AGLIANICO del VULTURE DOC
FEATURED PRODUCERS:
Bisceglia
THE NAME: Aglianico del Vulture DOC
The Vulture is an extinct volcano about 35 miles north of the city of Potenza in the Basilicata region. The name is just as it suggests:the crests of the volcano/mountain resemble that of the wingspan of a vulture. Also as the name suggests, the wines from this area are made from the Aglianico varietal. Unlike many other Italian wine regions; however, Aglianico is the only allowable grape in this denomination—no blending, not even with other native varietals.
The Aglianico del Vulture DOC was first established in 1971 and covers 15 communes with an elevation delimitation of 200m-700m asl. Wines must also have a minimum of 12.5% alcohol.
The DOC allows for a red still wine as well as a spumante (sparkling) wine also made from the Aglianico grape. The sparkling wine must be made with the second fermentation in the bottle--Champagne style. Sparkling wine isn’t necessarily traditional in this area. The codified concept of this bubbly wine was borrowed from the French in the 1800s and even then, only a few Italian regions really adopted the practice officially. Therefore, it is interesting that sparkling wine would be part of the Aglianico del Vulture DOC before a more traditional rosato wine, but I don’t make the rules. Nonetheless, the fact that the grape can make both a tannic, big red, and a structured, high acid white* sparkling wine is testament to its power and versatility. The minimum age requirement for both the still red and the bubbly is 9 mo (compared to Champagne’s 15mo), before release to the market.
The name: Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCG
This is a more restricted subzone of the Aglianico del Vulture DOC created in 2011. More restricted in that the production requirements are more specific but the geographical area is the same. The Superiore DOCG has a higher minimum alcohol content of 13.5% and is for red still wine only, of course made with 100% Aglianico.
Aging requirements increase to a minimum of 3 years with a mandatory 12 months in barrel and 12 months in bottle before release.
Within this category you will also find a “Riserva”, with a minimum of 5 years aging before release: 24 mo mandatory time in oak, 12 mo in bottle.
The Land
The volcano itself rises to 1,326m asl, but the maximum elevation for the DOC is 700m. Mountains offer different ranges in elevation and sun exposure, and a wine made in one section of the Vulture DOC can be very different from the others.
The 15 municipalities/communes within the Aglianico del Vulture DOCG are: Acerenza, Atella, Banzi, Barile Forenza, Genzano di Lucania, Ginestra, Lavello, Maschito, Malfi, Palazzo San Gervasio, Rapolla, Rionero in Vulture, Ripacandida, and Venosa.
The production area faces East towards the Adriatic sea (the sea offers influence on the mesoclimate: it cools during warmer months and can simultaneously function as a warming influence in cooler temps). The Vulture mountain also acts as a barrier to the scirocco coming from the South--hot southern winds that blow rather intensely from northern Africa (yep! Southern Italy is neighbors with Africa, and yes the winds can travel that far. Pretty amazing, right?). Therefore, the vineyards are in this little shelter and are spared the hottest temperatures. The clay and volcanic tuff mixture of the soils also provide great water retention, which means that even during drought, the vines have access to water.
The Italian grape expert, Ian D’Agata, defines two major soil subzones of the Vulture:
The communes closer to the volcano’s peaks have more volcanic tuff (compacted ash) composition as well as more volcanic material in general (pumice/volcanic rock, tephra--all fragments of pyroclastic material ejected by an eruption, including ash--and lava flow deposits).
The areas of Maschito and Venosa were once covered by a large lake, so the soils are of ancient lake deposits (gravel, sand, and tufa - a porous limestone rock/deposit that is often found near hot springs). Volcanic material is still of course present in these zones, just to a lesser extent than the other zones. Maschito is unique in that it has some red soils, which suggest higher iron content.
Being a mountain with varying slopes and elevations, different areas will have different lengths of sun exposure and altitude heights, both of which immensely influence grape growing. Despite soil composition, a wine made from a high altitude will typically result in higher acid.
The producers and experts have been hard at work to understand the Vulture zone and define its soil types as well as the various historical cru (though, it is a touchy subject once we start telling one producer their growing zone is inferior to others). Due to such perseverance, the area has experienced a resurgence in quality winemaking and export and it no longer stands in the shadows of its Campanian counterparts. It most certainly should hold a place on any Italian wine list.
The grapes
*(from above) Aglianico is a red grape varietal, but like most red wines, the color comes from the juice’s contact with the grape skins. One can press grapes and extract only the liquid and sugars, separating it from the skins, and end up with the white juice.
The only allowable grape is Aglianico, all labels with this denomination must be 100% Aglianico. Aglianico is a thick skinned, tannic, and acidic varietal whose said qualities make for an age worthy, powerful wine.
The Aglianico vine thrives best in these loose, volcanic soils. Why exactly is unclear, but if you recall that vines do well in mineral rich, yet poor in organic nutrient soils, then you have one small answer to a rather big question. It is early flowering yet late ripening, which means in these prime areas, November harvests are not uncommon. Late ripening varieties, especially if they are also early flowering, need heat and a long/extended growing season to develop fully and correctly, which is yet another reason it does so well here. Warm, sunny days, cool nights, with warm temperatures extending into the fall, give this grape the time it needs to mature.
While Aglianico makes appearances in Puglia and other southern regions, it is widely accepted that its spiritual home is in Campania and Basilicata. The Aglianico from Vulture is specific to this micro area and considered a different biotype than the Aglianico in other regions. Vulture Aglianico wines tend to express more upfront fruit notes (even blue fruit, such as blueberry) than their Campania counterparts.
The grape is thought to be Greek in origin, so its roots in these areas of Italy would date all the way back to BCE. There are some experts, however, who believe Aglianico’s origins even predate the Greeks and are actually found right in its spiritual home in southern Italy. Needless to say, its long standing ancient origins in addition to its awesome winemaking potential make it a grape worth knowing.
