At the Greeks of vine cultivation and production of wine, had reached Homeric era of great importance, as may be inferred from the existence of too many varieties of lives and precise practice of harvesting and vinification, which already described Hesiod. The Greeks moved their crops, which they founded colonies all over the Mediterranean. Nell'VIII-seventh century BC the screw was very extensive in the south of Italy, so much so that the Greek colonists called Enotria this land. Ischia, which was the Greek colony of Pithecusa welcomed the Greek with the fertility of its land of volcanic origin and the mild climate ideal for the growth of lives.

During their thousand-year history vine and wine have exerted an influence on the culture of important and in many respects superior to those of other food products. This is due mainly to some special features of this beverage. To the primary fermentation of must appear certainly had a mysterious phenomenon, caused by extraterrestrial forces, which he also linked the state of euphoria and drunkenness caused by wine. It is also possible that the color of wine, recalling the blood, has led man to give, already in earlier eras to the Christian religion, values and especially symbolic function to establish a connection between man and ball of transcendence. The Greeks and Romany venerated Bacchus-Dionysius, the god of vegetation, procreation and wine, in whose worship the drink was widely used to add quell'ebrezza men who approached the gods.

The symbolic values, religious and cultural lives and wine were cast, up from more remote epochs, in a wide range of representations. You can, in fact, that are rare museums, churches, archaeological sites where no there are works of art related to the vine and wine. Among the containers used for wine, covered in all ages of artistic production very broad and diversified, it is the cup. Other containers used for drinking, store, transport and trade wine, made of various shapes and sizes, are a vast area where man has expressed his artistic inspiration from amphorae, several earthenware containers, ceramic, glass up to wooden barrels, and refined glasses.

Very large and very ancient origin is also poetry inspired by the lives and wine, flourished in all times and must be at the Rie civilization: from refined expressions of the Song of Songs to Homeric poems. A Ischia also house numerous archaeological objects designed to contain the precious nectar fermented and citations lettararie in which they are mentioned report to the island, an example for all is the famous cup of Nestor, referred to in, probably imported from Rhodes and on which appears an inscription that refers to the powers of the beverage contained therein. Vpis convivial argument reads like this:

"Nestore.la a good cup drinkers. Who will drink from this cup immediately take him the desire of Aphrodite from the beautiful crown.

With regard to the effects of wine, since ancient times was also suggested a beneficial effect of wine on health, as is apparent among others by the numerous prescriptions reported by Hippocrates of Kos (V-IV century. BC), Celso (I century. AD), Dioscorides, from Galen (130-201 AD), the School Salernitana, from Paracelsus (1493-1541). They therefore had reported that the beneficial effects of the thermal waters. The positive effects on health exercised by a moderate consumption of wine were clearly established by a number of recent medical research: enhance memory, slows down the ageing process and has antibacterial and antioxidant action reduces the onset of certain diseases.

The production of wine is, therefore, an ancient tradition still alive and widespread, and today, worthy of great attention by both producers and consumers. Given its age-old traditions, the island of Ischia could not fail to prestigious wine production. The vineyards on the island of Ischia produce preferably white wines such as Ischia (biancolella 65%, 20% forastera, other grapes 15%) and higher Ischia (forastera 50%, 40% biancolella, St. lunardo 10%) , combined with excellent fish of the sea that surrounds, which joins the Ischia red (guarnaccia 50%, 40% and piedirosso barbera 10%), taste and lively rightly tannic.

Among the major producers include: winery D'Ambra Wines business of most interest are the Biancolella, Forastera and Per'e Palummo (piedirosso), vinified almost alone, with the addition of small quantities of other varieties always native of the island (note, in addition to those already mentioned, other two particular grape grown on the island, a white berried known as grape rilla and a red berry known as cannamelu), and then the Ischia classic white wine and red and Frassitelli. winery hosts a Panza an exhibition area devoted to the life of the peasants: The Museo del Contadino.

Great quality and wisdom are at the wineries Pietratorcia (Stone Torch is but one of several types of press used in antiquity). Absolutely not Miss the visit to the cellars, where in addition to the splendid panoramic view of vineyards can taste wines along with many small delicacies and visit the pit of Rabbits, an ancient method of rearing quest'animale in a state of semi. Or a visit to the ancient library Mattera on the coast of Forio, where we organize cultural events and discussion forums. Among whites include Vigne of Cuotto, Ischia biancoSuperiore biancoSuperiore DOC, blend of biancolella, forastera, grapes rilla and St lunardo. L 'Ischia white smells of Mediterranean herbs, pleasant and structured accompanied to the beautiful fish on the island. Scheria Finally, the white wine with good balance. Turning to the red Tifeo, from grapes guarnaccia and piedirosso from different areas of Forio, has an intense ruby color, winy taste, fruttatto, warm and full-bodied. The red Scheria does not differ too much from his white version. Finally, a sweet white from late harvest, Meditandum, where the grapes tradizonali local biancolella, forastera, rilla and St lunardo, along with the aromatic malvasia di Candia.

Noteworthy also among the producers who are on the island: Cenatiempo, Di Meglio, Mazzella, Perazzo with white Spadara Vigna, a wine as simple as pleasant, and finally the Enoteca Bread & Wine, with its Rule Aurea white and red.