Taurasi and Taurasi riserva are red, still Italian wines based principally on the Aglianico

Aglianico

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"...

 grape variety produced in the Province of Avellino

Province of Avellino

The Province of Avellino is a province in the Campania region of Italy. The area is typified by many small towns and villages scattered across the province; in fact only two towns have a population over 20,000; its capital city Avellino and Ariano Irpino....

 in the 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...

 region. They were awarded Denominazione di Origine Controllata

Denominazione di Origine Controllata

Denominazione di origine controllata is a quality assurance label for food products, especially wines and various formaggi . It is modelled after the French AOC...

(DOC) status in 1970 and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) status in 1993. Produced less than 40 miles (64 km) from the other Aglianico stronghold of Aglianico del Vulture

Aglianico 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...

 in Basilicata

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...

, the volcanic soils of the Taurasi region demonstrate the potential the Aglianico grape has to make wines on par with the Nebbiolo grape of Piedmont and Sangiovese

Sangiovese

Sangiovese is a red Italian wine grape variety whose name derives from the Latin sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jove"...

 grape of Tuscany. The popularity of the region's wine is a relatively recent phenomenon. Until the early 1990s, there was only one winery (Mastroberardino), producing wine for the export market. By the mid 2000s, there were over 293 producers in the Taurausi zone.

Production zone

The vineyards may be located within the boundaries of the following communes of the Province of Avellino

Province of Avellino

The Province of Avellino is a province in the Campania region of Italy. The area is typified by many small towns and villages scattered across the province; in fact only two towns have a population over 20,000; its capital city Avellino and Ariano Irpino....

: 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...

, Bonito

Bonito

Bonito is a name given to various species of medium-sized, predatory fish in the Scombridae family. First, bonito most commonly refers to species in the genus Sarda, including the Atlantic bonito and the Pacific bonito ; second, in Japanese cuisine, bonito refers to the skipjack tuna , which, in...

, Castelfranci

Castelfranci

Castelfranci is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy....

, Castelvetere sul Calore

Castelvetere sul Calore

Castelvetere sul Calore is a comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, southern Italy....

, Fontanarosa

Fontanarosa

Fontanarosa is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy....

, Lapio

Lapio

Lapio is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy....

, Luogosano

Luogosano

Luogosano is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy....

, Mirabella Eclano

Mirabella Eclano

Mirabella Eclano is a town and comune of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of Italy.-Geography:Mirabella is located 46 kilometers away from the provincial capital of Avellino....

, Montefalcione

Montefalcione

Montefalcione is a town and comune of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy.The town lies on a hill which at its summit is 523 meters high.-History:...

, Montemarano

Montemarano

Montemarano is a town and comune of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy.-History:The existence of the town is documented since the 11th century. During Norman times it was attacked by Ruggiero and completely destroyed. Later it became a fiefdom of Raona of Fragneto...

, Montemiletto

Montemiletto

Montemiletto is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy.The population of Montemiletto is roughly 5,400....

, Paternopoli

Paternopoli

Paternopoli is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, southern Italy....

, Pietradefusi

Pietradefusi

-History:According to some scholars, Pietradefusi lies on the site of the ancient Fusolae, a town cited by Livy as an allied of Hannibal during the Punic Wars, and which was later destroyed by the Romans....

, Sant'Angelo all'Esca

Sant'Angelo all'Esca

Sant'Angelo all'Esca is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy....

, San Mango sul Calore

San Mango sul Calore

San Mango sul Calore is a village and comune in the province of Avellino, in the Campania region of Italy.-Geography:It is east of Naples and north of Salerno, about twenty kilometers from the city of Avellino. Nearby, Monte Tuoro is covered with dense forest, where asparagus and a variety of...

, Torre Le Nocelle

Torre Le Nocelle

Torre Le Nocelle is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy....

 and Venticano

Venticano

Venticano is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy....

. The total area is about 420 hectare

Hectare

The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...

s and is situated on volcanic soil.

Winemaking

The Aglianico grape thrives on vineyards at higher altitudes, around 400 to 500 meters above sea level

Sea level

Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...

. According to DOCG regulations, Taurausi wines must be aged a minimum of 3 years prior to release with at least 1 of those years being in wood. For wines labeled Riserva, the wines must be aged for at least 4 years. The wines are made primarily from Aglianico though up to 15% of Barbera

Barbera

Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy . It produces good yields and is known for deep color, low tannins and high levels of acid...

, Piedirosso

Piedirosso

Piedirosso is a red Italian wine grape variety that is planted primarily in the Campania region. The grape is considered a specialty of the region, being used to produce wines for local and tourist consumption. Its name "piedirosso" means "red feet" that reflects the bottom of the vine which used...

 and Sangiovese

Sangiovese

Sangiovese is a red Italian wine grape variety whose name derives from the Latin sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jove"...

maybe be blended in.