Life is too short to drink bad wine.
What is Aglianico?
Aglianico (pronounced [aʎˈʎaːniko], roughly “ahl-YAH-nee-koe”) is a black grape grown in Campania, in Southern 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.”
Another etymology posits a corruption of Apulianicum, the Latin name for the whole of southern Italy in the time of ancient Rome.
During this period, it was the principal grape of the famous Falernian wine, the Roman equivalent of a first-growth wine today.
The vine
The Aglianico vine buds early and grows best in dry climates with generous amounts of sunshine. It has good resistance to outbreaks of iodine, but can be very susceptible to Peronospora. It also has low resistance to botrytis. But since it is much too tannic to make a worthwhile dessert wine, the presence of this noble rot in the vineyard is more of a viticultural hazard than an advantage.
The grape tends to ripen late: Aglianico grape harvest can occur as late as November in some parts of southern Italy. If the grape is picked too early, or with excessive yields, can be aggressively tannic. The vine seems to thrive in particularly volcanic soils.
The wine
Wines produced from Aglianico tend to be full-bodied with firm tannins and high acidity, endowing them with good ageing potential. The rich flavours of the wine make it appropriate for pairing with rich meats such as lamb. In Campania, the grape has been blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the production of some IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) wines.
In its youth, Aglianico is very tannic and concentrated, requiring a few years of ageing before it can be approachable. As it ages, the fruit becomes more pronounced and the tannins more balanced. The trademark colouring of the wine is a deep garnet. In well-made examples of wine, it can have chocolate and plum aromas.
Aglianico grape harvesting
I followed the pruners for one whole day in their activity during the Aglianico grape harvesting, sharing their meals, and trying not to be too intrusive.
Below you can see the photos and a short video, as a micro-history of a beautiful day.
But you can read them also as a resume of the work involved to create wine from grapes!
![L'Aglianico è un vitigno rosso coltivato prevalentemente in Basilicata, Campania, Puglia e Molise. È un vitigno antico, probabilmente originario della Grecia e introdotto in Italia intorno al VII-VI secolo a.C. Una delle tante testimonianze della sua lunga storia è il ritrovamento dei resti di un torchio romano nella zona di Rionero in Vulture, provincia di Potenza. Non ci sono certezze sulle origini del nome, che potrebbero risalire all'antica città di Elea (Eleanico), sulla costa tirrenica della Campania, o essere più semplicemente una storpiatura della parola Ellenico. Testimonianze storico-letterarie sulla presenza di questo vitigno si trovano in Orazio, che cantò le qualità della sua terra natia Venosa e del suo ottimo vino. Il nome originario (Elleanico o Ellenico) divenne Aglianico durante la dominazione aragonese nel corso del XV secolo, a causa della doppia l pronunciata gli nell'uso fonetico spagnolo. E' il vitigno fondamentale per la produzione del prestigioso Taurasi, importante DOCG rosso del Sud Italia. Aglianico (pronounced [aʎˈʎaːniko], roughly "ahl-YAH-nee-koe") 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." Another etymology posits a corruption of Apulianicum, the Latin name for the whole of southern Italy in the time of ancient Rome. During this period, it was the principal grape of the famous Falernian wine, the Roman equivalent of a first-growth wine today. In Campania, the area in and around the village of Taurasi produces Aglianico's only DOCG wine, also called Taurasi. The Aglianico vine buds early and grows best in dry climates with generous amounts of sunshine. It has good resistance to outbreaks of oidium, but can be very susceptible to Peronospera. It also has low resistance to botrytis, but since it is much too tannic to make a worthwhile dessert wine, the presence of this noble rot in the vineyard is more of a viticultural hazard than an advantage. The grape has a tendency to ripen late, with harvests as late as November in some parts of southern Italy. If the grape is picked too early, or with excessive yields, the grape can be aggressively tannic. The vine seems to thrive in particularly volcanic soils.](https://www.photosontheroad.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/21102012-1210_Paternopoli-Vendemmia_5876.jpg "The remains")