Cellars carved into the tufa for the great Lucanian red
On the volcanic slopes of Monte Vulture, in the north of Basilicata, grows the Aglianico, an ancient black grape variety, perhaps introduced by the Greeks, which gives one of the greatest red wines of southern Italy: the Aglianico del Vulture, DOC, and in its aged version, the Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCG. Thanks to the volcanic soil, rich in minerals, and the cool climate of the hills, between 200 and 700 metres, the Aglianico of the Vulture is a powerful, structured and long-lived wine, with notes of dark fruit, spices and minerality, often compared to the great reds of northern Italy and called the "Barolo of the South".
The best place to discover it is Barile, a small village of Arbëreshë origin, founded by Albanian refugees in the fifteenth century, which still preserves its traditions and language. At the entrance to the village, in the district called Scescio, there are dozens of ancient cellars carved into the volcanic tufa, the "cantine", where for centuries the wine has been aged at a constant temperature and humidity; many have been restored and can be visited, and some host wine tastings. The cellars of Barile were also used by Pier Paolo Pasolini as the setting for the scenes of the Nativity in his film "The Gospel According to St Matthew" (1964). Barile and the nearby towns of Rionero in Vulture and Rapolla host many wineries, and in autumn the area celebrates the wine with festivals and open cellars.
Tip: visit the tufa cellars of Barile and taste an aged Aglianico; book a winery visit among the vineyards of the Vulture.
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