Basilicata

Basilicata and Lucania are located in the centre-south of the peninsular between the Ionian and the Tyrrhenian Seas. They are Italy's most mountainous regions. Wine production is limited principally to the slopes of Mount Vulture, in a relatively small area but one with ideal natural conditions for winegrowing. The regions' great asset is the Aglianico grape. The traditional name of the variety, Ellenica, suggests that it was brought to southern Italy by the ancient Greeks; modern ampelographical research should soon be able to throw light on the origins of this fascinating variety.

Although small and off the beaten track, these regions are keeping abreast of developments in wine production in the country as a whole, and in particular are building their future around the symbiosis of the Aglianico grape with the terroir of Mount Vulture. Annual output totals around 400,000 hectolitres. From the exclusive DOC production of the region, VIAS selects top quality labels which represent the authentic face of modern Italian wine on the US market today.