Ciao, fellow oenophiles!

Welcome back to our weekly Wednesday Wines segment. Are you ready for a taste of some fine vino lucano? If so, then follow me as we venture out of Calabria and into the neighboring region, the relatively unknown Basilicata – La Lucania.

All the way down at the southern end of Italy, in the arch of the boot, is the region of Basilicata. It is sparsely populated, home to sturdy people of ancient traditions. (It’s still not uncommon to see men riding donkeys, or women carrying balls of clothing atop their heads). The Roman name of the region was Lucania, named after the first known settlers—the Lucanian people—whose name was derived from the root lucus, Latin for “forest.” The Samnites tribes once inhabited the area as well, before the Greeks took it and began planting vines in the areas around Monte Vulture. An area from which some of the best Aglianico still comes from today. This extinct volcano in northwest Basilicata is 4,350 feet high and boasts mineral-rich soils. Some vineyard are as high as 2,400 feet above sea level, although the better ones are normally grown between 600 to 1,800 feet – mostly concentrated on the eastern face of the volcano, where the climate is rather cool. The harvests are some of the latest in Italy, usually beginning around October 20th or even later. This longer, cooler growing season allows the grapes to develop not only physically, but also allows them to acquire greater balance and complexity.

Basilicata has only one DOC wine star called Aglianico del Vulture, but what a star it is! The quality of it is such that it ranks at the forefront among the best known and appreciated reds in Italy, and recently has been gaining admirers elsewhere as well. The Aglianico grape—also the base of Campania’s Taurasi—was one of those brought to the Lucania by the Greeks in the 7th century B.C. (The name Aglianico is, in fact, a corruption of the word Hellenico).

In the still untouched region of Basilicata, It’s still not uncommon to see men riding donkeys, or women carrying balls of clothing atop their heads to century-old fountains to be washed.

The slopes of the extinct volcano Monte Vulture produce a robust, deeply colored wine that can improve for many years from fine vintages, becoming increasingly refined and complex in flavor. Garnet red with brown hues when older, Aglianico del Vulture’s nose is fragrant and bold, wonderfully redolent of strawberry and raspberry. It is dry and harmonic on the palate, tending towards a more velvety finish with maturity. Aglianico del Vulture cannot be sold before one year from the vintage, but there are also younger versions of the wine – sometimes semisweet and even sparkling. The robust Aglianico del Vulture goes very well with meats, especially roasts and wild game.

Other respected wines from La Lucania are the theTerra dell’Alta Val d’Agri red and rosé wines, which are based on Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The rosso (red) pairs beautifully with savory dishes like pasta with meat or a mushroom ragù, as well as main courses like grilled, stewed or oven-baked red meats. This interesting wine is also delicious served with aged Pecorino cheese.

Matera, which takes its name from the city and province in which it is grown, uses a range of varieties in its six major types of wine, including the red Sangiovese, Primitivo and Cabernet Sauvignon in addition to it’s notable whites such as Greco Bianco and Malvasia Bianca di Basilicata.

Next week’s installment of Wednesday Wines will bring us toward the Adriatic coast and into the region of Puglia (Apulia), a fertile land of excruciating beauty and deep historical and agricultural wealth. Besides its abundance in olive trees and wheat, Puglia produces more wine than any other Italian region – competing with Sicily for first place as grape producer.

So until next week, Salute!

Would you like to visit Basilicata and discover all this untouched region has to offer? Would you like to find your relatives still living there as well? Contact us today and find out how italyMONDO! can help you research your Italian (and Lucano!) family tree or create a vacation of a lifetime with a custom Heritage Tour or Excursion for you and your family!

Photo Courtesy of “jntolva” at Flickr