Getting in on
the Ground Floor: Aglianico del Vulture

BY ERIC GUIDO |&nbsp;MAY 28, 2024This year’s tastings in Vulture were my most comprehensive ever.
This region is easily Italy’s top underdog, with producers creating exciting
varietal Aglianico from a diverse mix of locations and terroirs, taking full advantage
of the variety's ability to communicate a sense of place. The wines of Vulture
show the inherent characteristics of Aglianico, with an immaculate balance of
primary fruit, regal tannins and stimulating acidity, all while remaining
remarkably different from their neighbors in Campania.&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1716904625259-1-+Barrel+aging+in+cellars+cut+into+the+tuff+soils+at+Basilisco_copy.jpg">Barrel aging cellars cut into the tuff soils at Basilisco. 

The towns of Barile, Venosa, Rionero, Ripacandida, Ginestra and
Maschito all yield an outstanding selection of wines, each place imparting its
unique stamp of terroir. Top producers within each of these townships make wines
from single vineyards and parcels that elevate Aglianico even further. The
diverse terroir of Vulture mixes volcanic lava flows upwards of 600 meters in
the township of Barile, while in Ginestra, we find ash, volcanic sand, rocks
and calcareous clay. When the now-dormant volcano Vulture erupted, it created a
wide range of soils in the surrounding areas. Lava is predominant in sites
close to the crater (which sits around 500 meters in elevation in Maschito) but
then transitions to a complex mix of soils in more peripheral areas. This is
the reason for the region's many different interpretations of Aglianico. The
variety finds the perfect home in Vulture’s soil also because of its ability to
retain water and the mild conditions that allow Aglianico to reach polyphenolic
ripeness. Moreover, the constant wind currents that tear through Vulture create
ideal ventilation to help ward off disease and moderate temperatures in warmer
seasons.&nbsp;

In my recent piece on <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/breaking-the-mold-campania-s-push-to-reinvent-itself-may-2024">Campania</a>,
I explained that the region's reds could compete with Italy's longest-lived and
most important wines. I feel the exact same way about Vulture, yet here we have
much lower production, with producers concentrated in a smaller area. In many
cases, there is even more value to be found in Vulture.

Similar to Campania, parcels of 70- to 100-year-old vines spread throughout
the towns of Vulture, which are caringly tended by producers like Basilisco,
Elena Fucci, Grifalco and Cantine del Notaio. In the most traditional cases, these
vines are intermixed with fruit and olive trees and trained using a cane system
known as Capanno (which means "shed”), requiring meticulous
attention and constant maintenance. Vulture is a region with a rich history of
vine-growing; only 25 years ago, large producers&nbsp;and co-ops
dominated the industry. Today, there’s an unmistakable energy as winemakers
work toward the future.&nbsp;

The secluded nature of the location has limited the attention that
Vulture's producers receive and deserve. While Basilicata attracts a massive number
of tourists to its beach towns, Vulture itself is a vacation destination exclusively
for hikers and nature enthusiasts; visiting the crater lakes and parks is the
only draw to the area. The lack of infrastructure had cut off the region from
much of Italy up until only decades ago. Even visiting a town such as Barile,
it is remarkable to observe the cultural and physical similarities of its
inhabitants, as this is a part of Italy that remains largely untouched by the
outside world. Frankly, coming from a melting pot of cultures myself, I find
this quite unsettling.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1716904692436-2-The+Titilo+vineyard+of+Elena+Fucci_copy.jpg">Elena Fucci's&nbsp;Titilo&nbsp;Vineyard. 

While Vulture has been producing fantastic wines for over two
decades, exploring the region still feels like getting in on the ground floor. Prices
of a small number of bottlings have increased over the years – and deservedly
so – yet so many wines still offer tremendous value.

In contrast to Campania, in Vulture, producers have found a way to
bottle a more accessible style of Aglianico without sacrificing its depth and
complexity. The main factors that have led to the emergence of fresh-styled,
widely appealing Aglianicos, are the terroir and the difference between clones.
Vulture’s Aglianico is known for being more vigorous and productive, with
slightly larger bunches. Here, producers rely on stainless steel, concrete or
amphora to soften the variety’s contours and allow its natural acidity to
mingle perfectly with a core of vibrant dark fruit. Granted, global warming has
likely assisted in emphasizing the primary fruit components enough to stand up
to Aglianico’s tannins. However, producers have realized that pushing their
fruit to extreme ripeness and overwhelming it with oak isn’t the solution to
making an appealingly fresh wine. As a rule of thumb, the Aglianico del Vulture
DOC is where consumers find the most value from the region by way of fresher-styled
wines made from fruit sourced throughout the villages. Think of this as the Rosso
of Vulture, requiring just nine months of aging in the winery in any vessel of
choice. The Aglianico del Vulture Superiore and Riserva DOCGs make up the
majority of the single-vineyard and old-vine bottlings, requiring 12 months in
barrel followed by another two years in bottle. Many producers, such as
Basilisco, take this even further and mature their Aglianicos much longer to
release wines closer to their optimal drinking window.&nbsp;

While there are still many throwback, large-scale, hauntingly
dark wines within the region, with each passing year, more small-production and
family-run wineries move toward refinement and purity. The larger producers
seem to be catching up as well, but there’s still much work to do. In Vulture, the
potential for expansion of Aglianico has plenty of room, but unfortunately, it
isn’t the focus. Expansive tracts of new vineyards growing white and red
varieties feed large production projects inside and outside the region,
including one 300-hectare property of Gewürztraminer, for example. This threatens
the identity of the region, presenting a significant problem for the DOC and
DOCG. Many large-scale producers bottle IGT reds and whites instead of prioritizing
the region's tradition of making varietal Aglianico. By not supporting the
variety, they are limiting its exposure to the
world.Vulture has solely been focused on Aglianico, but each year, an
increasing number of producers experiment with white wines. The first examples are
made with Aglianico vinified as a white wine. Readers find notes from producers
such as Madonna delle Grazie, Strapellum, Tenuta Lagala and Tenuta Marino in
this report. Today, these attempts aren’t life-changing, but they are quite
unique and worth trying, typically possessing a glycerol/honeyed feel with
dominant notes of white flowers and almonds. The best of these wines can be
quite pleasant. Considering the volcanic soils and cool climate, a few
producers are already experimenting with Fiano. Donato d’Angelo recently
planted a Fiano vineyard that will come into production in a couple of years.
Basilisco’s Fiano Sophia was refined only in stainless steel before the 2020
vintage, while now matures in a combination of amphora, barrique and tonneau. The
2021, which was resting in stainless steel prior to bottling, is mineral-intense,
floral and refined yet spicy. Hopefully, time will yield more options.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1716904715935-COVER-Cellars+dug+into+the+volcanic+cliffs+of+Vulture_copy.jpg">Cellars dug into the volcanic cliffs of Vulture. Current Vintages The mountainous Vulture area, with vineyard elevations above 600
meters, yields vintages that greatly differ from those of the surrounding
regions. To the east and west, influences from the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas
bring constant ventilation. I don’t recall a day on my previous trip that
wasn’t windy. These winds help ward off disease in wet years and cool the area
in warmer years, while the volcanic tufo absorbs and holds water, slowly
releasing it in dryer seasons. This combination perfectly explains why Vulture
has been successful recently. In Vulture, a vintage like 2022, which most
producers in Italy would call hot and arid, is generally a balanced year.

The 2022 reds show an elegance, depth of fruit and potency that
speaks to the warm vintage, yet they maintain fantastic balance, freshness and
regal structure. The season started with a frigid and dry winter. Things
changed quickly in the spring with warmer temperatures and significant rain,
which built up water supplies in the soils for the months ahead. June, July and
August were hot and dry, with two weeks of intense heat in July. However, while
warm, the rest of the summer season did not cause stress to the vines.
Significant diurnal shifts and ventilating winds at night further aided the
health of the plants. September and October brought much cooler temperatures
and regular precipitation, which slowed fruit maturation and allowed for a
traditionally late harvest from October into November. If anything, it was
essential for producers to time their harvests around the autumn rains, yet I
haven’t encountered any wines showing signs of dilution. I’m very excited to
see what the later-release wines will reveal. This is a vintage to watch.&nbsp;

The 2021s entering the market are racy and vibrant, with masses of
ripe fruit and gripping tannin. I was pleasantly surprised during recent
tastings, as the best 2021s are structured and balanced for a long evolution.
Still, readers should be aware that there is more variability from producer to
producer. Basilicata suffered through a brutal winter in 2021 with a surplus of
snow, which ultimately helped to build up water supplies. The spring turned
quite warm, punctuated by a ten-day-long heat wave in June. Temperatures
remained high through July and August, offset by occasional rain and strong
diurnal shifts. By the end of August, cooler conditions prevailed and lasted
into the fall, allowing grapes to regain balance.&nbsp;

It will be interesting to follow both 2021s and 2022s over time,
as both show excellent potential for the cellar as well as near-term appeal.I tasted the wines for this report in Basilicata in March of 2024. © 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed 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/breaking-the-mold-campania-s-push-to-reinvent-itself-may-2024">Breaking the Mold: Campania’s Push to Reinvent Itself</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 <div><div><div><div><div><div><a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/treasures-of-italy-s-southern-adriatic-and-ionian-coasts-jul-2021">Treasures of Italy’s Southern Adriatic and Ionian Coasts</a>, Eric Guido, July 2021 </div></div></div></div></div><div><div></div></div></div><div><div><div>

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