Basilicata wine area is a small winemaking area in south Italy. Even if it has not a lot of vineyards, it is know for the quality of its red wines, most of all Aglianico del Vulture.[1][2] The vineyards are about 2,000 hectares or around 5,100–5,150 hectares, the number changes because of the years of the data and if they count small plots or abbandoned vines.[1][3][4] The main places for vineyards are the volcanic Vulture zone, the Val d’Agri in Potenza province, and the Matera hills and plain near the Ionian sea.[1][4][2]
Wine in Basilicata started with the Lucanians and later the Greek people on the Ionian coast in the 8th century BC.[1][4] Roman writers also wrote about the wines, and after the Roman time monastic farms kept vines alive in the Middle Ages.[1][4] Phylloxera in the 19th century destroyed many local vines, so farmers replanted with local and other grapes.[1][4] Most of the 20th century was for local wine, but after the 1960s, and more in the 1990s, there were new investements and new machines, and people cared more about quality, starting a kind of new life for the wine of Basilicata.[1][4][2]
Basilicata is almost all hills and mountains, about 47% mountain, 45% hill, 8% flat.[1][2] The Monte Vulture is an old volcano, its soils with ash and stones have potassium that helps wines taste fresh and with minerality.[1][2] The tuff rock also keeps water from winter so vines can use it in the hot summer, good for late ripening grapes like Aglianico.[1][2] Vineyards in Val d’Agri are high, often 600–700 m, with sandy and clay soils and big changes of temperature between day and night.[1][2] Near the sea, in Metapontino and Matera hills, the air is more Mediterranean, summers are hot and dry but with some wind, good for early grapes and wines with ripe fruit and nice smell.[1] Rivers like Agri, Basento, Bradano and Sinni made the plains and microclimates where many lower vineyards are.[1]
Vines are trained with Guyot or cordone speronato, and in hard rocky places some still use alberello.[1] Some Aglianico vineyards have very many plants, about 7,000 per hectare for high quality wine.[1][2] Wine production is around 85,000 hL, most of it red or rosé and many are under DOC or IGP laws.[1] Writers say the Vulture zone makes a big part of DOP and IGP wine, Val d’Agri and Matera make smaller but important parts.[3][2] Since the 1990s work in the vineyards (choosing places, less yield) and in the cellar (oak, control of ferment) helped make better wine that shows the soil and place.[4][2]
Most vineyards have red grapes, near 90%.[3] The main grape is Aglianico del Vulture, it is over 40% in some info, or more than 50% in other reports, depending on how they count.[3][2] Other reds are Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Primitivo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malvasia Nera, Ciliegiolo.[1][3][2] White grapes are less but still there: Malvasia Bianca, Greco, Bombino Bianco, Verdeca, Moscato, Trebbiano, used for fresh white wines or the few DOC white wines.[1][3][2]
Basilicata has one DOCG and some DOC and IGT rules.[1][4] The Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCG gives strong tannic red wines, very dark ruby, with smell of cherry, spice, liquorice and sometimes wood and balsamic if aged in oak.[1][2] The bigger Aglianico del Vulture DOC can be still or sparkling, and some also make rosé or metodo classico bubbles.[4][2] Terre dell’Alta Val d’Agri DOC and Grottino di Roccanova DOC have wines from Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Merlot and Cabernet, often rich and spicy, and Roccanova wines were sometimes aged in tuff caves.[1][4][2] The Matera DOC is near the Ionian and makes red (Primitivo), rosé, white and sparkling, also a white called Matera Greco.[4][2] Makers use big old barrels or small barriques; some keep to old ways, some use more modern oak for flavour and body.[1] They pair wines with local dishes: Aglianico with meat and cheese, lighter reds and rosé with grilled food.[1][2]
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