About Aglianico del Vulture DOC: Apparently the Greeks planted the Aglianico vines in Basilicata in the 7th century BC, it was then called Hellenica. The transformation of the name into Aglianico occurred at the end of the 15th century during the period of Aragonese domination. In Basilicata, the variety is cultivated in the provinces of Matera and Potenza, where the hilly district around the Vulture yields grapes of exceptional quality. The DOC vineyards are about 2,000 hectares. The yield for the Aglianico DOC cannot be more than 100 Hl per Ha. Vines are trained vertically using variations of method Guyot. Aglianico DOC is one of the most interesting Italian red varietals. The complexity of flavours in this wine, the colour, the depth and elegance are truly exceptional. It's often called the Barolo of the south of Italy. Aglianico del Vulture DOC can improve for many years, becoming increasingly refined and complex in flavours. The extinct volcano, the Vulture, has some of the best condition for growing grapes and it's not yet well known to most consumers.

Varietal: Aglianico 100%
Vineyard Areas: the mountain, "the Vulture" (villages of Venosa, Barile and Rionero).
Training system: trained vertically using variations of method Guyot.
Vine density: 12,000 per hectare (5,000 per acre).
Yield of grapes in wine: 70 HL/Ha (Ton. 3.2 per acre).
Soil: lava soil of volcanic origin.
Harvest: late October.
Wine-making: after de-stemming the grapes are not crushed, so the berries remain intact, assuring softer tannins and great colour extraction. Native yeasts are added and the fermentation starts at a controlled temperature of 22-25° C (70-75° F) for about ten days. The wine is left in contact with the skin for about other ten days, after which it's racked. Then the bacteria are added and the malolactic fermentation takes place, which lasts about six days.
Aging: about one third of the wine is aged in three year old, large Slovenian casks for four months, the remaining in stainless steel tanks. The wine is then slightly filtered and separated from the residual yeasts and sediments, before bottling. Then for nine months in the bottle. By DOC requirements, it's released after November 1st of the year following the harvest.
Alcohol:13%

Winemaker's note: Aglianico is an elegant and glamorous wine with a great structure, fruitiness, good acidity and tannins. The colour is an intense red brick. On the palate it has flavours of blackberry and wild plums with scents of violets and wild strawberries. It also has hints of dark chocolate, liquorice and black pepper.
Food Pairing: excellent with the cuisine of southern Italy, lamb and Thai food.
Serving temperature: 18°- 20°C (64°- 68°F)
Glass type: balloon