The small wine-growing region of Basilicata in the deepest south of Italy is surrounded by the regions of Puglia, Calabria and Campania and has only a small amount of coastline. This remoteness has made it one of the most austerely populated regions in Italy. The name of the region comes from the sovereigns who ruled the land in the 9th and 10th centuries, the "Basilikos".
Viticulture has been practiced in Basilicata probably since the 6th century BC, since the Greeks already planted vines here. The situation for viticulture was aggravated in the 20th century because the already austere population was further decimated by migration to the big cities and fewer and fewer people wanted to take care of the vineyards with its meager income.
With the flourishing of the Italian wine industry since the 1980s, interest in viticulture in Basilicata has increased again, especially since with Aglianico a highly interesting grape variety beyond the mainstream can be shown.
Today, just over 6,000 hectares are once again under vines, with Aglianico accounting for the largest share. Probably the best wine in the region is Aglianico del Vulture, which grows on lava rock on the slopes of an extinct volcano - a very interesting fruity-spicy wine, full-bodied and with a robust tannin structure.
Good Aglianicos are also produced today in other corners of the region. In addition, there is some white wine from the Malvasia variety and a lovely, sweet, sometimes foamy Moscato.
