Calabrian wine

Last updated
Calabria Regione Calabria 3.svg
Calabria
Vino DOP Ciro Rosso Gaglioppo (2019) Vino DOP Ciro Rosso Gaglioppo (2019).jpg
Vino DOP Cirò Rosso Gaglioppo (2019)

Calabrian wine (Italian: vino calabrese) is Italian wine from the Calabria region of southern Italy. Over 90% of the region's wine production is red wine, with a large portion made from the Gaglioppo grape. Calabria has 12 denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) regions, but only 4% of the yearly production is classified as DOC wine. The region is one of Italy's most rural and least industrialized with per capita income less than half of the national average. [1] Following World War II, many of Calabria's inhabitants emigrated to Northern Italy, the United States, Australia and Argentina. Those left behind have been slow to develop a vibrant wine industry with only the red wines of Cirò garnering much international attention. Today Calabrian wines are mostly produced to high alcohol levels and sold to co-operatives who transfer the wines to the northern Italian wine regions to use as blending component. Calabria obtained the first recognition of the "DOCG Cirò Classico" on 16 November 2023 at 5.00 pm in Cirò Marina at the "Borgo Saverona" hall. Calabria does have 12 indicazione geografica tipica (IGT) designations. [2]

Contents

History

Pierre Puget's 1682 sculpture of Milo of Croton at the Louvre Puget1.jpg
Pierre Puget's 1682 sculpture of Milo of Croton at the Louvre

The region of Calabria was first cultivated by the Oenotrians, and then by the ancient Greeks. The Greek athlete Milo of Croton was from this region and was reported to drink 10 litres (2.6 US gal) of Ciró wine each day. Tradition has that the wine is still made in the same way today as it was in Milo's time. [3] During the 1st century AD, Pliny the Elder included Calabrian wine in his listings of quality Italian wines. [4]

Climate and geography

Calabria is located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula and is characterized by its Mediterranean climate. To the north is the Apennine Mountains forming the border with Basilicata. The Ionian Sea forms the eastern and southern borders followed by the Strait of Messina (separating Calabria from Sicily) and Tyrrhenian Sea forming the western border. The winters are mild, with average temperatures around 10°C, rarely dropping below 5°C. The climate near the coast is very hot and dry throughout most of the year. The majority of the region's wine production takes place in the central areas of the eastern and western coastlines. [2]

Regions

Cirò

The Cirò wine region is located in the eastern foothills of the La Sila region and extends to the Ionian coast. The region's classico (or heartland) is centered on the comuni (municipalities) of Cirò and Cirò Marina in the province of Crotone. The soil of this area is predominantly calcareous marl with some clay and sand deposits. The wines of the regions are predominantly red containing at least 95% of the Gaglioppo grape and up to 5% of the white Greco bianco and Trebbiano grapes permitted. Rosés and white wines from at least 90% Greco bianco and up to 10% Trebbiano are also made in Cirò but in very limited quantities. While a common synonym of Trebbiano is Greco, the grape is separate and distinct from the Calabrian wine grape Greco bianco. The designation of Cirò classico will only appear on red wines. Red Cirò is typically very tannic and full bodied with strong fruit presences. It is often meant to be consumed 3–4 years after vintage, but can take more time to soften the tannins. [2] It is said that Cirò was offered to winners of the ancient Olympics. [5]

Other wine regions

Provinces of Calabria Map of region of Calabria, Italy, with provinces-it.svg
Provinces of Calabria

Of the remaining 11 DOC regions, Melissa and Isola di Capo Rizzuto are located near Cirò along the Ionian coast. In the far southern province of Reggio Calabria are the Bianco and Bivongi regions. The western wine regions are located in the provinces of Catanzaro and Cosenza. They include the DOCs of Donnici, Lamezia Terme, Pollino, San Vito di Luzzi, Savuto, Scavigna and Verbicaro. [2]

IGTs

Throughout Calabria there are 12 distinct IGT zones and one overlapping "Calabria" designation that covers the entire region. In the province of Catanzaro is Valdamato. The province of Cosenza included Condoleo, Esaro and Valle del Crati, but these have merged into Terre Di Cosenza DOC in 2011 including also the old Donnici, Pollino, San Vito di Luzzi, and Verbicaro DOCs. [6] In the province of Crotone is Lipuda and Val di Neto. The province of Reggio Calabria includes the most IGT zones with Arghillà, Costa Viola, Locride, Palizzi, Pellaro, and Scilla. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garganega</span> Variety of grape

Garganega is a variety of white Italian wine grape widely grown in the Veneto region of North East Italy, particularly in the provinces of Verona and Vicenza. It is Italy's 6th most widely planted white grape. It forms the basis of Venetian white wine Soave and is also a major portion of the blend used to make Gambellara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Verdicchio</span> Variety of grape

Verdicchio is a white Italian wine grape variety grown primarily in the Marche region of central Italy. The name Verdicchio derives from verde and refers to the slight green/yellow hue that wines made from the grape can have.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lizzano, Apulia</span> Comune in Apulia, Italy

Lizzano is a comune of 10,175 inhabitants (2013) in the province of Taranto in the Apulia region of southeast Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaglioppo</span> Variety of grape

Gaglioppo is a red wine grape that is grown in southern Italy, primarily around Calabria. The vine performs well in drought conditions but is susceptible to oidium and peronospora. The grape produces wine that is full-bodied, high in alcohol and tannins with a need for considerable time in the bottle for it to soften in character. It is sometimes blended with up to 10% white wine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montepulciano (grape)</span> Variety of grape

Montepulciano is a red Italian wine grape variety that is most noted for being the primary grape behind the DOCG wines Colline Teramane Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Offida Rosso; and the DOC wines Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Rosso Conero, and Rosso Piceno Superiore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuscan wine</span> Notable wine region in Italy

Tuscan wine is Italian wine from the Tuscany region. Located in central Italy along the Tyrrhenian coast, Tuscany is home to some of the world's most notable wine regions. Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano are primarily made with Sangiovese grape whereas the Vernaccia grape is the basis of the white Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Tuscany is also known for the dessert wine Vin Santo, made from a variety of the region's grapes. Tuscany has forty-one Denominazioni di origine controllata (DOC) and eleven Denominazioni di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG). In the 1970s a new class of wines known in the trade as "Super Tuscans" emerged. These wines were made outside DOC/DOCG regulations but were considered of high quality and commanded high prices. Many of these wines became cult wines. In the reformation of the Italian classification system many of the original Super Tuscans now qualify as DOC or DOCG wines but some producers still prefer the declassified rankings or to use the Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) classification of Toscana. Tuscany has six sub-categories of IGT wines today.

Greco is an Italian wine grape that may be of Greek origin. The name relates to both white and black grape varieties. While there is more land area dedicated to Greco nero, the Greco bianco is the grape most commonly referred to by "Greco". In the Campania region it is used to produce the denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG) wine Greco di Tufo. In Calabria, it is used to make the denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) wine Greco di Bianco. The name "Greco" is sometimes used as a synonym for several varieties of supposed Greek origins-most notably Trebbiano.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiano (grape)</span> Variety of grape

Fiano is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown primarily in the Campania region of southern Italy and on the island of Sicily. In Campania, this fairly strong flavored white wine grape is particularly noted around Avellino where the Denominazione di origine controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wine of Fiano di Avellino is produced. The grape has a long history in the Campanian region and is believed to have been the grape behind the ancient Roman wine Apianum. Even today, the name Apianum is permitted to appear on wine labels of the DOCG wine Fiano di Avellino.

Verdeca is a white Italian wine grape variety that is primarily grown in Apulia in southern Italy where ampelographers believe that the grape may have originated. In Apulia, it is one of the main grapes in the Denominazione di origine controllata wines of Locorotondo DOC and Martina Franca DOC along with Bianco d'Alessano. In Campania, it is grown on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius where it used as a blending variety with Falanghina, Coda di volpe and Greco in both the white wines and the sweet dessert wine of the region, Lacryma Christi. It is also a minor component used in the some vermouth production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grechetto</span> Variety of grape

Grechetto or Grechetto bianco is a white Italian wine grape variety of Greek origins. The grape is planted throughout central Italy, particularly in the Umbria region where it is used in the Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) wine Orvieto and Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) wine Valdichiana Toscana. It is primarily a blending grape, though some varietal wine is also produced. Grechetto is commonly blended with Chardonnay, Malvasia, Trebbiano and Verdello. The grape's thick skin provides good resistance to downy mildew which can attack the grape late in the harvest season. This makes Grechetto a suitable blending grape in the production of Vin Santo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orvieto DOC</span>

Orvieto is an Italian wine region located in Umbria and Lazio, centered on the comune of Orvieto. It is primarily known for its white wines made from a blend of mostly Grechetto and Trebbiano, which is sold under the Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) Orvieto and Orvieto Classico. Blended red wine and eight varietal reds are sold under the Rosso Orvietano DOC. The region has been producing wine since the Middle Ages, when Orvieto wine was known as a sweet, golden-yellow wine. Today's white Orvieto is dry, but a semi-sweet style, known as Orvieto Abboccato, and dolce (sweet), are also produced in small quantities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bombino bianco</span> Variety of grape

Bombino bianco is a white Italian wine grape variety planted primarily along Italy's Adriatic coast line, most notably in Apulia. The vine is prone to high yields and often produces neutral flavor wines. The grape is known under many synonyms throughout Italy including Debit and Pagadebit, names which came from the grape's reputation for being a high yielding and reliable crop for vineyard owners to grow that would assure them that on each vintage they could pay off their debts.

Drupeggio is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown in the Central Italy wine regions of Tuscany and Orvieto. The grape is often confused for the white Tuscan variety Vernaccia di San Gimignano, which is also known under the synonym Canaiolo bianco and may be counted as one and the same in field blends.

Magliocco Dolce is a red Italian wine grape variety that is grown mostly in the Calabria region of southern Italy. In agricultural census counts, plantings of Magliocco Dolce are often grouped with the related, but distinct, red grape variety Magliocco Canino. Throughout history, numerous red southern Italian wine grape varieties have been variously known under the synonyms of "Magliocco" or "Magliocchi", most notably Gaglioppo, but recent DNA analysis has shown those grapes to be unrelated to Magliocco Dolce or Magliocco Canino.

Etna is a Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) for wine from the Etna region in Italy.

Bianco di Pitigliano is a denominazione di origine controllata that is located close to the southern coast of Tuscany, in Italy. The DOC was created in 1966.

Mantonico bianco is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown in the Calabria region of southern Italy. Ampelographers believe that the grape is likely of Greek origins and was transported to southern Italy by ancient Greek settlers. Though the variety has a long history in Calabria, its numbers have been slowly declining with 1100 hectares/2700 acres planted in the region by the end of the 20th century.

Mantonico bianco is a white Italian wine grape variety grown in the Calabria wine region of southern Italy. The grape should not be confused with the similarly named Calabrian grape Montonico bianco or with Guardavalle, which is known as Mantonico in the province of Cosenza in Calabria. In the early 21st century, DNA profiling suggested that Mantonico bianco may be one of the parent varieties of the red Calabrian grape Gaglioppo which is also known as Mantonico nero.

Addoraca is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown in the Calabria region of southern Italy where it is blended with Coda di Volpe bianca, Malvasia bianca di Candia and Muscat blanc à Petits Grains in the passito dessert wine Moscato di Saracena.

References

  1. ↑ J. Robinson (ed) "The Oxford Companion to Wine" Third Edition pg 122-123 Oxford University Press 2006. ISBN   0-19-860990-6.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 M. Ewing-Mulligan & E. McCarthy Italian Wines for Dummies pg 226-231 Hungry Minds 2001. ISBN   0-7645-5355-0.
  3. ↑ M. Toussaint-Samat "A History of Food" pg 263 Wiley-Blackwell 1994. ISBN   0-631-19497-5.
  4. ↑ H. Johnson Vintage: The Story of Wine pg 64 Simon and Schuster 1989. ISBN   0-671-68702-6.
  5. ↑ Milioni, Stefano. "Cirò". Archived from the original on 2007-12-18. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
  6. ↑ "Terre di Cosenza DOC » Italian Wine Central".

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.