Central & Southern Italy: A World Waiting to be Discovered

by Antonio Galloni

For many years discussions around fine Italian wines centered around Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino, the high-end Tuscan reds and Amarone. That was pretty much it, and for good reason, as most of what came out of the Center and South was undistinguished, to say the least. That is no longer the case. Recent years have seen an explosion in the number of high- quality wines from the Center and South. Take it from someone who tastes thousands of wines from Italy each and every year; today the best Taurasis, Aglianicos, Sagrantinos, Montepulcianos,

Cannonaus, Nero d’Avolas, Nerello Mascaleses and a host of other compelling reds are world-class wines that are more than capable of giving the big boys from Italy and elsewhere a run for their money. The whites can be equally fascinating and just as diverse although they tend to be wines for near-term enjoyment rather than extended cellaring. Just as importantly, the wines from the Center and South deliver considerable value. The following pages also contain notes on dozens of delicious, highly pleasing wines that can be had for less than $25.

UMBRIA

Readers will find an impressive number of gorgeous wines from Umbria this year. By far the most interesting appellation is Montefalco, where Sagrantino and Sangiovese yield wines of notable character. Not surprisingly, Montefalco has become one of the hottest areas of interest and is attracting significant new investments. Sagrantino was traditionally a sweet wine drunk during the Easter holidays, but today Sagrantino is better known as a dry table wine that has surpassed its eccentric, sweet cousin. The best Sagrantinos are wonderfully complex, structured wines that are emerging as some of the most intriguing reds in Italy. Sangiovese, the historic variety for dry wines in Montefalco, is the base for Montefalco Rosso, which incorporates Sagrantino and a host of other red grapes. Of course, the sweet, or passito, version of Sagrantino is still produced and the finest versions are compelling juice. Umbria also excels with racy, delicious reds made wholly or in part with international varieties. The whites are good, but rarely as exciting as the reds.

CAMPANIA

Readers who have visited Campania know this is one of the most evocative regions not just in Italy, but anywhere in the world. Campania’s rich cultural fabric encompasses history, breathtaking natural beauty, art and of course, wine, all of which are woven together to a degree that few places in the world can match. Wine has been made here for at least several thousand years, and the virtues of Campanian wines were extolled by the Roman poets. Perhaps the most important secular trend in Campania over the last decade has been the emergence of small growers who have begun to bottle their own wines rather than sell fruit or bulk wine to the region’s larger wineries. Readers may not recognize all of the producers in this article yet, but these pages contain notes on dozens of world-class wines just waiting to be discovered.