Aglianico
Encyclopedia
Aglianico is a black grape grown in the Basilicata
and Campania
regions of Italy
. The vine originated in Greece
and was brought to the south of Italy
by Greek settlers. The name may be a corruption of Vitis hellenica, Latin for "Greek vine". Another etymology derives the name Aglianico from a corruption of Apulianicum, the Latin
adjective which indicates the whole of southern Italy in the Roman
age. In early Roman times, it was the principal grape of the famous Falernian wine
which was the Roman equivalent of a First Growth
wine today.
The vine was believed to have first been cultivated in Greece by the Phoceans from an ancestral vine that ampelographers have not yet identified. From Greece
it was brought to Italy
by settlers to Cumae
near modern day Pozzuoli
, and from there spread to various points in the regions of Campania and Basilicata. While it is still grown in Italy, the original Greek plantings seem to have disappeared. In Ancient Rome
the grape was the principal component of the world's earliest First Growth
wine, Falernian
. Along with a white grape known as Greco (today grown as Greco di Tufo), the grape was commented on by Pliny the Elder
, the maker of some of the highest-ranked wines in Roman times.
Traces of the vine have been found in Molise
, Puglia and on the island of Procida
near Naples
, though it is no longer widely cultivated in those places. The grape was called Ellenico (the Italian word for "Greek") till the 15th century when it got its current name Aglianico.
, and is concentrated around the areas of Matera and Potenza
.The most sought-after productions of Aglianico del Vulture come from the vineyards located in and around the extinct volcano Mount Vulture
. In Campania the area in and around the village of Taurasi
Aglianico's only DOCG wine is produced, also called Taurasi
. More Aglianico can be found in the province of Benevento
. In Campania, it is also the principal grape of Aglianico del Taburno and Falerno del Massico.
, Texas
and California
, as it thrives in predominantly sunny climates. In Australia it is being introduced in the Murray Darling region with some success. Producers in McLaren Vale
, Margaret River
, Mudgee and Riverland
are also experimenting with plantings.
s early and grows best in dry climates with generous amounts of sunshine. It has good resistance to outbreaks of oidium
, but can be very susceptible to peronospera. It also has low resistance to botrytis
, but since it is much too tannic to make a worthwhile dessert wine
, the presence of this noble rot
in the vineyard is more of a viticultural hazard than an advantage.
The grape has a tendency to ripen late, with harvest
s happening as late as November in some parts of southern Italy. If the grape is picked too early, or with too high yield
s, the grape can be excessively tannic. The vine seems to thrive in particularly volcanic soils.
and Merlot
in the production of some Indicazione Geografica Tipica
(IGT) wines.
In its youth, the wine is very tannic and concentrated, with need of a few years of ageing before it can be approachable. As it ages, the fruit becomes more pronounced and the tannins more balanced with the rest of the wine. The trademark coloring of the wine is a deep garnet
. In well made examples of the wine, it can have chocolate
and plum
aromas.
Basilicata
Basilicata , also known as Lucania, is a region in the south of Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south, having one short southwestern coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea between Campania in the northwest and Calabria in the southwest, and a...
and Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
regions of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The vine originated in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and was brought to the south of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
by Greek settlers. The name may be a corruption of Vitis hellenica, Latin for "Greek vine". Another etymology derives the name Aglianico from a corruption of Apulianicum, the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
adjective which indicates the whole of southern Italy in the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
age. In early Roman times, it was the principal grape of the famous Falernian wine
Falernian wine
Falernian wine was produced from Aglianico grapes on the slopes of Mt. Falernus near the border of Latium and Campania, where it became the most renowned wine produced in ancient Rome. Considered a "first growth" or "cult wine" for its time, it was often mentioned in Roman literature, but has...
which was the Roman equivalent of a First Growth
First Growth
First Growth status refers to a classification of wines primarily from the Bordeaux region of France.-Bordeaux reds:The need for a classification of the best Bordeaux wines arose for the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris. The result was the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, a list...
wine today.
History
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
it was brought to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
by settlers to Cumae
Cumae
Cumae is an ancient Greek settlement lying to the northwest of Naples in the Italian region of Campania. Cumae was the first Greek colony on the mainland of Italy , and the seat of the Cumaean Sibyl...
near modern day Pozzuoli
Pozzuoli
Pozzuoli is a city and comune of the province of Naples, in the Italian region of Campania. It is the main city of the Phlegrean peninsula.-History:Pozzuoli began as the Greek colony of Dicaearchia...
, and from there spread to various points in the regions of Campania and Basilicata. While it is still grown in Italy, the original Greek plantings seem to have disappeared. In Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
the grape was the principal component of the world's earliest First Growth
First Growth
First Growth status refers to a classification of wines primarily from the Bordeaux region of France.-Bordeaux reds:The need for a classification of the best Bordeaux wines arose for the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris. The result was the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, a list...
wine, Falernian
Falernian wine
Falernian wine was produced from Aglianico grapes on the slopes of Mt. Falernus near the border of Latium and Campania, where it became the most renowned wine produced in ancient Rome. Considered a "first growth" or "cult wine" for its time, it was often mentioned in Roman literature, but has...
. Along with a white grape known as Greco (today grown as Greco di Tufo), the grape was commented on by Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
, the maker of some of the highest-ranked wines in Roman times.
Traces of the vine have been found in Molise
Molise
Molise is a region of Southern Italy, the second smallest of the regions. It was formerly part of the region of Abruzzi e Molise and now a separate entity...
, Puglia and on the island of Procida
Procida
Procida is one of the Flegrean Islands off the coast of Naples in southern Italy. The island is between Cape Miseno and the island of Ischia. With its tiny satellite island of Vivara, it is a comune of the province of Naples, in the region of Campania. The population is about ten...
near Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, though it is no longer widely cultivated in those places. The grape was called Ellenico (the Italian word for "Greek") till the 15th century when it got its current name Aglianico.
Wine regions
In Basilicata, Aglianico forms the basis for the region's only DOCG wine, Aglianico del VultureAglianico del Vulture
Aglianico del Vulture is an Italian red wine based on the Aglianico grape produced in the Vulture area of Basilicata. It was awarded Denominazione di Origine Controllata status in 1971 and the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita status in 2011...
, and is concentrated around the areas of Matera and Potenza
Potenza
-Transportation:Potenza is a rail junction on the main line from Salerno to Taranto, managed by FS Trenitalia; it has also a connection to Altamura, served by the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane regional company...
.The most sought-after productions of Aglianico del Vulture come from the vineyards located in and around the extinct volcano Mount Vulture
Monte Vulture
Mount Vulture is an extinct volcano located 56 km north of the city Potenza in the Basilicata region . As a prominent landmark it gave its name to the Vulture region, the most significant viticultural zone in Basilicata growing the DOC wine Aglianico del Vulture.With a height of 1326 m, it is...
. In Campania the area in and around the village of Taurasi
Taurasi
Taurasi is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy. Taurasi is a historic town which is located in the region of Sannio. The town's name probably derives from the Latin Taurus. With in time it changed to Taurasos and then to Taurasia before changing to the format we see...
Aglianico's only DOCG wine is produced, also called Taurasi
Taurasi (wine)
Taurasi and Taurasi riserva are red, still Italian wines based principally on the Aglianico grape variety produced in the Province of Avellino in the Campania region. They were awarded Denominazione di Origine Controllata status in 1970 and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita status...
. More Aglianico can be found in the province of Benevento
Benevento
Benevento is a town and comune of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, 50 km northeast of Naples. It is situated on a hill 130 m above sea-level at the confluence of the Calore Irpino and Sabato...
. In Campania, it is also the principal grape of Aglianico del Taburno and Falerno del Massico.
Other regions
The grape has also recently been planted in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, as it thrives in predominantly sunny climates. In Australia it is being introduced in the Murray Darling region with some success. Producers in McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale is a wine region approximately 35 km south of Adelaide in South Australia. It has a population of about 2,000 and is internationally renowned for the wines it produces. The region was named after either David McLaren, the Colonial Manager of the South Australia Company or John...
, Margaret River
Margaret River
Margaret River is a river in southwest Western Australia. Although small and unremarkable, it is the eponym of the iconic town and tourist region of Margaret River, famous for its surfing, caves and wine....
, Mudgee and Riverland
Riverland
The Riverland, is a region of South Australia. It covers the area near the Murray River from where it flows into South Australia downstream to Blanchetown.The major town centres are Renmark, Berri, Loxton, Waikerie and Barmera...
are also experimenting with plantings.
Viticulture
The vine budBud
In botany, a bud is an undeveloped or embryonic shoot and normally occurs in the axil of a leaf or at the tip of the stem. Once formed, a bud may remain for some time in a dormant condition, or it may form a shoot immediately. Buds may be specialized to develop flowers or short shoots, or may have...
s early and grows best in dry climates with generous amounts of sunshine. It has good resistance to outbreaks of oidium
Oidium
This article is about a type of fungal spore. For the ascomycete genus, see Oidium . For the fungus that causes powdery mildew on grapes, see Uncinula necator....
, but can be very susceptible to peronospera. It also has low resistance to botrytis
Botrytis cinerea
Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic fungus that affects many plant species, although its most notable hosts may be wine grapes. In viticulture, it is commonly known as botrytis bunch rot; in horticulture, it is usually called grey mould or gray mold.The fungus gives rise to two different kinds of...
, but since it is much too tannic to make a worthwhile dessert wine
Dessert wine
Dessert wines are sweet wines typically served with dessert.There is no simple definition of a dessert wine. In the UK, a dessert wine is considered to be any sweet wine drunk with a meal, as opposed to the white fortified wines drunk before the meal, and the red fortified wines drunk after it...
, the presence of this noble rot
Noble rot
Noble rot is the benevolent form of a grey fungus, Botrytis cinerea, affecting wine grapes. Infestation by Botrytis requires moist conditions, and if the weather stays wet, the malevolent form, "grey rot", can destroy crops of grapes...
in the vineyard is more of a viticultural hazard than an advantage.
The grape has a tendency to ripen late, with harvest
Harvest (wine)
The harvesting of wine grapes is one of the most crucial steps in the process of winemaking. The time of harvest is determined primarily by the ripeness of the grape as measured by sugar, acid and tannin levels with winemakers basing their decision to pick based on the style of wine they wish to...
s happening as late as November in some parts of southern Italy. If the grape is picked too early, or with too high yield
Crop yield
In agriculture, crop yield is not only a measure of the yield of cereal per unit area of land under cultivation, yield is also the seed generation of the plant itself...
s, the grape can be excessively tannic. The vine seems to thrive in particularly volcanic soils.
Wine styles
Wines produced from Aglianico tend to be full bodied with firm tannins and high acidity, making this a wine that has aging potential. The rich flavors of the wine make it appropriate for matching with rich meats such as lamb. In Campania, the grape has been blended with Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
and Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
in the production of some Indicazione Geografica Tipica
Indicazione geografica tipica
Indicazione geografica tipica is the second of four classifications of wine recognized by the government of Italy. Created to recognize the unusually high quality of the class of wines known as Super Tuscans, IGT wines are labeled with the locality of their creation, but do not meet the...
(IGT) wines.
In its youth, the wine is very tannic and concentrated, with need of a few years of ageing before it can be approachable. As it ages, the fruit becomes more pronounced and the tannins more balanced with the rest of the wine. The trademark coloring of the wine is a deep garnet
Garnet
The garnet group includes a group of minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. The name "garnet" may come from either the Middle English word gernet meaning 'dark red', or the Latin granatus , possibly a reference to the Punica granatum , a plant with red seeds...
. In well made examples of the wine, it can have chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
and plum
Plum
A plum or gage is a stone fruit tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. The subgenus is distinguished from other subgenera in the shoots having a terminal bud and solitary side buds , the flowers in groups of one to five together on short stems, and the fruit having a groove running down one...
aromas.