Southern
Italy: Basilicata, Puglia, Calabria &amp; Molise

BY ERIC GUIDO | MARCH 27, 2025&nbsp;

We publish coverage of the smaller regions in Southern
Italy, which include Molise, Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria, every two years. This
is mostly because the number of essential wines made in each of these regions
is rather small. With the exception of Vulture and a handful of notable producers
in each region mentioned above, much of the wine made in Southern Italy is meant
for early consumption and easy drinking, or is otherwise not especially remarkable.
This isn’t the first time I’ve publicly stated this; the fact remains that each
time I set out to write this report, very few new wineries submit new releases.

That said, there are tremendous opportunities for growth
and high-quality wine production in Southern Italy. I see no reason why these
regions can’t excel. Some might argue that the extremely warm and dry
conditions in the south yield wines excessively high in alcohol and residual
sugar. But many producers within these regions craft balanced and complex wines
worthy of collectors’ cellars. Unfortunately, most wineries here are hesitant
to disrupt the status quo. What’s more, seldom do young winemakers from these
areas reach out to discuss their innovations in local winemaking or exciting new
projects. This happens often in the other regions I review, but not here.The
good news is that there are wines worth talking about, just not as many as
there should be. In the notes that follow, readers will find eye-opening and
cellar-worthy Aglianico from Puglia and Vulture, deeply complex Primitivo that
can stand up to the great California Zinfandels, Ciro that rivals Barolo and
Barbaresco, and a few surprisingly jaw-dropping Fianos.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742923360275-Vinous_Within+the+Ceraudo+vineyards%2C+Calabria.jpg">The Ceraudo vineyards in Calabria Pugliese Potential

I want nothing more than for Puglia to succeed. The Italian
side of my family originates from Puglia. The region’s traditional cuisines
filled our dinner table when I was a child. Yet, when it came to wine, all that
mattered to my family was whether it was white or red. To this day, I can’t say
if I ever tasted anything at that table that moved me. I certainly didn’t seek
sips from my grandparents’ cups (they didn’t use fancy glassware). When
learning about wine decades ago, I looked to Puglia, but what I found didn’t
excite me. Revisiting the region over the years, I longed to see an uptick in
quality, but instead, I found only a handful of wineries that moved the needle.
Some of these wineries have begun to do amazing things, cementing my belief in
the potential of Puglia. But on a larger scale, the region is simply not there
yet.&nbsp;

Why not?&nbsp;

Much of this has to do with surmaturation, a practice that
isn’t often discussed but is utilized more often than not in regions like
Puglia. Surmaturation refers to late-harvesting fruit beyond technical ripeness
in order to increase the concentration of sugars, acids and aromas. This is why
the average Primitivo, juicy and fresh as it might seem, sports 15-16.5%
alcohol and residual sugar from 8-10 grams per liter. The use of surmaturation prevents
wineries from creating wines with nuance, complexity and the ability to age.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742922814326-Vinous_The+barrrel+aging+cellar+of+Bocca+di+Lupo%2C+Puglia.jpg">The barrel-aging cellar at Bocca di Lupo, Puglia Terroir is another limiting factor. Much of the region’s vineyards
are situated in the flatter areas or on gentle hillsides that gradually
increase in elevation as they move inland from the sea. Many parts of Puglia are
influenced by the Ionian and Adriatic Seas. Salento, the southernmost part of
the region, forms a peninsula. Puglia's hot and dry Mediterranean climate and
fertile soils lend well to big, fruit-forward wines. However, if there’s one common
refrain I hear repeated across winemaking regions worldwide, it’s that grape
vines like to suffer. Without a struggle to thrive, the fruit these vines produce
is often lackluster. Simply achieving ripe fruit doesn’t make great wine.
Therefore, it’s important to consider smaller pockets of terroir over a region as
a whole. For example, Castel del Monte, close to the borders of Basilicata and
Vulture, can give rise to far more interesting wines than many other parts of
the larger region. In Castel del Monte, elevations reach 300 meters, and the
soil transitions into rocky, sheer limestone. Here, winemakers focus on the
high-acid, tannic Nero di Troia variety, as well as Aglianico that can compete
with the best from Campania and even white varieties like Fiano. Producers like
Tenuta Bocca di Lupo, Antinori’s Tormaresca, and Rivera craft exciting wines
worth hunting down.&nbsp;For Primitivo-lovers, there are a variety of options. The
Primitivo di Manduria DOC encompasses the flatlands and gentle hills stretching
east from the town of Taranto. Soils change from sandy to loamy to calcareous moving
inland. The potential for great winemaking in this part of Puglia has much to
do with the wide temperature swings between day and night. Producers like Masseria
Li Veli and Masseria Cuturi take advantage of smaller individual parcels
throughout their vineyards to make balanced wines that communicate terroir.







I’ll
keep my fingers crossed and my hopes high for Puglia. The producers I mentioned
here give me hope for the region.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742922670044-Vinous_The+crater+lakes+of+Mount+Vulture.jpg">The crater lakes of Mount VultureVulture Versus Mother Nature: The 2023 Vintage When it comes to Basilicata, wine lovers immediately think
of Vulture, and with good reason. Not only is Aglianico del Vulture the
region's most important wine, but it’s also the only wine that meaningfully
reaches beyond the local market. Aside from Aglianico del Vulture, the only
other notable DOC in Basilicata is Matera. Established in 2005 along the border
of Puglia, the Matera DOC stretches toward the town of Murgia. On paper, Matera
shows excellent potential for Primitivo, as its higher elevations feature calcareous
limestone soils. However, the Matera DOC also allows for two other red categories:
Rosso, which must contain at least 60% Sangiovese and 30% Primitivo, and Matera
Moro, which mixes a minimum of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon with 20% Primitivo and
10% Merlot. For white wines, the DOC allows for Greco and Malvasia Bianca di
Basilicata, although this category is seriously underrepresented in Basilicata.



This
brings us back to Aglianico del Vulture. For a detailed description of the
region's terroir, subregions, and goings-on, reference my 2024 article, <a target="_blank" href="https://v1.vinous.com/articles/getting-in-on-the-ground-floor-aglianico-del-vulture-may-2024">Getting
in on the Ground Floor: Aglianico del
Vulture</a>. However, the challenges of the 2023 vintage are worth
addressing. A large portion of Italy’s winegrowing regions suffered in 2023,
with the worst conditions centered around Tuscany and Abruzzo. Extended periods
of rain and cloudy weather during spring set the stage for the worst outbreak
of Peronospora (downy mildew) most producers in these regions had ever seen. Many
of the organic operations throughout Italy were left defenseless. Wineries
commonly reported spray treatments to defend the vines, only to have the rain
wash the treatments away the same day. As a result, some operations lost their entire
production, while others were forced to declassify their red wines and produce only
Rosatos. In the aftermath, some wineries stopped their organic practices
altogether, fearing a repeat of 2023. In Vulture, the conditions were no
different. I expect to see similar results from Campania, as Aglianico is
highly susceptible to Peronospora.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742923001280-Vinous_The+Titolo+Vineyard+of+Elena+Fucci.jpg">Elena Fucci's Titolo Vineyard&nbsp; Elena Fucci of Azienda Agricola Elena Fucci and Verha Wines
described what seemed like “forty days of continuous rain between May and June,”
adding, “As a result, many vines did not flower and therefore did not produce
any bunches.” Her losses totaled around 40-45% of her entire crop. Viviana
Malafarina of Basilisco Winery explained, “By the end of June, the situation
was already very bad, and many grape producers abandoned their vineyards until
the following year!” Despite improving conditions throughout the rest of the
season, the Peronospora infection continued, resulting in a 70% loss. Malafarina
also noted that white varieties fared better in 2023 due to the difference in
their bloom time and harvest. Unfortunately, most Vulture producers don’t make
any white wine, which could have helped soften the blow from the loss of red
wine production. Lorenzo Piccin of Grifalco succeeded in the 2023 vintage,
having undertaken a painstaking selection process to eliminate unhealthy or
underripe fruit. In the end, Grifalco’s production suffered a 40% loss.



What
does this mean for the wines? For one thing, readers should expect releases
from the 2023 vintage in Vulture to be extremely limited. I’ve only seen a
snapshot from a few top producers who poured their heart and soul into making
the best wines they could. However, consumers should be selective. What I have tasted
thus far has generally been very good. The wines are undoubtedly more forward in
nature, coming across as softer and more generous than usual, but without sacrificing
complexity. Ultimately, 2023 is a vintage to buy from the producers you know
and trust, as there will likely be significant variability in quality. At Elena
Fucci, there will be no Riserva or Superiore in 2023, a respectable decision
that Fucci made to ensure the best possible Titolo Classico.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742923176598-Vinous_Showing+the+diverse+terrain+of+Calabria%2C+the+155+hectare+Rosaneti+vineyard+of+Librandi.JPG">Librandi's 155-hectare Rosaneti vineyard reflects&nbsp;Calabria's diverse terrain.Calabria: Show Me The MoneyCalabria is a perfect example of a missed opportunity. The
region forms the "sole, instep and toe" of the Italian boot and
excels at making fun, lighthearted wines. However, the Cirò DOC and its sole
grape variety, Gaglioppo, deserve special consideration. The Cirò DOC centers around
the towns of Cirò and Cirò Marina, with the Cirò Classico area stretching from
the Sila Mountains down toward the Ionian coast. Closer to the sea, along the
coastal plains, the wines are more jovial and juicier, almost akin to Beaujolais,
but Gaglioppo also has a very serious side. Vines located further inland toward
the hills struggle on these sun-baked slopes, stressed by water scarcity yet
tempered by the influence of two seas and the dramatic temperature swings
created by the Sila Mountains. Here, we find wines with rich profiles of dark
fruit and spice, but Gaglioppo’s firm tannins require gentle maceration and
extended aging. Achieving a balance between fruit and tannin is crucial, but
the results are incredible when done right. Producers such as ‘A Vita and
Ceraudo craft truly compelling wines that make me question why Gaglioppo and
the Cirò DOC cannot seem to achieve the recognition they deserve. Even on a
larger scale, the Librandi winery turns out a solid Cirò at a remarkably low
price.I look forward to the day when more Calabrian wineries
realize the potential beneath their feet, but at this time, Calabria remains a
land of opportunity.Lest We Forget MoliseMolise often goes unnoticed among Italy's many regions. The
area could easily find its place in my coverage of Abruzzo, as Molise is a
natural continuation of the Southern Abruzzo terroir. That said, the grape varieties
grown in Molise set it apart from its more northerly neighbor. The Tintilla
variety is indigenous to Molise and seldom found elsewhere. Typically high in
alcohol and acidity, the grape displays peppery red berry fruit characteristics.
Until 20 years ago, Tintilla was considered a farmer's wine. However, Claudio
Cipressi of Cipressi Winery identified the best biotypes and planted 15 hectares
of vines, elevating the grape's status. Today, those vineyards have come to
full maturity, and the wines Cipressi creates from them are very special and
worth seeking out. I’d love to see more wineries attempt to champion Tintilla,
but it remains obscure outside the region. Molise is best known for its most
widely distributed producer, Di Majo Norante. These wines represent fantastic
value in the lower-to-mid-range, yet for my tastes, their premium labels lean
too heavily on oak. Majo Norante’s Sangiovese&nbsp;and&nbsp;Montepulciano are well worth
checking out, as is their late-release Aglianico Sassius.&nbsp;I urge readers to reference our vintage charts for updates
on current vintages, including 2022 and 2023. I’ve provided detailed information
on the recent seasons in Calabria, Basilicata and Puglia.&nbsp;



















I
tasted the wines for this article in our offices in New York City in January
2025.© 2025, 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/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/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>

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