Aglianico

Aglianico, a jewel of Southern Italy (and beyond)

When we say Aglianico, we immediately think of Basilicata and, more precisely, of Aglianico del Vulture. But the Lucanian hinterland is not the only one where the cultivation of this black grape variety is concentrated.

It is not infrequent, in fact, to find grapes with the same name also in other areas of Italy and even abroad. The conditions for producing a good wine are favored by a sunny climate, never too sultry, in adequately ventilated areas.

Naturally, from one area to another we can find differences in colour, flavor and olfactory notes, which become a distinctive trait of the territory. In the following lines we will go on a journey to discover the characteristics, the territory and many other aspects concerning the blend and the final product.

Aglianico, where does the name come from?

The term could derive from ῾Ελληνικός, i.e. "belonging to Greece". The areas from which the vine comes, in fact, in ancient times were Greek colonies and the Hellenic populations had imported it into southern Italy, where it took root right away.

But there's more: it is very probable that the current wording is attributable to the Aragonese. Since the time of their conquests in Italy, they pronounced the word "Ellenico" as "Aglianico" and, since then, the name has never changed.

Grape characteristics for Aglianico wine

As already mentioned, it is a black grape variety, with reflections tending towards bluish. The bunches, made up of one or two branches also called wings, are small, conical or cylindrical in shape, and weigh no more than 250 g.

The berries form a dense structure, with very few empty spaces between one grain and another. The skin is thick, generally covered in bloom (the same white patina that we also see in plums). During the harvest, the yield of the grapes never exceeds 70%.

Geographical location, climate and soil type

Aglianico wine comes not only from Lucania, but also from Puglia, Molise and Campania, with vines that extend for a total of 7500 hectares within the national borders. In recent years, cultivation has taken hold in other parts of the world, such as Australia and California, in areas exposed to the sun and moderate humidity.

For the survival of the vines, the humidity rate is decisive, which must remain at very low levels. In this way, the grapes will reach an adequate level of ripeness, at the basis of an optimal alcohol content for the wine (12 - 15%Vol./degrees).