Aglianico and terroir: the difficult grape variety

Today we talk about one of the most important red grape varieties of southern Italy, the Aglianico, a grape that produces great wines and is cultivated across many different territories. Wines that, considering the different territorial characteristics and the various winery interpretations, are certainly among the most important in Italy, even if not always among the most well-known.
The occasion that gave us the opportunity to discuss it was during an event organized by Athenaeum, where you can find details about the Aglianico tasting I attended. Where we tasted seven wines made from Aglianico grapes coming from four different territories: the Vulture in Basilicata, Irpinia, Cilento, and finally Sannio (Taburno) in Campania.

But let us proceed in order. Let us start from the beginning, that is, from Aglianico, a grape brought to southern Italy by the Greeks (the ancient Ellenico). It is a late-ripening variety, given that the grape harvest normally takes place in late October. Compared to some early varieties such as Primitivo or Merlot, which are harvested at the end of August or the beginning of September, with Aglianico we have a natural vegetative delay of 40–50 days, with everything that can happen in the meantime. Aglianico is therefore a difficult grape variety to manage and is naturally subject to numerous weather-related risks.

With the harvest taking place in October, in some of the areas cultivated with Aglianico one can quite rightly speak of cold-climate viticulture. In Irpinia and in the Vulture, it is not uncommon to see temperature differences of 4–6°C compared to the coastline, given that the Monti del Partenio and the Terminio clearly separate the climatic zones. These natural barriers also greatly delayed the arrival of phylloxera in the inland areas of the southern Apennines. The terrible insect that feeds on the root system of the vine arrived in the area only in the mid-1930s, more than half a century later than in Piemonte and northern Italy. Irpinia, during that period, was one of the greatest wine-producing territories in Italy. Phylloxera first, and the war shortly after, radically changed its landscape.

The soils of these wine districts are often volcanic or at least covered by volcanic material. Il Vulture is an extinct volcano, while Irpinia and Sannio were submerged by debris from the eruptions of Vesuvio. Unlike the three preceding territories, the soils of Cilento are geologically very varied, generally clay-limestone of sedimentary origin. But being close to the sea, Cilento shares with the others the minerality of the territory, which here is perhaps more iodine-rich, more marine. Characteristics that we then find reflected in the wines.

Aglianico is today a grape that slowly – but now for over a decade – has begun to gain specific recognition in the market. This is evidenced by the significant increase in vineyard surfaces planted with Aglianico, not only in the historic territories. This trend can also be observed in northern Calabria, along the Ionian ridge; then in Molise, in Daunia and in the Murge in Puglia.

Overall, we are talking about a difficult grape variety. We have already discussed the long vegetative period and the consequences of this characteristic. Furthermore, Aglianico is endowed with a very significant tannic load, good freshness, and is also low-yielding. At a certain point, during the 1990s, it had all the makings of a variety that the market would not favor. During that period, soft, jammy wines were sought – and produced – the classic wines conceived for competitions or for the "top 100" rankings of well-known American trade publications. It was inconceivable at the time to wait for the right moment for the tannins to round out, thus delaying the release of bottles onto the market. Sometimes one must be prepared to wait no less than 4–5 years to appreciate the great aromatic and polyphenolic richness that a great Aglianico can express.

Not to mention its remarkable longevity. If the cork holds and the bottle is well preserved, an Aglianico well managed in the vineyard and correctly vinified and stored in the cellar can be appreciated even after several decades.