Aglianico del Vulture

The Aglianico del Vulture appellation is given to red wines produced in the northwest of the province of Potenza, in Basilicata, a region located in southern Italy, between the heel and the tip of the boot. Red wines from this terroir obtained DOC (denominazione di origine controllata) status in 1971 and DOCG (denominazione di origine controllata e garantita) status in 2010 for superior Aglianico de Vulture vintages. Wine lovers rank these wines among the best in Italy, comparing them to Barolo in terms of both production and taste.

The Aglianico grape variety was brought to the Italian peninsula by the Greeks, and its name probably derives from "Hellenico." The Romans adopted it in certain parts of the Empire and developed its cultivation at the foot of Mount Vulture. The vines grow on the slopes of this extinct volcano at an altitude of up to 760 meters, producing a robust wine with a beautiful ruby color. The appellation's specifications require at least five years of aging to produce an Aglianico di Vulture Vecchio and an additional three years of reserve aging to produce an Aglianico di Vulture Riserva. The region produces fine, complex, and structured wines with great aging potential, such as those offered by Domaine Elena Fucci.