Southern Italy produces some wonderful, inexpensive wines that are packed with flavour. It's an up-and-coming region, producing red and white wines that are ripe and robust, with a sturdy structure and acidity that make them natural companions with food. Most Southern Italian producers proudly make wines from the indigenous grapes in traditional styles.
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Location
Puglia, Campania, Basilicata and Calabria, which make up the toe
and heel of Italy's boot, plus the islands of Sicily, Sardinia,
Pantelleria and Lipari.
Grapes
- Red: Aglianico, Negroamaro, Nero d'Avola
and Primitivo.
- White: Cannonau (a Sardinian relative of Grenache)
Greco, Fiano, Torbato, Nuragus, Vermentino, Vernaccia, Malvasia,
Catarratto
and Muscat.
Look Out For
Fortified wines such as Marsala and Moscato di Pantelleria. |
Campania is probably best known for the Lachryma Christi (The Tears of Christ) appellation, which lies on the lower slopes of Mount Vesuvius. Legend has it that these vineyards originally sprung up when watered by Jesus's tears. It makes acceptable, if not great wines. The best red from this region comes from Taurasi, made from the Aglianico grape. Campania also produces some fascinating fragrant, herb-scented whites, made from native grape varieties, such as Fiano, Greco and Vermentino.
Puglia (Apulia) in the 'boot heel' of Italy is the best known region of the South, with its fruity Primitivo reds. The Primitivo grape is generally agreed to be the European ancestor of California's Zinfandel, and whilst some producers make it in an Italian style; others try to imitate the big, powerful and forwardly fruity fashion of California version. Puglia produces a number of other wines; with the best-known being the Negroamaro-based reds of Salice Salentino. These are sturdy, spicy and chocolaty, with a touch of prunes and raisins and roast coffee beans.
Sardinia has always produced some wine, but never on a large scale. However, vines are now becoming a real feature of the landscape, and some interesting wines are being produced, such as Vermentino. The wines from this white vine come in all styles, but the best is often dry.
Sicily is the largest island in Mediterranean and if it were a nation, it would rank sixth in the world in wine production. Its 'new world meets old world' style of wine is proving popular with wine lovers, and it produces some excellent value wines.
The west of the island is home to the fortified wine, Marsala. Vergine Reservas (the highest quality) is aged for 10 years.
There are several beautiful, sun baked islands off the coast, including Pantelleria, where the luscious Passito di Pantelleria dessert wine is produced from Moscato grapes. There's also the island of Salina where Malvasia delle Lipari is made.
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