
