Bisceglia Aglianico del Vulture Basilicata Italy 2007

Price: £8.79

Violets on the mouth is backed by firm tannins, medium acidity and alcohol.

Producer: Bisceglia in southern Italy was founded in 2001 by Mario Bisceglia who, after working around the world in the corporate food industry, returned to his native Basilicata to grow grapes and champion the wines of the region.

Grape: Aglianico, is a quality Italian red grape grown in the mountainous centre of the south of the country, particularly in the Campanian provinces of Avellino (home of Taurasi – the region’s best-known, high-quality wine) and Benevento as well as Potenza and Matera in Basilicata. There is also some in Calabria, Puglia and Molise and on the island of Procida near Naples.

This dark-skinned grape is thought to have originated in Greece, and its name is actually a corruption of Ellenico, the Italian word for Hellenic.

This early-budding vine likes volcanic soil and performs best in dry, sunny conditions. It can ripen as late as November, even this far south, and needs the time in order to kerb the grape’s harsh tannins. The best wines have a deep garnet colour with chocolate and plum aromas, fine-grained tannins and noticeable acidity on the palate. This is achieved in the DOCs of Aglianico del Vulture in Basilicata and Taurasi.

Region: Basilicata is a mountainous region in southern Italy, the instep to the country’s boot! It is virtually landlocked and Italy’s third least populated region as a result of emigration since the end of the Second World War. There isn’t a lot of viticulture here and the amount of DOC wine is very small. In fact, the region has only one DOC wine, Aglianico del Vulture, and Vulture, an extinct volcano 35 miles north of Potenza, is the most significant viticultural zone. Here, as well as Aglianico, a little Moscato – which is usually sweet and sparkling – and Malvasia – as dry, sweet or sparkling – are produced. The climate is Mediterranean and the soil is predominantly - and not surprisingly - volcanic.

Style: Full-bodied with good chunky tannins that go down well with a rich hearty meal. You can tell these wines have seen oak by the toasty, vanilla aromas as opposed to full-on fruit. You’ll find Rioja and similar styles within this section.

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