📍 Basilicata

Basilicata is a mountainous region in southern Italy, in the “instep of the boot”, between the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas. It is a sparsely populated land of ancient towns, the best known of which is Matera with its cave districts, the Sassi, on the UNESCO list. There are few vineyards here, and wine is made by small producers.

The leading wine of the region is Aglianico del Vulture. The Vulture is an extinct volcano in the north of Basilicata, with red volcanic soil on its slopes at 200 to 600 metres. Aglianico ripens late, so it needs a long warm autumn. The wines are dark and tannic, with scents of dark berries, smoke and spice, and age well. The Superiore version holds the top DOCG category.

Basilicata has other appellations too: Matera, Grottino di Roccanova and Terre dell'Alta Val d'Agri. Local grapes such as Malvasia Bianca di Basilicata and Malvasia Nera di Basilicata also grow here.

For comparison with its neighbours: to the west lies Campania, where Aglianico is also the main red grape, and to the east Apulia, where wines are warmer and fruitier.