Aglianico del Vulture,
the Barolo of the South
Last year at Vinitaly, a sign in one of the smaller pavilions caught my eye: Aglianico del Vulture, Italy's Great Unknown Wine. "Tell me about it," I said to the sommelier behind the bar. I expected to be offered one, maybe two wines; instead the man got out glasses and began to pour: D'Angelo Riserva (several vintages) , D'Angelo Vecchio (several vintages) , D'Angelo d'annata, a D'Angelo Vino Novello, Paternoster (again, riserva, vecchio and d'annata), the wines of the local cooperative, and even a spumante (blanc de noirs) made from the Aglianico grape. It was an extraordinary, eye-opening experience.
While I tasted and took notes, he talked: "Some people call Aglianico del Vulture the Barolo of the South," he began, and went on to explain that this may be a misnomer, because the Aglianico grape has been cultivated since before Rome even existed, and long before the Celts living in Piedmont knew about wine. Though things get hazy at this point, historians think the grape may have been introduced by the Greeks as Hellenica; the name gradually became Hellanica, and that became Aglianico (pronounced Allianico) sometime in the 15th century. All this means that the vines have had close to three thousand years to become adapted to their terroir; they have done so superbly.
Though Aglianico is grown throughout much of Basilicata, it comes into its own in the northern part of the region, far from the sea on the slopes of Mount Vulture. Here the vineyards are at elevations between 600 and 2200 feet (the best are between 600 and 1600), where they can soak up the summer sunlight, and are spared the worst of the heat that blankets the lowlands. Making wine on a mountain does have drawbacks; if the weather shifts during the harvest it can ruin the vintage, and Aglianico is known for being inconsistent from year to year.
This does not mean you should avoid it; merely that you should taste a
bottle before you buy a case. For in a good year you are in for a rare
treat: A deep ruby red that tends to garnet with age (and gains orange
highlights), a very distinctive vinious bouquet with strong berry and
fruit overtones, and a dry, well structured body with nice tannins that
become velvety with age.
Serving Aglianico:
The vino d'annata will go well with pasta served with poultry or
meat-based sauces. The vecchio and riserva wines will also
go well with second course dishes, either red meats or game.
Technical stuff:
Aglianico del Volture is from Basilicata, in Southern Italy. It is made exclusively from the Aglianico grape, from vineyards in the townships of Rionero in Vulture, Barile, Rapolla, Ripacandida, Ginestra, Forenza, Acerenza, Melfi, Atella, Venosa, Lavello, Palazzo S. Gervasio, Banzi and Genzano di Lucania.
There are a number of producers; the most important include D'Angelo, Paternoster, Sasso, and the Cantine Cooperative.
The maximum allowable yield per hectare is 10,000 kilos of grapes; the maximum allowable yield into wine is 70%.
The minimum alcohol concentration is 12.5%. In addition to Aglianico
d'annata, there is Vecchio, aged 3 years (2 in wood), and Riserva,
aged 5 years (2 in wood).
Good Food & Drink,
Kyle Phillips
