Calabria: A Region Renowned for Wine Since Ancient Times
It is said that the Greeks began calling Italy "Oenotria" (Land of Wine) in praise of the vineyards along Calabria's Ionian coast. Winners of the ancient Olympic Games were given wine from Krimisa in Calabria, which is believed to be the ancestor of today's DOC Ciro.
The Greek period was extremely important, with Calabria at the heart of Magna Graecia. Colonial cities were built along the coast, and Reggio and Crotone flourished. Afterwards, it shared a fate similar to other southern provinces, passing through the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Normans, the Kingdom of Naples, and finally the Kingdom of Italy.
The economy has not developed much due to geography, transportation, and the presence of criminal organizations, but agriculture plays a very important role within this context. Calabria is the second-largest producer of olive oil in Italy, and citrus cultivation is also thriving. A wide variety of grains and fruits are also grown.
It is a state proud of its rich natural beauty, attracting many visitors for its beautiful sea during holidays.
Calabria: A Treasure Trove of Indigenous Grape Varieties
The most famous wine from Calabria is DOC Ciro. Red and rosé wines are based on Gaglioppo, while white wines are based on Greco Bianco, but the red wine is overwhelmingly more well-known. The best Ciro Rosso is a wine with cherry aromas, a round taste, and broad tannins.
DOC Greco di Bianco is a delicate and elegant sweet wine, but unfortunately, it is produced in small quantities and rarely available. It is a historical wine that was previously called Greco di Gerace.
On the western slopes of the Sila plateau, under appellations such as DOC Pollino and DOC Donnici, fresh red wines with a pale ruby color, various types of white wines, and fresh rosé wines were made using Gaglioppo, Magliocco, and Greco Nero. These appellations have since been consolidated into DOC Terre di Cosenza.
Calabrian Cuisine: Abundant Use of Chili Peppers and Olive Oil
Calabrian cuisine is characterized by its abundant use of chili peppers and olive oil, resulting in many dishes with distinct flavors. Seafood such as sardines and tuna, and meats such as lamb and goat, are commonly eaten.
Goat skewers, Capretto allo spiedo, pair perfectly with Ciro Rosso.
Pasta often consists of homemade short pasta without eggs, tossed with sauces such as stewed lamb. Polpette alla mammolese are large meatballs made with minced pork, stewed in tomato sauce.
Among cheeses, Caciocavallo Silano is famous.
Source, citations, and references:
"Professional Italian Wine Manual, Italian Wine 2018-2021 Edition" Publisher: Wine Kingdom Co., Ltd. Supervisor: Isao Miyajima. Cooperation: Nichio Shoshi Co., Ltd.
