WINE-GROWING REGIONS OF SOUTHERN ITALY

Abruzzi (Abruzzo)

Abruzzo produces just one DOCG and three DOC wines that in the past were fairly unknown abroad and routinely considered cheap, generic, supermarket wines. This is changing though, as of much of southern Italy is undergoing a gradual transition from bulk-wine production to quality bottled boutique wines.

This is a mountainous region in east-central Italy, bordering the Adriatic Sea. Wines from this area have become deservedly popular since they received DOC status in the 1980’s; especially the rugged, fruity red Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, grown in a delimited zone south of Chieti. The white Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is also pleasant, but the red is more well-known.

Though the situation is changing, there still a tendency by wine critics, including Italian ones, to look down on the wines produced in the mezzogiorno, or southern Italy. What is missing in this blanket evaluation of Abruzzo wines, is the fact that many better-regarded French and northern Italian wines contain in various measures wine from this region, since much of its production is still shipped north for blending purposes.

The four DOC produced in Abruzzo are the Contro Guerra, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Colline Teramane.

The last two should not be confused with the Tuscan Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. While the Tuscan one takes its name from the town where it’s made in the province of Siena, the Abruzzo wine is made with a grape named Montepulciano.

APULIA (Pulglia)

Apulia is the southern Italy wine district which is the “heel of the boot”. Apulia produces more wine than any other Italian region, usually making up around 17% of the national total. It competes with Sicily for first place as grape producer. The equivalent of 110 million cases of wine is produced from 326,000 acres of vineyards. Apulia has 25 DOC wines.

In the south and east, around Salento, the traditional wines are robust reds primarily made of Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, and Primitivo. These wines are flavorful, age well and excellent values. Some DOC wines that are commonly seen in the United States include Salice Salentino and Leverano. One good example is the Salice Salentino made by Dr. Cosimo Taurino. Using DNA analysis, Primitivo has been determined to be related to California’s Zinfandel.

For a long time much of the wine made here was shipped north to Turin were it was used to make Vermouth, or to France where it was used to give structure to French wines when the local harvest was either poor or insufficient. But in recent years, vintners have revised their views and tastes and are pursuing wines that more effectively balance fruit, acidity, alcohol content and density.

Apulia has always been a region of co-operative wine production. But this is beginning to change as current technology makes producing good table wine easier. With so much wine available both Italian and European community subsidies for co-op wineries have almost completely dried up. As a result these large establishments and their grape-grower members are facing the choice of either changing their politics or risking annihilation. This is probably best for wine connoisseurs, as many co-ops have already scaled back production in order to focus on quality, branded, bottled wines.

Calabria

Calabria is the southernmost part of the Italian mainland: the “toe” of the Italian “boot”. As in other southern areas, the Greeks were the first to introduce many 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 called Enotria or Land of Wine, a definition that later was extended to much of the Italian Peninsula. Two grape varieties of Greek origin dominate – the red Gaglioppo and the white Greco. Modern Calabria is an arid, mountainous region primarily producing undistinguished wines, but there are two exceptions. One is Cirò, which can produce red, white or rosé, has received DOC status. (Local legend has it that Cirò descended directly from the wine Calabrian athletes drank to celebrate their victory at an earlier Olympiad.) The other is Greco, it is the most widely grown grape in the region and finds its way into the nine white DOC wines along with the two other almost ever-present varietals, Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianca. The sweet Greco di Bianco stands out as the finest wine of Calabria, but it is so rare that few Oenophiles have ever tasted it. In all, Calabria produces the equivalent of 12 million cases of wine from the 78,000 acres of vineyards. One producer you will see in the United States is Librandi.

Campania

Campania is a wine region in southwest Italy whose principle city is the port of Naples (Napoli). It also includes the little island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples and the neighboring island of Capri to the south. The soil of the region is predominately volcanic because of the proximity of Mt. Vesuvius. Wine making has been going on in this region since the 13th century BC. Traditionally these wines were made for immediate pleasure and consumption. This has led many to consider the local wines as second-class products. But the possibility of good-quality viticulture exists with abundant sunshine, hillside sites for vineyards, volcanic soil suitable for grape growing, and local varieties of real interest. The last decades of the past century have seen a dynamic resurgence in Campania and distinctive wines have popped up in many provinces, bringing the DOC from nine in 1975 to 19 by the end of 2000.

Red wines of note include Taurasi made of Aglianico and Lacrima Christi or, “Tears of Christ" made of Pedirosso. White wines of note include Fiano d'Avellino, Greco de Tufo, and Coda di Volpe. The most famous producer is Mastroberardino.

Especially in the Taurasi DOCG zone, a handful of winemakers have been pro-actively producing wide arrays of notable reds and whites that have acquired national respect. In addition to Taurasi, there are two other “boutique” reds that debuted in 1994 and have since acquired a respectable status in Italy.

The arguably best-known Campania wine is the Lacrima Christi or, “Tears of Christ”. Though, in the past, it was so overproduced that it almost ruined its reputation. In more recent years serious efforts have been made by local winemakers to restore its former status and have so far met with some success.

Lazio (Latium)

Grape growing and wine making were well known to the Romans who produced excellent wines since Imperial times. The whites are the predominant variety — out of 25 DOC wines produced in the region, 20 are white.

Mostly Malvasia and Trebbiano grapes and, in lesser quantity, Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay and Voigner among the white and Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot, Cesanese, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese and Montepulciano, ripen along the volcanic slopes of the Colli Albani and other areas with soil rich in phosphorous and potassium salts.

Notwithstanding the sexy pleasure derived by sitting at a Roman trattoria on some narrow Trastevere lane or one of the many evocative Roman squares twirling spaghetti alla puttanesca or toying with ossobuco alla romana, washing it down with white Castelli Romani (Roman Castles) wine typically served in caraffa (carafe), we must say that there’s more to the scenery than the wine itself.

Unlike most wines in Italy, the quality of wine in Latium appears to have somewhat declined, the reason being that Rome itself represents a huge market that require low-cost wine. That said, we still advise our readers to sit down at any of those trattoria, soak in the sun while drinking chilled Frascati or whatever the house wine will be. In this case, the scene abundantly complements the

This is the region surrounding the city of Rome. Its vineyards have furnished wine for the capital of Italy since the days of the Roman Empire, and are most famous for their fresh white wines that are best consumed when quite young. One of the most famous of all Italian white wines is Est! Est! Est!, made to the north of Rome around the village of Montefiascone. To the south, the many excellent white wines of the Castelli Romani region –Frascati, Colli Albani, Marino, and Colli Lanuvini- are also renowned and have officially been granted D.O.C status. A good Lazio red wine is Cesanese, produced near the town of Frosinone. The Lazio region as a whole typically produces in excess of (57 million cases of wine, mostly white.)

Sardegna (Sardinia)

A wine tour of Sardinia takes the visitor into a sensational journey of pleasures that transcends the visitation of historical production places and wineries. It is a journey that involves all the senses: perfumes, flavors and colors of Sardinia beckon as one leaves the larger cities behind. The full range of sensations have a deeper impact upon the first-time visitor, or on the visitor who returns after a long absence. The wine routes of the island lead to fantastic landscapes where viticulture has been in existence since pre-Roman times, a tradition that began with the people of the nuraghi and continues into the third millennium. From the Romans to the late Sardinina-Piedmontese kingdom, through the Tuscan and Genovese fiefdoms, the Benedictine or Camaldolean monks and the Spaniards, all contributed to expand and introduce new techniques. The panorama is never monotonous or repetitive and at times displays or hides the remote, unique and complex origins of this Mediterranean island. This is the most ancient land of Italy.

It's well-known that soil composition and climate play an important role in grape growing and wine production. Such a favorable combination of such elements contributed to making the Vermentino di Gallura one of the only four Italian DOCG white wines. The Vermentino, with its delicate aromas of fruit and hint of almonds in the finish, is a wine to be drunk young. In addition to being the perfect complement to all kinds of seafood recipes, from shrimp salads to elaborate seafood platters with vegetables and smoked swordfish, this wine is delicious as an exciting aperitif for all occasions. The Vermentino di Gallura DOCG finesse comes from the combination of ongoing quality control, the richness of the granite decomposition of soil and the microclimate where the original grapes are grown.

In Gallura, the Moscato and Nebbiolo grapes thrive as well. The spumante-dolce (sparkling-sweet) version of the 'Moscato di Tempio DOC is among the most delicate and appreciated dessert wines produced on the island. The red Nebbiolo, known as 'Nebbiolo di Luras', has recently met with a widespread success among wine lovers. In the northwestern part of the island, the Torbato vines grow on seafront fields near Alghero. Of ancient Spanish origin, the Torbato grape produces a dry white wine that in the last twenty years has reached international appreciation. It is produced with selected grapes as well in a special version known as Terre Bianche or White Lands in addition to a spumante brut version.

In addition to Torbato, the vineyards around Alghero include Cannonau (Carignane), the most famous red wine produced in Sardinia. The 'Vermentino di Sardegna', the Nasco and, more recently, the red Cabernet Sauvignon and the white Sauvignon have found an extremely favorable habitat here. The areas of Usini and around Sassari are examples of the favorable island habitat that contributed to the popularity of the Vermentino di Sardegna. Moving south to the hilly sites of the Planargia, in the Nuoro province, one finds the well-known Malvasia di Bosa DOC, a semi-sweet meditation / conversation white wine with typical flowery bouquet. A spumante demi-sec version is currently available as well.

Still in the Nuoro province, opposite the coastal area of Bosa one finds the production area of the extraordinary Cannonau - Nepente di Oliena, a wine celebrated by the poet Gabriele d'Annunzio. The Nepente di Oliena comes from grapes grown on a kind of soil rare in Italy, a clay similar in composition to the one where the Champagne of Reims is cultivated. Good quality Cannonau DOC is also produced around Oliena and Ogliastra.

Moving south, one finds the red and rosé Mandrolisai DOC production area around the center of Sorgono. In the valley of Tirso and the Oristano plains, located at the same latitude of the Mandrolisai growing area but on different habitat another famous Sardinian wine, the Vernaccia di Oristano DOC is produced. This is an ancient, aging, golden yellow white wine that can be compared to the best Jerez wines. It is a perfect meditation / conversation wine that can be paired with the most refined of the traditional island pastries.

Also of ancient origins is the Semidano grape, which in recent times saw new appreciation for both the dry and sweet versions. From the Oristano area comes the Nieddera as well, a wine particularly good with barbeque and game. Moving to the southernmost tip of the island, one finds the Nuragus di Cagliari DOC made from the Nuragus, arguably the most ancient grape cultivated in Sardinia. It is a dry white wine that recently acquired national respect thanks to the careful production of local winemakers. In recent years, the warm and full-flavored Malvasia di Cagliari DOC has also seen a rise in popularity similar to that of the Nuragus.

Along the plain of Campidano and in the areas of Serrabus - Muravera are produced various brands of excellent Cannonau di Sardegna and delicious Monica di Cagliari DOC. As a final destination on our wine testing tour of the island from north to south, we would like to propose the Carignano del Sulcis DOC. Probably imported in ancient times by the French, the Carignano del Sulcis is today a precious wine that confirm the excellent connection between the ancient and the modern achieved by Sardinian oenology.

As a corollary to the wine list of Sardinian wines, we must not forget the production of dessert wines, liquor-like wines and meditation wines that are usually passiti and contains higher alcoholic percentage. The Cannonau produced around Alghero, Oliena and Tortolì are red passiti, while Vermentino and Nasco produced around Monti and Alghero are white passiti. In addition, excellent grappe from single grapes are produced all over the island, such as the Cannonau Passito or Nasco Passito of Alghero, the Vermentino of Monti, Moscato and Vermentino in Bosa and the Vernaccia in Oristano.

Sardinia is a mountainous island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, located about 125 miles off the west coast of Italy. This isolation in Mid-Mediterranean has made Sardinia the most idiosyncratic of Italian regions. It has been influenced as much by other countries as it has Italy, especially Spain. Some examples of the Spanish influence include the dry white made from Malvasia, the Sherry-like Vernaccia di Oristano, the red wines made from Cannonau (related to Carignan from France and Spain). It has over 162,000 acres of vineyards and grows many of the same fine grape varieties as the Italian mainland. Among the more notable white wines are Vernaccia di Oristano Nuragus de Cagliari and the sweet Moscato di Cagliari. The reds tend to be full-bodied. Sardinian wines are not widely known outside of Italy, but with some of their better wines having recently received D.O.C. status, and increased emphasis on quality, exports will increase.

Sicilia (Sicily)

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, some 9,680 square miles in size; and also a major wine region. Sicily has more vineyards than any other Italian region, and competes with Apulia for first place as the largest wine producer. There are over 406,000 acres of wine grapes planted in Sicily, and the warm climate is favorable to vineyards. As a result, wine is the second most valuable export, after citrus fruits. Sicily has 19 DOC wines.

Yet, Sicilians consume less wine per capita than other Italians. Many of those grapes are made into raisins which are used in local cooking. Further more, Sicilian grapes also play a large role in making dessert wines. Dessert wines require more grapes to make the same amount of wine and the wine is consumed in smaller quantities. In the world of international wine, Sicily is renowned for their many outstanding dessert wines. Besides Marsala, the most famous fortified wine of Italy, Sicily also makes other excellent dessert wines made from Malvasia and Moscato.

Though dessert wines account for about 90% of the total DOC production, there are several good reds and whites that are produced on the island. Sicily has only been exporting significant quantities of wine to the US in recent years, but that will surely increase as many of the better wines receive DOC status. The three most well-known wines from Sicily are: Marsala; Etna ,good red, white and rosato wines made from grapes grown on the slopes of Mt. Etna, an active volcano; and Corvo, the popular red and white wines from the estate of the Dukes of Salaparuta. Two of the most celebrated table wine producers in Sicily today are the Tasca d’Almerita family, whose makes the Regaleali estate wines, and the Donna Fugata estate.

If you happen to travel to the island around November 11 (the day dedicated by the Catholic church to Saint Martin) watch for signs announcing the local Festa del Vino or "Festival of the Wine". This is like the French celebrating the "Nouveau Beaujolais". In Italy it is believed that on this date the new wine is ready for consumption, hence the saying: Il giorno di San Martino il mosto diventa vino or "On Saint Martin's Day the grape juice becomes wine".

Basilicata

Although Basilicata produces only one DOC wine, the quality of it is such that it ranks at the forefront among the best known and appreciated Italian reds. Aglianico, the name of the original grape, is a corruption of the word "Hellenic" or Greek. In fact, as there are no native grapes in this region, the plant was brought over by the Greeks when they settled there in pre-Roman times. The result is that this grape was made into wine long before many native varieties in the northern regions.

The Greeks planted many vines in the zones around the Mount Volture from which some of the best Aglianico still comes today. The single DOC, Aglianico del Volture, was named after this area as well.

Molise

There are only three DOC wines produced in Molise — the Biferno, Molise and Pentro.

• The Biferno, which comes in red, white and rosé, is made around Campobasso.
• The Pentro, which comes in red, white and rosé as well is made at Isernia.
• The Molise comes in red and white varietals and is made almost all over the region