Ep. 312 Jumbo Shrimp Guide | Southern Italy

The Italian wine podcast presents the jumbo shrimp guide to Italian wine, a new book for curious wine lovers, narrated in weekly installments. Join us on our journey to Italian wine. Hello, and welcome to another installment of the jumbo shrimp guide to Italian wine presented by the Italian wine podcast. As always, my name is Joy Livingston, your narrator for this series. The jumbo shrimp guide to Italian wine is intended as a quick lighthearted crash course on Italian wine. The material provides a great opportunity for serious wine scholars to refresh on the basics or to use as a reference. At the same time, we hope to bring new fans of Italian wine up to speed. If you're wondering how to get a copy of the book, the Kindle version is available on Amazon. And the paperback is available from positive press dot net. We'll also send you a complimentary paperback copy if you donate any amount to the Italian wine podcast while supplies last. Find details at Italian wine podcast dot com. Or on our social media channels. Our topic for this week is Southern Italy. So pour yourself a glass, sit back, relax, and enjoy this journey through Italian wine. Southern Italy and the islands. Southern Italy is composed of five mainland regions and two island regions. Melissa, Campania, Pulia, basilicata, Calabria, Cisley, and Sardinia. Although traditionally thought of as simply a powerhouse of wine production that provided rich alcoholic wines for blending in the north. These regions are actually home to exceptional and complex wines in a broad range of styles. Perhaps the most surprising of these are the age worthy white wines of Greco Fiano and Edna Bianco, which are gaining increasing recognition on the global stage. There is little historical information on the historical production of wine in Molize. And indeed, it is a region often overlooked in the wine books. However, this tiny mostly hilly region, the second smallest in the country after in the north is slowly carving out a name for itself on the Italian wine map, thanks to its native grape, tintelia, a red grape that used to be known for its blending capacity. Tintelia is perhaps now more famous due to the rise in popularity and quality of the regional tintilia del Moli Cedoc. Don't let the small size of this area fool you though. It is home to another three region wide denominations. The most widely recognized being Melize doc, as well as several smaller ones, including the original in the area Biferno doc, awarded as early as nineteen eighty three. That covers both red and white wines and is named after the main river in the region. Compania. Compania has been a source of fine wines since the time of the ancient Romans. And many hectares of beautiful vineyards are found within its borders. The best examples of these are located at the foot of Mount Visuvius on the islands of ischia and capri and close to the Sorrento Peninsula. Even during the winter, the climate here is mild, providing not only an ideal tourist destination, but also long growing seasons for the grapes. The quality of its wines was recognized as early as nineteen sixty six with the awarding of the ischia dock. Now there are four DOCG, which include the well known Greco Ditufo and Taurasi wines and twenty docks. As well as being home to Alianico, the red grape variety used in the Tauras CTOCG. You will also find Pier de rosso in Compania, which is often blended with Alianico to help soften the tannins and produce easier drinking styles of wine. Whilst the white grape, Greco might be best known from this region, Falangina and Fiano are both grown here too and produce exceptional wines in a range of styles. Pulia. Great growing in Pulia goes back as far as two thousand BC earlier than the arrival of the Phoenician merchants, and even Horace was writing about how delicious the wines of Tarant were. There are large areas of flat land in Pulia making it perfect not only for vineyards, but all sorts of other farming. The soils here are rich, but rainfall is limited, and the blue skies and sunshine typical of the Mediterranean are found throughout the year. These perfect conditions mean that Pulia is responsible for around one third of all wine production in Italy. Whilst Pulia is best known for red grape varieties such as Premeiro, Uva Di Priya, and Negro Amaro, You might be surprised to learn that many white grapes also thrive in these warm, dry conditions. In particular here, you find Mavasia Bianca, Minutolo, Fiano, and Bambino Bianco. These grapes characterize the local dock wines, among which primitivo de manduria doc, and the recent docG, primitivo de manduria Dolce naturalle, and the wines of the dock Salice Salentino can be counted, both of which have gained significant renowned both in Italy and abroad. Today basilicata is mainly known for its red wine production, and wines such as Alianico del Vultura, for example, are always dry, and of especially high quality. In nineteen seventy one, Alianico Del volturi obtained the region's first stock. This description, however, is a stark contrast to what historians wrote concerning this region in the sixteen twenties. Back then, basilicata was famed as producing sweet, fragrant, and golden wines. This is quite the turnaround. A region that is more than eighty percent hills and mountains, it is particularly suited to quality great production. Not least because of its varied soils. Like Campania, it is also home to an extinct volcano, the volture. Here grapes grow both in the foothills and up to seven hundred meters above sea level. This gives excellent opportunities for a shift between day and night temperature, a condition that increases complexity and flavor development in grapes and helps to maintain refreshing acidity in wines found in warmer regions. The most important area is in the province of Potenza where the Alianico grape is grown and that also characterizes basilicata's only docG area. Alianico del vulturre superior docg. Calabria. Another of the truly ancient southern regions of great production. The Greeks called the people of what is now Calabria Enothri. For their care and skill in the cultivation of the vine, and then somewhat ironically help them improve growing methods. However, like Moliza, it is a region that has often been overlooked by those both inside and outside of Italy. With almost half of the area covered in mountains, vines find new areas to grow here. And in stark contrast to a large area such as Pulia, grapes in Calabria represent only three percent of farming production. Originally known for the production of high alcohol intensely colored wines that were used for blending. Calabria has slowly been changing its image, helped find increased focus on The red grape that finds its home here and dominates in the cedar dock, as well as many of the other wines produced here. When not drinking wines made from Galiapo, you could encounter other red grapes such as Nerello Capucio or Malioco. In fact, red wines account for eighty percent of the production in Calabrio. White wines are dominated by Greco, especially those likely to be imported from the region. These are found in dry styles. However, there is a dedicated denomination for these Greco de Bianco wines, which represents an interesting and delicious dessert wine. Sicily. Historically, Sicily's most famous wine was Ma Martino, a favorite of Julius Caesar. So this region has always gotten good press. Interestingly, it was a Brit who featured prominently in the success of wine from Sicily in the first part of modern history. In the eighteenth century, John Woodhouse, a merchant who used to send dry white wine of Marcela to England by fortifying it with alcohol to help it keep during the voyage, started modern day Marcella wine production. This really put the island on the map in a period when the rest of sicilian wine was mainly used for blending purposes. Sicily is such a large landmass that it is hard to characterize in a simple fashion. Each quarter is defined by different characteristics from the sea breezes of areas that hug the coast to the altitude found in the Aetna region, and then the large warm central areas. Let's not forget the volcanic Pantaleria and the aeolian Islands. In fact, the main island is so large that the vineyard area is among the largest in Italy. Indeed, it's fifteen percent larger than Poulias. The only sicilian d o c g is serasualo d vittoria d o c g made with a blend of rapato and nero da bola grapes in an area close to the south coast. There is also a dock here called Simply Vitoria Doc, which also includes white wines made mainly with the grape in Solia. Whilst Sarasuola de Vitoria is the DOCG. Most people actually know Sicily thanks to the rise in popularity of the wines from the Aetna dock. Found on the slopes surrounding the Aetna volcano, these wines are defined by strong mineral characters and are produced both in red made from blending, and Nerello capucho, and also white from primarily Calicante. The floral doc is also worth mentioning in the province of Messina. This was one of the first in Sicily and produces highly promising wines based on It is not just great dry wines that are found on this expansive island. Sicily is the home to many great sweet wines. Malvasia de la Lipari produced from grape Malvasia, Delipari, and Corinto Nero, Moscato de Cirracuda, and Moscato de Notto grapes. Moscato de Panteleria from Zhibbo or Moscato de Alexandria, and of course, was first made famous by the fortified wines produced in the Marcela dock. These are based on the white grapes, Grillo, Catarato, and Ansonica, often locally referred to as Inzolia, or for the production of ruby wines, for which producers use Pericone, Nero stabilized, or even Nerello Masca laise. Sardenia. The island of Sardenia has a long and varied history of wine, and its position in the Mediterranean has made it a target for many conquering forces. Whilst the Phoenicians led the interest in winemaking and grape growing here, it was the fall of the byzantine empire that brought fame to the region. In modern history, the first doc, the Vernaca di Oristano doc was awarded in nineteen seventy one. Yet, despite this, for many years, Sardinian wines were not particularly popular, due to their reputation for being full bodied, but with little in the way of acidity and considerable alcohol. Fortunately, the last thirty years have seen great strides to improve quality and techniques. And now Sardinean wines are becoming increasingly popular and recognized around the world. In terms of wine, the island is not defined by its coastline, but actually by the hills and characteristic sand or granite soils that have significant impact on the styles of the wines. It can be very hot and windy here with little rainfall, helping to produce concentrated wines. The most cultivated red grapes include Canalau, Monica, Carignano, Pascalle, and Bovale, while Muragos, Vermentino, and Marvasia, Desardenia, are the main white grapes. The only DOCG is Vermentino de Gallura. There are eighteen docks amongst them Vernecha Diorristano doc made of the native Vernecha Diorristano grape. It is of great interest. This is a wine that can be aged for two years in barrels with a minimum alcoholic strength of fourteen percent. And as well as dry styles, there is also a fortified version or licorozo style. It is increasingly becoming the must try wine from Sardinia. Wines to try. One of Italy's top ten planted red grape varieties Its popularity keeps growing. Its name comes from its early ripening habit. Indeed. It is often the first grape to be picked in Italy with harvests beginning as early as August. While it ripens unevenly, meaning some grapes become raisins whilst others remain green, it also accumulates sugar easily. Not an easy grape to decide when to pick. However, perhaps the most famous wines are those of Primitivo Dimanduria doc. Tasting note, deeply colored wines that tend to lose their color quickly as they age. But Imitivo wines typically have appealing aromas of ripe red cherry, strawberry jam, and plums macerated in alcohol, which carry through on the creamy rich palette. High hetty alcohol, Upwards of sixteen percent is common. Although well integrated with the power of the aromas and flavors and often balanced by a pleasant, herbal finish. Fiano, Save from oblivion in nineteen forty five, Castro Veradino's first varietal bottling, Fiano, is arguably one of Italy's greatest white grape varieties. Particularly those from the Fiano Diavilino DOCG and the crew of Lapio. Like Alianico and many of the other grapes from the south, its affinity with volcanic soils is clear, and gives a rich smoky character to some wines which match perfectly with its aromatic potential. Tasting note. The wine is pale yellow, though often with a green tinge, It can range from lean and mineral to rich and full bodied with notes of white blossoms, pear, green apple, and a pleasant hint of hazelnut. They can be remarkably age worthy, and with time, can take on notes of beeswax and acacia honey, becoming creamier and even oily on the palate. Can on now, Sardinia's signature red grape. Canonau is identical to Frances Goodanache and Spain's garnacha. In fact, this grape appears in many guises, both across Italy and around the world. However, those worth hunting out to try include the cano now di sardinia dock wines, especially those in the crew area of Jersou, as well as in the interesting and unusual expression found as in and in Riviera, ligure, y ponente doc granaccia in liguria. Tasting note. These wines are classically characterized by aromas of red berries, strawberry and raspberry, as well as floral and herbal notes. This is a very adaptive variety, however. And therefore, examples across the country vary. For example, those made in Sardinia and Veneto tend to be fruitier and more intense than those made in Umbria. Thank you for listening to this installment of the jumbo shrimp guide to Italian wine. We'll see you again next Thursday. And remember, The kindle version of the book is available on Amazon, and the paperback is available from positive press dot net. You can also get a complimentary paperback copy by donating any amount to the Italian wine podcast while supplies last. Find Italian wine podcast on Facebook and Instagram. Our Twitter handle is ita wine podcast and check out at mama jumbo shrimp on TikTok. This has been the jumbo shrimp guide to Italian wine. Presented by the Italian wine podcast, and a once listened to the Italian wine story. Join us next week as we continue our narrative journey.