Italian Wine Series: Part 2-The Wines of Basilicata

"Basilicata, also known as Lucania, is an often neglected region of arid hills and desolate mountains that can be bitterly cold for a southerly place. But the cool upland climate has its advantages for viticulture, in wines that can show enviable aromas and flavours. Basilicata has only one DOC in Aglianico del Vulture, but that, at least, gives the inhabitants a source of pride. One of southern Italy's finest red wines, it is gradually gaining admirers elsewhere.

The Aglianico vine - which is also the base of Campania's vaunted Taurasi - was brought to Basilicata by the Greeks, perhaps as long ago as the sixth or seventh century BC. (Its name is a corruption of Hellenico). On the slopes of the extinct volcano known as Monte Vulture it makes a robust, deeply coloured wine that from fine vintages can improve for many years, becoming increasingly refined and complex in flavour. There are also youthful versions of the wine, sometimes semi-sweet and even sparkling, but the dry "vecchio" or "riserva", after ageing in oak casks, rate the most serious consideration.

Aglianico is also used for "vini da tavola" in other parts of the region, notably in the east around Matera, where reds from Sangiovese and Montepulciano also originate. White wines of interest are the sweet Moscato and Malvasia, the best of which come from the Vulture zone and the eastern Bradano valley."

...an excerpt from made-in-italy.com

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In an interview I did with Keith Beavers from InVino Wine Bar, I asked him what was the first wine that made him realize he loved wine? His answer was a wine from Regione Basilicata.

"It was a 1999 Paternoster Aglianico Del Vulture Don Anselmo. It was so full bodied and robust with rose petals and licorice and a tannin structure as mammoth as the mountain it was grown near yet harnessed and balanced. It sent off alarms in my mind and soul telling me this was very important somehow. And here I am a servant of wine, spreading the love...I hope."

Italian Wine Series: The regions of Italy

Over the next three weeks I'll be doing a series about the wines of each of Italy's 20 regions.

Each entry will have a list of wines typical to the specific area along with info about the region. I'll also choose a local wine that is a good value.

The regions to be covered:

Abruzzo
Basilicata
Calabria
Campania
Emilia-Romagna
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Lazio
Liguria
Lombardy
Marche
Molise
Piedmont
Puglia
Sardinia
Sicily
Tuscany
Trentino
Umbria
Valle d'Aosta
Veneto

I'll also be attending the NYC Food & Wine Festival this week and will be seeking out as much info on the subject as possible. If you have any reference material to contribute either in advance or as comments I would greatly appreciate it.

Italian Wine Series: Part 3-The Wines of Calabria

Calabria

Italian Wine Series: Part 3-The Wines of Calabria

Regions:
Cosenza
Crotone
Catanzaro
Vibo-Valentia
Reggio-Calabria

The Greeks seem to have been the first to introduce the wine grape varieties and winemaking techniques to Calabria. The indigenous people became so adept in the art of vine cultivation and fermentation that soon the wines produced in the colony were considered better than the ones made in Greece. The area was then called Enotria or Land of Wine.

Following are DOC regions:

Bianco- The DOC of Greco di Bianco is one of the few predominant white wine regions in Calabria. The area produces most sweet wine from the Greco Bianco grape that have alcohol contents of at least 17%. The wines are typically produced as straw wines with the grapes being partially dried prior to pressing and fermentation. Greco di Bianco is characterized by a deep amber color and aromas of citrus and herbs.

Bivongi-The DOC of Bivongi is one of Calabria's newest DOCs and produces red and rosé wines from blends of Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Nocera, Castiglione and Calabrese. The few white wines made in this region are dry wines made from a blend of Greco Bianco, Guardavalle, Mantonico Bianco, Malvasia Bianca and Ansonica as well as up to 30% of other available white grape varieties.

Donnici- The Domnici DOC is located south of Cosenza on the wester slopes of the the La Sila plateau. The production is mainly red wine made from Gaglioppo with some blending of Greco Nero and Mantonico Nero.

Isola di Capo Rizzuto- The DOC of Sant'Anna di Isola di Capo Rizzuto is located south of commune of Melissa. The region was once an island but overtime the marshland around it filled in and connected the region to the mainland. The DOC produces dry red and rosé wines from Gaglioppo, Nocera, Nerello Mascalese (and the related Nerello Cappuccio), and up to 35% of added Malvasia and Greco Bianco.

Lamezia Terme- The DOC of Lamezia is located on the plains and hill side regions around the Gulf of Sant'Eufemia near the Sant'Eufemia d'Aspromonte along the Tyrrhenian Sea. The region is very warm, allowing the grapes to fully ripen and develop body and alcohol levels. The region produces red and rosé wines from Gaglioppo, Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, Greco Nero, Magliocco and Marsigliana. The white wines from the region are made from Greco Bianco, Malvasia Bianca and Trebbiano.

Melissa-The Melissa DOC is located south of Cirò and produces wines of similar style, though not with the same international reputation of quality. The red wine grapes of the region are the Gaglioppo and Greco Nera with some blending of the white wine grapes Greco Bianco, Malvasia Bianca and Trebbiano.

Pollino- The Pollino DOC is named for the nearby mountain range that forms part of the Apennines. Located near the border with Basilicata, the region produces pale, cherry red wines that need 2-3 years to develop. The wines are made primarily with Gaglioppo and Greco Nero with up to 20% of white grape varieties permitted in the blend.

San Vito di Luzzi- The DOC of San Vito di Luzzi is located in the hamlet of San Vito near the commune of Luzzi. The red and rosé wines from this region are produced with Gaglioppo, Malvasia Nera, Greco Nero and Sangiovese. The white wines are produced from Malvasia Bianca, Greco Bianco and up to 40% of other local white wine varieties.

Savuto- The Savuto DOC is located south of the Donnici region in mountainous terrain that stretches to the coast. The vineyards located closer to the interior are cooler than other parts of Calabria, producing wines with lower alcohol levels. The red and rosé wines from this region are produced with Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Nerello Cappuccio, Magliocco, Sangiovese and up to 25% of the white wine grapes Malvasia Bianca and Pecorello.

Scavigna- The Scavigna DOC is located south of Savuto on the western coast of Calabria. The dry red and rosé wines from this region are made with at least 60% Gaglioppo and Nerello Cappuccio with a blend of other local red wine varieties. The white wines are blend of Trebbiano, Chardonnay, Greco Bianco and Malvasia Bianca.

Verbicaro- The DOC are of the Verbicaro region are located in the Pollino foothills, west of Pollino DOC region and extends to the Tyrrhenian coast. The dry dry red and rosé wines from this region are made from Gaglioppo and Greco Nero with a small amount of the white wine grapes Greco Bianco, Malvasia Bianca and Guarnaccia Bianca blended in. Those same white grapes also produces the limited amount of Verbicaro Bianco.

(Wikepedia)