Sipping Calabria: uncork the best red and white wines of this region

Calabria is a sunny southern Italian region rich in traditions, history and flavours: the 'toe of the boot' is renowned for its breathtaking beaches, rugged mountains and ancient villages. Calabrian wines are today the protagonists of an extraordinary oenological renaissance.

Here is everything you need to know about the best wines of Calabria, including historical facts and tasting tips.

The history of wine in Calabria: an area devoted to viticulture since antiquity

Wine is not only the result of the terroir of the area in which it is born, but is also nourished by suggestions and influences, and often reveals its most fascinating sides precisely when it is the fruit of an interweaving of cultures. The case of Calabria is emblematic in this sense, a land that has distinguished itself in wine production since the first attempts by the Greeks to colonise southern Italy, in the 4th century BC.

When they landed in Calabria - where it is probable that the cultivation of vitis vinifera was already an established activity - the Greeks were fascinated by the area's wine-growing potential (which they called Enotria, from oinos, wine) and decided to develop it more systematically, contributing to the birth of the area's finest wines. It is said that the ancestor of Cirò, Krimisa, was considered a tonic and used - as well as for daily conviviality and rituals dedicated to Dionysus - as an offering to athletes competing in the Olympics.

It was then the Romans who developed new viticulture techniques, changing the agricultural profile of the region and making wine an integral part of the local economy (along with oil).

The history of Calabria, therefore, is a millennial wine-making history, which nevertheless underwent a period of crisis with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the proliferation of plundering. The recovery came about thanks to the Byzantines and the ecclesiastical rites, only to suffer a setback again during the period of phylloxera, the World Wars and the migratory flows that emptied the countryside.

However, the slowdown in production was not only a negative phenomenon, but also contributed to a recovery more closely linked to the ancient Calabrian wine tradition, with the rediscovery of native grape varieties and a focus on quality.

The result? A series of DOCs that reveal how Calabria deserves a prominent place in the wine scene, and not only in Italy.

The terroir of the Calabria region

With its varied terrain, made up of rocky, craggy coastlines, high mountains and wild wooded patches, Calabria seems to want to shout out loud that the best wines are produced precisely in the most seemingly rugged settings.

However, it is not only complexity that characterises this region: the continental climate in the mountainous area - with its temperature fluctuations - creates ideal conditions for the cultivation of white grape varieties, while the Ionian and Tyrrhenian belts enjoy the mildness of the Mediterranean climate.

The former, however, has predominantly clayey soils, which give the wines a distinct minerality, while the area facing the Tyrrhenian Sea has calcareous soils, which are reflected in the characteristics of Calabrian wines, especially their structure.

The terroir of Calabrian wines is also characterised by higher temperatures on the coast, which is usually well ventilated, traits that contribute to the birth of wines with a high sugar concentration.

The best Calabrian red wines: characteristics and pairings

Within the Calabrian wine scene, it is the red grape varieties that dominate the scene, covering around 80% of total production. Led in particular by the indigenous Gaglioppo and Magliocco (but also noteworthy are Castiglione, Greco Nero, Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio and Marsigliana Nera), they are responsible for the production of reds with different organoleptic nuances, from the fruitiest to those characterised by spicy hints:

• Cirò Rosso DOC: appreciated both in Italy and abroad, Cirò Rosso DOC wines - such as 'Colli del Mancuso' Cirò DOC Riserva 2020 - are made from Gaglioppo grapes in the province of Crotone. Pleasant and not too intense (as is also revealed by the light ruby colour), they are characterised by a fruity organoleptic profile that welcomes notes of cherry, blackberry and plum, with hints of vanilla and spice amplified by maturation in oak barriques for at least 12 months. The palate is dry, elegant and discreetly tannicwith a defined structure that goes well with meat dishes and spicy, ethnic recipes
  The ability to adapt to the typical Calabrian chilli peppers makes Cirò Rosso particularly well suited to accompanyfull-bodied recipes with intense aromas, such as Phall or Chicken Tikka Masala. It is also excellent with cold cuts or meat stews.

• Melissa Rosso DOC: also produced in the province of Crotone, predominantly from Gaglioppo grapes, this wine displays in the glass a colour ranging from elegant rosé to persuasive ruby red. In a glass of 'Asylia' Rosso Melissa DOC 2021, hints of blackberries and spices emerge during the olfactory examination, while on the palate one can perceive the good structure and refreshing taste, to be enjoyed with meat dishes.
  Melissa Rosso is a perfect wine to liven up summer barbecues, but it also makes a wonderful impression with a red meat stew (such as mutton) or with roast chicken with potatoes.

• Magliocco Terre di Cosenza DOC: a great protagonist of the revival of ancient Calabrian vines, Magliocco is experiencing a fortunate period, after years in which it was not vinified in purity. The wines it produces have a high level of tannins, enlivened by an acidulous aftertaste.
  Imported to Calabria by the Greeks, Magliocco is excellently represented by theTerre di Cosenza DOC denomination. The ruby red colour reveals an intense and gritty character, but this is only confirmed during the organoleptic examination, during which a multifaceted, predominantly fruity bouquet emerges. The taste, on the other hand, reveals a good body and an acidity that tickles the palate and refreshes the sip. It can be drunk as an aperitif with a cheese and charcuterie board, with meat pies, but also with a slice of crusted Beef Wellington.

Calabrian white wines and food pairing

Although they represent a minority compared to the reds, Calabrian white wines (in their dry or sweet version) still play an important role within the regional wine scene, produced from the region's most representative grape varieties, such as Greco Bianco, Pecorello (not to be confused with Pecorino) and Guarnaccia.

• Cirò Bianco DOC: multifaceted and rich, Calabria's wine production still offers great satisfaction thanks to the white declination of the DOC Cirò, obtained from the Greco Bianco
  In a glass'Mare Chiaro' Cirò DOC Bianco 2022, the most noteworthy features are the fruity and floral aromas, reminiscent of tropical and white-fleshed varieties. This straw-yellow wine, mottled with green veins, also gives the palate a soft and lively, fresh and slightly brackish taste, excellent with a fish menu, from fried recipes - such as tasty fish & chips - to stews, from baked dishes to cod or haddock meatballs. Not bad either with shrimp cocktails or - for those who want to try a more unusual combination - with jellied eel typical of UK cuisine, to be washed down with just a sip of this wine.

• Melissa Bianco DOC: Even the Melissa DOC, already known for its fragrant reds, can be appreciated in its white version, well represented by a bottle of 'Asylia' Bianco Melissa DOC 2022. The soft pressing of the Greco Bianco grapes and vinification in steel give the wine - straw yellow in colour with green highlights - a floral bouquet with pleasant citrus notesand slightly mineral hints that reappear on tasting
  The taste is savoury and balanced, to be enjoyed with salmon or cod fillets, but also withegg dishes. Absolutely try it with delicious Scotch or Deviled Eggs or with Eggs Benedict, whose creamy, unctuous texture will be beautifully refreshed by the savouriness of this wine.

• Greco di Bianco DOC: as is the case in the wine production of many regions, white vinification often also gives rise to excellent dessert wines. The most representative of Calabria is Greco di Bianco, produced within the province of Reggio Calabria from Greco Bianco grapes.

Its sugary soul, typical of raisin wines, can be guessed from its deep colour, a yellow that turns to golden. The warm, soft and elegant taste, reminiscent of dried figs, is preceded by scents of orange blossom, which go very well with both moderately mature cheeses and desserts of various kinds, from pastries to dried fruit desserts, from puddings to apple pies.

Now that you have got to know Calabria through its best wines, continue exploring Italian oenology with Svinando's selection!