2024 Vulture:
Defying the Paradigm

BY ERIC GUIDO | MAY
14, 2026Every wine region has its individual energy or aura.
In Italy, that is most often informed by local culture. No other region in the
world is more representative of this than Vulture. Located in Basilicata, Vulture
was settled by Albanian immigrants between the 15th and 18th centuries, drastically
shaping the area’s architecture as well as its winemaking traditions. Dug
directly into the volcanic tuff rock, the famed ancient caves (known as Sassi
or Cantine) that line the streets were once used for shelter and living
quarters. Over time, inhabitants realized that these caves were ideal for wine
storage and aging because they maintain a consistent balance of temperature and
humidity year-round.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1778176167951-Basilicata+Cover_Vinous.jpg">The ancient barrel-aging caves that now belong to Cantine del
Notaio.Geographically, Basilicata forms the arch of the Italian
boot, nestled between three bodies of water. It touches both the Ionian and
Tyrrhenian Seas and is only separated from the Adriatic by Puglia. The maritime
influences of these three seas mitigate the region's heat. This is further
balanced by the cooling influence of the Vulture massif and its significant
elevations. That makes Vulture’s climate surprisingly continental, perfect for
Aglianico, a variety that requires a long growing season and a late harvest to
achieve ideal ripeness, acidity and complexity.



Vineyards
are planted on the sides of the volcano, within its craters and in the surrounding
landscapes, at elevations ranging from 200 to 700 meters. This creates a vast array
of unique terroirs, formed by thousands of years of eruptions and resulting
lava flows. These eruptions sent particles, dust and minerals into the
atmosphere that slowly settled into the soils. Volcanic rock, sand and
limestone now form the bulk of the region’s complex soils, along with ashy tuff
that helps retain water during drier seasons. Constant wind currents that tear
through Vulture create ideal ventilation, helping ward off disease and
moderating temperatures in warmer seasons. It’s clearly a perfect place to grow
a grape that so transparently communicates terroir.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1778176208197-The+extinct+Monte+Vulture+looms+over+the+town+of+Barile_Vinous.jpg">The extinct Monte Vulture looms over the town of Barile.A New Era for Aglianico del Vulture



Every
year I find more to be excited about in Vulture. A distinct sense of place
resonates across the unique growing zones—Maschito, Ripacandida, Barile,
Ginestra, Venosa, Rapolla and Rionero. Even older estates, where tradition once
meant masking Aglianico’s identity through excessive oak usage, harvesting at extreme
ripeness or vinifying with air-dried grapes, have started to come around. There
are still many big-boned, rustic wines that recall that era, but there is now
an unmistakable shift toward refinement and purity. A growing list of new
names, typically smaller family-run operations, are delivering wines of balance
and character. The paradigm is shifting.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1778176241698-Every+year+I%27m+finding+more+to+like+about+and+a+larger+selection+of+quality+from+Aglianico+del+Vulture_Vinous.jpg">Producers in Vulture have discovered how to craft a more
accessible style of Aglianico without sacrificing the variety’s inherent depth and
complexity. These fresher, more widely appealing wines are possible through a
combination of unique terroir and the specific Aglianico clone found here, which
is different from those present in Campania. The Vulture biotype is notably
more vigorous and productive, yielding slightly larger bunches that translate
into softer palates and more approachable tannic structures. This is why
Aglianico del Vulture can be enjoyed far sooner than most Taurasi while still
aging remarkably well. An archetypal Aglianico del Vulture showcases vivid
aromas of lavender, violet and ash, as if the vines had absorbed the volcanic
soil. In the cellar, winemakers increasingly rely on stainless steel, concrete
or amphora to soften the variety’s contours, allowing its natural acidity to integrate
with vibrant dark fruit and spicy citrus notes. I can’t say enough good things
about the amphora-aged wines that continue to pop up around the region. In past
years, oak tannins and balsamic tones would leave my palate fatigued at the end
of a tasting day; that’s no longer the case. These newly reimagined wines are
harmonious, terroir-transparent, pure and nicely balanced.



Vulture
does not have an equivalent to the “Rosso” category that exists in other regions.
Instead, the Aglianico del Vulture DOC offers the most value and a fresher,
“village”-style wine. These wines require just nine months of aging in any
vessel. However, not all Aglianico del Vulture DOC wines are created equal. Some,
such as those from Elena Fucci, Paternoster and Grifalco, have an amazing track
record for ageability. That said, the majority of flagship, single-vineyard and
old-vine bottlings fall into the Aglianico del Vulture Superiore and Riserva
DOCG categories, categories that require 12 months in barrel followed by two more
years in bottle before release. Like their neighbors in Campania, many producers
choose to release late—sometimes very late, as is the case with Basilisco’s
current-release 2016—to allow Aglianico’s tannins to settle.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1778176360693-The+sixty-year-old+vines+that+create+Paternoster%27s+new+Barone+Rotondo_Vinous.jpg">The 60-year-old vines are the source for&nbsp;Paternoster's new Barone Rotondo.A few trends challenge the region’s progress. Given that
Aglianico del Vulture clearly names its variety and place of origin, this
presents branding opportunities that other regions would envy. Instead of taking advantage of
this, many producers opt to bottle inexpensively made IGT wine.
Expansive tracts of new vineyards growing white and red varieties feed large
projects both within and outside the region. These IGTs made from Aglianico often
fail to list the variety or the region on their labels. Even a few producers of
note are guilty of this practice that cheapens Vulture’s identity and poses a
significant challenge to the growth of the DOC and DOCG.A growing number of producers are beginning to experiment
with white wines. I see this as an overall positive, but a practice that could
benefit from more strategic thinking. The whites encompass Sauvignon Blanc,
Falanghina, Greco, Moscato and Fiano, among others. Though the region has its
own distinct biotype, Malvasia Bianca di Basilicata, I’ve yet to taste one that
excites me. My money is on Fiano. There are also excellent examples of Aglianico
vinified as white wine. These wines typically show a nearly oily, honeyed
character with dominant notes of white flowers and almonds, all supported by
elevated acidity.Against All Odds: The 2024 Vintage





Vulture
is a unique place that cannot be lumped in with the rest of Southern Italy. The
moderating effects of three adjacent seas, drastic diurnal shifts, constant
wind and water-retentive soils are key to Vulture’s successes where many other
regions struggle.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1778176316328-Re+Manfredi+Barrel+Cellar_Vinous.jpg">The barrique cellar at Re Manfredi, one of the few producers who successfully age Aglianico in smaller-format oak.The 2024 Aglianicos from Vulture are rich and concentrated
yet balanced by silky tannins that will promote medium-term cellaring. Overall
quality is good across the region, but some wines suffer from underripe tannins
or lack the acidic spine to balance their sheer weight. Two thousand
twenty-four was a drought year, and many wineries experienced one of their
earliest harvests on record. The year started mild and very dry, resulting in
buds forming eight to ten days earlier than average. Temperatures remained warm
and arid throughout the summer, with little to no rain. At the Elena Fucci
winery, a cutaway of the soil revealed how the vineyards survived: layers of
volcanic tuff remained completely moist despite months without rain. Winemakers
throughout Vulture were relieved to find healthy bunches, especially following
the disease-ridden 2023 vintage. However, an excessively warm August led to
early harvests that started in September and continued through the first ten
days of October. Look to the most trusted and conscientious producers for the
best wines.

I
tasted the wines for this report in Vulture in March 2026.© 2026, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr> You Might Also Enjoy <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/a-vulture-revelation-mini-vertical-of-cantine-del-notaio-s-la-firma-oct-2025">A Vulture Revelation: Mini-Vertical of Cantine del Notaio's La Firma</a>, Eric Guido, October 2025<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/southern-italy-basilicata-puglia-calabria-molise-mar-2025">Southern Italy: Basilicata, Puglia, Calabria &amp; Molise</a>, Eric Guido, March 2025<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/getting-in-on-the-ground-floor-aglianico-del-vulture-may-2024">Getting In on the Ground Floor: Aglianico del Vulture</a>, Eric Guido, May 2024<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/southern-italy-diamonds-in-the-rough-jul-2023">Southern Italy: Diamonds in the Rough</a>, Eric Guido, July 2023 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/basilicata-vultures-rise-from-the-ashes-sep-2022">Basilicata: Vulture’s Rise from the Ashes</a>, Eric Guido, September 2022

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