Venosa: Aglianica

The ‘Aglianica’ is a manifestation which occurs in summertime in the Vulture area villages. Exhibitions, seminars, tastes, taste’s laboratories, meetings and expositions take place to show the best of the ‘aglianico’ wine (one of the most precious of Italy), gastronomy in Basilicata and its tastes. Wine-producing firms of the zone show their own productions which are examined and analyzed every year by sommeliers and experts of wine-producing sector. The manifestation dedicates a section to the best Italian wines every year, presenting them in appropriate meetings. Numerous restorers of the region are also present at the manifestation, showing their products to the public.

Barile

The name of this village probably comes from ‘barrale’ or ‘barrelium’, a duty put on sheep. Barile could also be a reference to its coat of arms which represents a barrel and a bunch of grapes, testifying the production of the Aglianico wine. Cellars hollowed out in the tuff are still used to let wine mature. The heritage of this village is composed of the Main Church of the ‘Madonna delle Grazie’, in which some masterpieces of the XV century are kept; S. Nicola’s Church, dating to 1780; and the ‘Fontana dello Steccato’, dating to 1793 and richly decorated. At Easter time, the cultural heritage of Barile is enriched by the representation of the ‘Via Crucis’, with its characteristic scenes and costumes, which give it a strong folk character.

Rionero in Vulture: Wine

The 'Aglianico del Vulture' is one of the finest wines in the region to which the the d.o.c. mark was assigned in 1971. It is produced in the zone of Mount Vulture, the very old, now extinct volcano. The volcanic soil gives the wine its rare and greatly appreciated characteristic flavour. Among the finest Italian and European wines (it has received many international acknowledgments), Aglianico del Vulture d.o.c. is produced from vines introduced during the times of Magna Graecia. Its ruby red or bright burgundy colour takes on orange highlights with aging. The scent is pleasantly grape-like and flavour dry, harmonious and slightly tannic, which softens with aging. Its alcohol content is never less than 12°. It is called 'vecchio' after at least three years of aging and 'riserva' after at least five. The wine goes very well with meats, especially roasts and wild game.

Roccanova: The ‘Grottino’

This wine is produced in Roccanova with three different kinds of grapes: ciliegiolo, trebbiano and malvasia. This wine is a typical local one, produced and kept in the characteristic caves dating from the XVIII century. They were excavated in the sandstone rocks around the village. This is the reason why this wine is called ‘Grottino di Roccanova’ in order to achieve the Geographical Typical Indication. Nowadays there are about 350 of these cellars and their main characteristic is that they guarantee a uniform level of humidity and temperature, so that the main features of the wine kept there remain unchanged. These caves are formed by several tunnels burrowed in the sandstone under the village. The red wines of Basilicata, among which the Grottino di Roccanova, have a special value because of the large presence of antioxidant factors that protect against cardiovascular diseases. The Grottino can be recognised by its intense colour, its strong taste and its full aroma that make it one of the most appreciated wines in the South of Italy.