Cantine Olivella is located in Sant’Anastasia, a small village near Naples, on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, one of the most distinctive and historic volcanic wine areas in Italy. The winery takes its name from the ancient “Olivella Source,” a spring of water near which, in 1974, archaeologists discovered a fragment of a Roman wine amphora engraved with the name of an ancient winemaker, “Sex Cati Festi.” This discovery became the emblem and symbol of Cantine Olivella, linking the estate to a millennia-old winemaking tradition.
The vineyards are planted on volcanic soils formed by eruptions of Mount Vesuvius and Mount Somma. These soils, rich in minerals and characterized by excellent drainage, give the wines a distinctive freshness, salinity, and strong sense of place. The altitude, around 550 meters above sea level, combined with constant ventilation and significant temperature shifts between day and night, allows for slow, balanced ripening of the grapes.
Cantine Olivella was among the first wineries to officially register as a producer of Catalanesca, an ancient grape variety originally brought from Catalonia, Spain. On the volcanic slopes of Monte Somma, Catalanesca has found an ideal environment, expressing remarkable elegance, aromatic complexity, and natural freshness.
Alongside Catalanesca, the estate cultivates other traditional Vesuvian varieties such as Piedirosso, Aglianico, Caprettone, and Sciascinoso. Each grape is grown with great respect for the land and local traditions, allowing the wines to faithfully reflect the unique character of the Vesuvian terroir.
Today, Cantine Olivella stands as a reference point for authentic wines of Mount Vesuvius, producing bottles that combine history, volcanic energy, and indigenous varieties into expressive and distinctive wines deeply rooted in their territory.
