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Show Me Wineries That Are Selling This Wine
| Country of Origin: |
Italy |
| Region of Origin: |
Campania |
| Typical Product: |
Red |
| Structure: |
Heavy |
| Climate: |
Hot |
| Soil Type: |
Well Drained/Gravel/Volcanic |
| Serving Temp: |
58 - 63F |
| Ageability: |
10+ |
| Blends: |
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| Sauces to Pair: |
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| Meals to Pair: |
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| Other Names*: |
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Aglianico is arguably, the oldest Varietal that has been brought to the US. Its origins go so far back that if legends are true, it can trace its path all the way to ancient Phoenicia (modern day Lebanon and adjacent areas). The Phoenicians brought it to Greece who later brought it to the Campania and Basilicata regions of Southern Italy where it gained it regional popularity. To date, there doesn't appear to be any genetic results that would definitively tie Aglianico back to Greece or ancient Phoenicia so conjecture and long held beliefs are the best we currently have to go on. Caparone Winery located in California's Paso Robles can lay claim to having planted the first Aglianico in the US in 1988 and produced its first wine in 1992.
Aglianico fruit is very dark in color. The wines it produces are quite dark, heavy and rich in both tannins and acid making them an ideal candidate for long term cellaring. The vines bud early and ripen extremely late. Caparone typically doesn't harvest its estate Aglianico until early November. Thankfully it thrives in hot, long growing conditions making them an ideal candidate for many of the California's warmer growing regions.
Aglianico needs very little thinning and unlike many wine grape varieties, doesn't tend to overproduce allowing the wine makers to do an initial cane pruning and then let nature take is course. It grows well in a number of soils but does particularly will with a higher mineral content.
It's a bit of a mystery why Aglianico is not more widely planted. It's not particularly difficult to grow providing there is a long growing season. It is not maintenance intensive and produces on of Italy's best wines. It's a good bet that as wine consumers begin to venture away from the traditional, safe West Coast Bordeaux and Burgundy Varietals and experiment with wines from other countries, Aglianico will find it place with the US wine consumer.
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| * used in California |
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