o other wine enjoys such a privileged place in mythology, enological and otherwise, as Falerno. For centuries, its name was inseparably linked with that of Bacchus and was used interchangeably in reference to the wine itself or to its patron diety.Legend has it that Bacchus appeared in mortal form to an old farmer, named Falernus, who lived on the slopes of Mount Massico. Despite the god's rather scruffy appearance, which he had purposely assumed, the farmer welcomed him and offered him all that he had-milk, honey and fruit. Moved, Bacchus rewarded such hospitality by transforming the milk into a wine that Falernus drank, falling to sleep immediately afterward. And at that moment, Bacchus converted the slopes of Mount Massico into a vast vineyard, launching a tradition that few other wines can begin to match.
Falernum or Falerno was praised and recommended by all the poets of classical Rome, while the historians reported that the wine was invariably found on the banquet tables of the emperors as well as among the provisions that were taken along by armies and generals in the great wars of conquest waged by ancient Rome.
With the decline of the Empire in the West, references to the wine tapered off. However, it was still repeatedly cited in its moments of splendor, although they were transitory, throughout the history of the Kingdom of Naples.
Revival of the production of the wine coincided with the arrival of the Bourbons in Naples and with the imposing work of reclaiming land and relaunching agriculture throughout Campania. Inexplicably, however, extremely few growers had the capacity to profit commercially from the aura of fascination surrounding the wine that was created by its history and mythology. Only in quite recent times have the producers come to realize what a valuable asset the wine's image represents. That realization led first to a decisive improvement in the wine's quality and then to the granting of the DOC recognition.
