Southern Italy
STAFF TRAINING GUIDE
With an ancient tradition of grapegrowing and a host of indigenous varieties, Southern Italy produces
wines of distinction and complexity. In recent decades, winemakers have sparked a new surge in quality
that has captured global attention. From Aglianico to Zibibbo, Southern Italy provides an extraordinarily
diverse array of wines worth exploring.
1
History
Archaeological evidence of winemaking
in Sicily has been dated to as early as the
Copper Age, some 5,000 to 6,000 years
ago, placing some of the earliest-known
wines in Southern Italy. The ancient
Greeks advanced viticulture during
their reign in the region, which was
nicknamed Oenotria, meaning “land of
wine.” The Romans built on Greek tradi-
tions, carrying the vine around the Med-
iterranean basin. Several of the most
revered wines of ancient Rome, includ-
ing one called Falernian, were harvested
in Southern Italy.
Following the fall of Rome, Southern Ita-
Agriculture in Sicily
ly fragmented and changed governance
many times. The Southern Italian regions were largely reunited in the 13th century as the Kingdom of
Naples. Sicily later ceded to the Crown of Aragon; Sardinia was also under Spanish rule. The Kingdom
of Naples mostly held through the early 19th century, after which it, with Sicily, was deemed the Kingdom
of Two Sicilies. It rejoined the northern peninsula in the 1860s, during Italian unification. These South-
ern Italian regions, along with the islands, were referred to as the Mezzogiorno, which means “midday,”
inspired by the intense luminosity experienced in the early afternoon.
Phylloxera and the two World Wars decimated Southern Italy’s vineyards in the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. Migrations to more industrial and prosperous northern cities weakened Southern Italian econ-
omies, and during this period the wine industry focused primarily on high-yielding grapes that produced
large quantities of often-mediocre wine. Moves toward quality began in earnest in the late 20th century.
More recently, Southern Italy has played a critical role in the commercialization of indigenous grape vari-
eties, producing unique wines from grapes found almost exclusively within its boundaries.
Falernian
Falernian, or Falernum, is among the most famous historic wines. It is impossible to know
exactly how it tasted, or from which grapes it was made (though the Falanghina variet-
ies and Aglianico are common hypotheses), but the wine is well documented in ancient
texts. Falernian was grown on the slopes of Monte Massico, located north of Naples.
Historic documents describe a classification system in which the most revered wines were
grown midslope and called Faustianum. Caucinum, the second quality level, was harvest-
ed nearer the top of Monte Massico, while basic Falernum came from the base.
2
Geography and Climate
Italy is organized into 20 regions, each exhibiting a distinctive history, culture, and food and wine tradi-
tion. This guide focuses on the southeastern half of the boot as well as Italy’s two island regions, Sicily
and Sardinia, which are also the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea. The Apennine Mountains
define the entire Italian peninsula, and in the south they cut through Calabria (the “toe”), across the
Strait of Messina, and into Sicily. The mountainous landscape proves advantageous to many of South-
ern Italy’s wine regions, offering excellent drainage, high elevation above the more humid coastline,
and a variety of aspects and mesoclimates suitable to varied grapes and wine styles.
Generally, Italy is increasingly warmer toward the south, and Southern Italy can be hot and dry, lead-
ing to challenges with water supply and, in some years, wildfires. Many Southern Italian appellations
are impacted by the sirocco wind, a hot and humid air system that blows in from Northern Africa. The
Mediterranean Sea, which surrounds Italy, provides important moderating effects, keeping tempera-
tures slightly cooler in summer and warmer in winter. The Mediterranean can be further divided into a
number of named seas. The Adriatic Sea follows Italy’s eastern coast, while the Tyrrhenian Sea hugs the
coastline of southwestern Italy. The Gulf of Taranto and the Ionian Sea are found south of Basilicata.
3
Major Wine Regions
Abruzzo and Molise
Abruzzo (also called Abruzzi) marks the
northern edge of the Mezzogiorno,
set against the Adriatic Sea, just oppo-
site Lazio and Rome. This is the land of
Montepulciano, one of the marquee red
varieties of south-central Italy. Montepul-
ciano, most recognized in Montepulciano
d’Abruzzo DOC, can be made in several
styles, from richer, oak-aged reds to lean-
er, brighter expressions. Montepulciano is
also used in the same boundaries to pro-
duce Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, a dark rosato
(rosé) wine, and there are several “cult”
examples of this style. White wines are
made under Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC. Ancient village in Abruzzo
Molise is less recognized than its neighbors for its wine but borrows from their traditions. Its best-known
appellation is Biferno DOC, which produces a red wine vinified primarily from Montepulciano, blended
with Aglianico.
Campania
Campania, with its capital of Naples, is the economic center
of Southern Italy and one of Italy’s most historic wine regions.
Falanghina is used to produce Falerno del Massico DOC
wines on Monte Massico, and in the larger Sannio DOC, the
grape yields exuberant whites with notes of citrus blossom
and pine. Just south are Campania’s two celebrated DOCGs
for white wine: Greco di Tufo and Fiano di Avellino. Whereas
Greco di Tufo is recognized for its lean, pithy, mineral charac-
ter, Fiano di Avellino is more palate coating, with ripe orchard
flavors and subtle almond notes.
In this same eastern sector is Taurasi, the great home to Agli-
anico. The red wines made here, which are among the most
prized wines in Southern Italy, are austere in their youth—tan-
nic and intensely dark in both flavor and color. Aglianico is
also grown in the surrounding Irpinia DOC, as are Fiano and
Greco, which are blended together.
Vineyard in Campania
4
Major Wine Regions
Calabria and Basilicata
Calabria and Basilicata represent the “toe”
and “arch” of Italy, respectively. The two
regions are home to several somewhat
esoteric denominations. Most famous is
Aglianico del Vulture, in Basilicata, located
on the slopes of the extinct Monte Vulture
volcano. These wines, like those of Taurasi,
are densely structured, powerful reds that
merit several years in the cellar. Calabria’s
Cirò DOC also yields interesting red wines,
from the local red Gaglioppo, and whites
from Greco Bianco.
Puglia Vineyard in Basilicata
The “heel” of the boot, Puglia (or Apulia) stretches across the Salento peninsula. The region is a prom-
inent contributor to Italy’s wine industry, with the second highest production, behind the Veneto. Yet
Puglia is perhaps more notably the country’s largest producer of olive oil. The port city of Bari is in the
northern portion of the peninsula, while the finest wines are generally produced in southern Puglia.
Primitivo finds its classic Italian home in Manduria, offering wines not dissimilar to those made from this
grape in California, where it is known as Zinfandel. Negroamaro is more widespread across the region
and serves as the backbone of dark, earthy, tannic wines such as Brindisi and Salice Salentino.
Olive Oil
One of the simplest ways to differentiate between Northern and South-
ern Italian cuisines is to look at two basic ingredients: butter and olive oil.
While butter is more prominent in the north, Southern Italian cooking is
generally built on olive oil. Italy is the world’s second largest producer of
olive oil, trailing only Spain. Olive trees, which thrive in arid, hot climates,
are often grown on the same land as vineyards. There are many distinct
varieties of olives, and their flavors and structures can be identified in the
olive oils they produce.
5
Major Wine Regions
Sicily
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Its
history is distinct from that of the Italian mainland, and its
culture reflects its many ancient rulers, from the Greeks to
the Moors to the Crown of Aragon. Shaped like a triangle,
Sicily extends far south, nearly kissing the North African
coastline at Tunisia, and its wine regions are largely de-
fined by hot, arid landscapes.
Wine production in Sicily was historically centered around
the town of Marsala. In the island’s northwestern corner,
not far from Palermo, Marsala lends its name to the for-
tified wine produced there. While cheap Marsala wine is
often used in cooking, the best examples are aged sev-
eral years in barrel and labeled vergine or vergine riserva.
Marsala can be made as a red or white wine, and in a dry
or sweet style.
Mount Etna
On the opposite side of the island is Etna DOC. Here,
grapes grow at the base of the active Mount Etna volcano. The region, shaped like a crescent moon, is
revered for its wines from single vineyards, called contrade. White wines are based on Carricante, and
reds on Nerello Mascalese. Near the southern tip of Sicily, Cerasuolo di Vittoria also produces notable
reds from Nero d’Avola and Frappato.
Several satellite islands offer unique winegrowing traditions. On Pantelleria, an island closer to Tunisia
than Sicily proper, Zibibbo is crafted into an unctuous, orange-tinged dried-grape wine called Passito
di Pantelleria. A lighter but similarly floral dried-grape wine, Malvasia delle Lipari, is made on a chain of
islands north of the mainland.
Sardinia
Far less developed than Sicily, Sardinia is appreciated for its vast, rural farmlands. The Spanish, who
ruled the island for four centuries under the Crown of Aragon, had a notable impact on the region’s
wine tradition. Sardinia’s principal red grape, Cannonau, is the same as Spain’s Garnacha (and France’s
Grenache), and it offers earthy, berry-flavored red wines at the southern end of the region. Carignano
is also an import from Spain (there Cariñena, and elsewhere Carignan), with extremely old vines found
on Sardinia’s southern end that are cultivated for Carignano del Sulcis.
Sardinia’s best white wines come from the far north. Vermentino di Gallura is a crisp, semi-aromatic
white that is refreshing and juicy, with pear and citrus flavors. The historic Vernaccia di Oristano, locat-
ed on Sardinia’s western edge, can be made sweet or—more famously—dry and fortified, most closely
resembling Sherry.
6
Major White Grape Varieties
Italy is believed to have more commercial grape varieties than any other country, and some wine
scholars argue that over 1,000 grapes are native to the Italian peninsula. Many of them are grown in
Southern Italy, yielding an exciting breadth of wines.
Catarratto: Confusingly, the name Catarratto is given to what is likely a host of varieties grown across
Sicily. Though Catarratto’s wines are often somewhat lackluster, quality examples can offer Chardon-
nay-like orchard and tropical fruit flavors. Catarratto can also be used to make Marsala.
Falanghina: Falanghina is a name given to at least two distinct—and ancient—cultivars in Campania.
The Falanghina grapes compose the principal part of the blends for Sannio and Falerno del Massico,
among other appellations. They are noted for their high acidity and fresh floral tones.
Fiano: Fiano is among Italy’s highest-quality white varieties and is also believed to be one of the old-
est—potentially dating to the ancient Roman period. It is most famously grown in Avellino, in Cam-
pania. The grape produces wines of immense complexity, with a mouth-filling tactility, rich apple and
pear tones, and a biting stoniness. The best examples have great aging potential.
Grillo: Grillo is the primary variety behind Sicily’s famous fortified wine, Marsala. Like many classic
sweet and fortified wine varieties, Grillo vinified as a dry table wine can be somewhat innocuous,
though still enjoyable and richly fruited. It is most complex, however, in the nutty, oxidative styles
represented in classic Marsala wines.
Vermentino: Vermentino is the signature white variety of Sardinia. It is also cultivated to the north in
Liguria, as well as in Corsica and Provence, where it is called Rolle. The grape has more recently come
into fashion, appreciated for its juicy, refreshing white wines with soft floral tones, ripe orchard fruit
and citrus flavors, and a subtle brininess. While most Vermentino wines are made in an easy, youthful
style, richer, lees-aged expressions of the variety also exist, and skin-contact expressions are increas-
ingly popular.
Zibibbo: Zibibbo, elsewhere called Muscat of
Alexandria, grows on the small Sicilian island
of Pantelleria, where it is made into the historic
dried-grape wine Passito di Pantelleria. The
variety is also used in dry table wines. Zibibbo
is recognized for its orange blossom flavors
and aromas and snappy, briny citrus flavors.
Zibibbo vines in Pantelleria
7
Major Red Grape Varieties
Aglianico: One of the greatest varieties in Southern
Italy, Aglianico achieves its highest expression in the
appellations of Taurasi and Irpinia in Campania, and
Aglianico del Vulture in Basilicata. Aglianico yields
a dense, inky wine with flavors of blackberry, cassis,
and medicinal herbs. Although the wines are often
austere in their youth, top examples can benefit
from age.
Cannonau: Cannonau, as Grenache is locally known,
is an important variety on Sardinia. Though the
grape is most famously cultivated in France’s South-
ern Rhône Valley, it originated in either northeastern
Aglianico
Spain or Sardinia itself. Cannonau is enjoyed for its
pure berry flavors, and it is more commonly bottled as a monovarietal wine in Sardinia than in classic
French regions.
Montepulciano: Montepulciano, the signature red grape of Abruzzo, should not be confused with the
town of the same name in Tuscany, where Sangiovese is grown for Vino Nobile. The Montepulciano
grape is made into a range of styles, with some showing more delicate red cherry and sweet herbal
notes, while others are chewier, more tannic, and potentially aged in new oak.
Negroamaro: Negroamaro (also written as Negro Amaro) is planted prominently in southern Puglia,
where it contributes to wines such as Salice Salentino. Darkly fruited and tannic, the variety is usually
tempered in a blend through the addition of Primitivo or Malvasia Nera.
Nerello Mascalese: The principal variety in the reds of Sicily’s Etna, Nerello Mascalese has garnered
attention in recent decades for its ethereal, lighter-bodied wines. Nerello Mascalese offers a red cherry
and dried herb character—similar to that of Sangiovese—and is marked by lower tannins and a sweet-
and-sour acidity. It is frequently blended with Nerello Cappuccio, a separate variety.
Nero d’Avola: Also known as Calabrese, Nero d’Avola is indeed grown in Calabria, though it is more
important to Sicily. There, it is bottled as a varietal wine and is also a key contributor to Cerasuolo di Vit-
toria, for which it is blended with Frappato. Nero d’Avola yields a wide range of styles, from lighter, more
floral wines to robust and earthy examples.
Primitivo: Primitivo, known as Zinfandel in California, is a key grape in Puglia, where it is grown in such
appellations as Primitivo di Manduria. The variety is, in fact, neither Italian nor American. It originates
in Croatia, where it is called Crljenak Kaštelanski, or Tribidrag. The grape is recognized for its brambly,
almost-stewed red and black fruit flavors. Primitivo is generally less alcoholic than the typical California
Zinfandel and often slightly more acidic.
8
Selling Southern Italian Wine
Southern Italy provides tremendous opportunity to dazzle adventurous guests. The most obvious oc-
casion for serving Southern Italian wine is alongside classic Italian dishes. Many of the reds from South-
ern Italy are an excellent accompaniment to what is likely Naples’s most beloved export: pizza. These
include wines made from Primitivo, Nero d’Avola, or Montepulciano. Many of Southern Italy’s zippy
white wines—such as those based on Greco, Trebbiano, and Falanghina—pair well with the area’s
fresh seafood dishes and pastas.
Guests more familiar with classic international vari-
eties can find analogues in the offerings of Southern
Pizza Italy. Lovers of Sauvignon Blanc or Albariño might
Perhaps no Italian creation is more cele- be attracted to Vermentino, while those who prefer
brated globally than pizza. While prede- more richness in their whites might enjoy Fiano or
cessor dishes can be traced back thou- Carricante (labeled Etna Bianco). California wine
sands of years, pizza, as it is known today, enthusiasts may revel in the chance to try Primitivo,
is a relatively modern conception. The Puglia’s answer to Zinfandel, while those who grav-
tomato only arrived in Italy from North
itate toward the inky density of Petite Sirah can ap-
America in the late Renaissance era, part
of a horticultural exchange that followed preciate Aglianico. Etna Rosso (Nerello Mascalese)
the Age of Exploration. Naples is credit- will appeal to those who appreciate lighter-bodied
ed with inventing the pizza in the 18th or reds like Pinot Noir or Gamay, and other guests
19 century, and the classic Margherita
th
might enjoy comparing Cannonau from Sardinia
pizza—made with tomato sauce, fresh with the Grenache wines of the Southern Rhône.
mozzarella, and basil—was, according to
legend, made in 1889 to resemble the
Italian flag during a visit from Queen Mar-
gherita of Savoy.
Review Questions
1. True or false: The Romans introduced winegrowing to Southern Italy.
2. What is the mountain range that runs through the entire Italian peninsula?
3. Describe two white wines from Campania.
4. Name two sweet or fortified wines made in Sicily.
5. What is the name for Primitivo in California?
