Calabria

The first name of this wine region was surprising, "Italia". This name is derived from the Italic tribes who first inhabited this region. Later this region was also known as "Brutium" or after colonization by the Greeks "Magna Grecia" or: "Greater Greece". In the 7th century AD, the name of this wine region was changed to Calabria by the Byzantine rulers. In Calabria, history almost comes to life. The population lives in small communities, spread over the slopes and dry rivers of the Aspromonte Mountains. The old language and associated traditions are still cherished, and as a tourist, you can always witness folkloric events.

As in the other Italian southern areas, this wine region has adopted many grape varieties and winemaking techniques from the Greeks. In fact, the people of Calabria became so adept at producing wine that it soon outperformed the wine from the original grapes in Greece itself. The main DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) wine produced in Calabria is the Cirò, considered by some to be the oldest wine in the world. Other good wines are the Melissa and the Greco di Bianco, an orange-colored sweet dessert wine produced in the area surrounding the town of Bianco. Greco is the most widely used grape variety in the region and finds its way into a variety of DOC wines and is predominantly combined with the Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianca grape varieties.

The wines of Cirò and Bianco, in the east and south of the region respectively, have been prized since ancient times and served to the winners of the Olympic Games. The wines of Savuto, on the west coast, have also been repeatedly praised in literature throughout history. Calabria has been re-profiling itself as a wine region in recent years to connect with the rest of Italy. Most of Calabria's vineyards are located on the slopes of the mountains in southern Italy. Many small winegrowers with a vineyard of often no more than a few football fields, take care of the wine production in Calabria. Only a few larger wineries succeed in selling their wines beyond national borders.

In addition to being a fantastic and special area, Calabria is also great for wine - but the offer is limited. Climatically, the region is characterized by average annual temperatures of around 17°-25°C. The average annual rainfall is about 700 mm. The presence of the sea has a positive effect on the vineyards, and all this favors the vines. There is a good difference between day and night temperatures, and the winds keep the vineyards healthy and free of aphids. Making this a region where many fine wineries have switched to organic or sustainable viticulture and want to distinguish themselves and also connect internationally around the popularity of Italian wines.