Taurasi and Taurasi riserva are red, still

Italian wines Italian wine is produced in every region of Italy. Italy is the world's largest producer of wine, with an area of under vineyard cultivation, and contributing a 2013–2017 annual average of 48.3 million hl of wine. In 2018 Italy accounted for ...

based principally on the

Aglianico Aglianico ( , ) is a black grape grown in the southern regions of Italy, mostly Basilicata and Campania. It is considered with Sangiovese and Nebbiolo to be one of the three greatest Italian varieties. Aglianico is sometimes called "The Barolo ...

grape variety This list of grape varieties includes cultivated grapes, whether used for wine, or eating as a table grape, fresh or dried (raisin, currant, sultana). For a complete list of all grape species including those unimportant to agriculture, see Viti ...

produced in the

Province of Avellino The Province of Avellino ( it, Provincia di Avellino) is a province in the Campania region of Southern Italy. The area is characterized by numerous small towns and villages scattered across the province; only two towns have a population over 20,0 ...

in the

Campania Campania (, also , , , ) is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islands and the i ...

region. They were awarded ''

Denominazione di Origine Controllata The following four classifications of wine constitute the Italian system of labelling and legally protecting Italian wine: * ''Denominazione di origine'' (DO, rarely used; ; English: “designation of origin”), * ''Indicazione geografica tipic ...

'' (DOC) status in 1970 and ''

Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita The following four classifications of wine constitute the Italian system of labelling and legally protecting Italian wine: * ''Denominazione di origine'' (DO, rarely used; ; English: “designation of origin”), * ''Indicazione geografica tipic ...

'' (DOCG) status in 1993. Produced less than 40 miles (64 km) from the other Aglianico stronghold of

Aglianico del Vulture Aglianico del Vulture and Aglianico del Vulture Superiore are Italian red wines based on the Aglianico grape and produced in the Vulture area of Basilicata. Located on volcanic soils derived from nearby Mount Vulture, it was awarded ''Denominaz ...

Basilicata it, Lucano (man) it, Lucana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = ...

, the

volcanic soil The soil composition of vineyards is one of the most important viticultural considerations when planting grape vines. The soil supports the root structure of the vine and influences the drainage levels and amount of minerals and nutrients that the ...

s of the Taurasi region demonstrate the potential the Aglianico grape has to make wines on par with the

Nebbiolo Nebbiolo (, ; pms, nebieul ) is an Italian red wine grape variety predominantly associated with its native Piedmont region, where it makes the ''Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita'' (DOCG) wines of Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, G ...

grape of

Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

and

Sangiovese Sangiovese (, also , , ) is a red Italian wine grape variety that derives its name from the Latin ''sanguis Jovis'', "the blood of Jupiter". Though it is the grape of most of central Italy from Romagna down to Lazio (the most widespread grape i ...

grape of

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze''). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...

. The popularity of the region's wine is a relatively recent phenomenon. Until the early 1990s, there was only one winery (

Mastroberardino Mastroberardino is an Italian winery located in Atripalda, in Provincia di Avellino, in the Campania region. Founded in 1878, the winery is known for its production of Taurasi DOCG as well as its ampelography work in identifying and preserving ...

), producing wine for the export market. By the mid-2000s, there were over 293 producers in the Taurausi zone.J. Robinson (ed) ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pg 7 Oxford University Press 2006

Production zone

The vineyards may be located within the boundaries of the following

communes An intentional community is a voluntary residential community which is designed to have a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork from the start. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, religious, ...

of the

Taurasi Taurasi is a town and municipality in the province of Avellino, Campania, southern Italy. In antiquity it was a town in Samnium. The town's name probably derives from the Latin ''Taurus''. Over time it changed from ''Taurasos'' to ''Taurasia ...

Bonito Bonitos are a tribe of medium-sized, ray-finned predatory fish in the family Scombridae – a family it shares with the mackerel, tuna, and Spanish mackerel tribes, and also the butterfly kingfish. Also called the tribe Sardini, it consists of ...

Castelfranci Castelfranci ( nap, Castafrancia; Irpino: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Avellino, Campania, southern Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. ...

Castelvetere sul Calore Castelvetere sul Calore is a ''comune'' in the province of Avellino, Campania, southern Italy. It takes its name from the Calore Irpino The Calore Irpino or Calore Beneventano or Calore river is a river in southwestern Italy. It rises from ''Co ...

Fontanarosa Fontanarosa is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Avellino, Campania, southern Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of ...

Lapio Lapio is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Avellino, Campania, southern Italy. Lapio includes the frazioni of Casale Monaci, Case sparse, Cerreto, Cortejoanna, Crete, Fortuna, Tognano, and Arianiello Arianiello is a village in the muni ...

Luogosano Luogosano is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Medite ...

Mirabella Eclano Mirabella Eclano is an Italian town and ''comune'' of the province of Avellino, in the Southern Italian Campania region. its population was of 7,904. History The Roman site of Aeclanum once stood nearby. It is now an archaeological park and li ...

Montefalcione Montefalcione (Irpino: ) is a town and ''comune'' of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. The town lies on a hill which at its summit is above sea level. In 1861 it was the location of a revolt against the newly fo ...

Montemarano Montemarano is a town and ''comune'', former Latin bishopric and present titular see in the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. History The existence of the town is documented since the 11th century. During the Norma ...

Montemiletto Montemiletto ( la, Mons Militum; Irpino: ) is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy. The population of Montemiletto is roughly 5,400. References See also *Irpinia Irpinia (Modern Latin ''Hirpinia'') is a geographical ...

Paternopoli Paternopoli is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Avellino, Campania, southern Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of ...

Pietradefusi Pietradefusi (; nap, 'A Preta, label=Irpinian dialect, Irpino) is a comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy. History According to some scholars, Pietradefusi lies on the site of the ancient ''Fusolae'', a town cited by Livy as an al ...

Sant'Angelo all'Esca Sant'Angelo all'Esca is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Avellino, Campania, southern Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the mi ...

, San Mango sul Calore,

Torre Le Nocelle Torre Le Nocelle is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the ...

and

Venticano Venticano ( Irpinian: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Avellino, Campania, southern Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in th ...

. The total area is about and is situated on

volcanic A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates a ...

soil.

Winemaking

The Aglianico grape thrives on vineyards at higher altitudes, around 400 to 500 meters above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...

. According to DOCG regulations, Taurasi wines must be aged a minimum of 3 years prior to release with at least 1 of those years being in

wood Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin th ...

. For wines labeled ''Riserva'', the wines must be aged for at least 4 years. The wines are made primarily from Aglianico though up to 15% of

Barbera Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy (after Sangiovese and Montepulciano). It produces good yields and is known for deep color, full body, low tannins and high levels ...

Piedirosso Piedirosso is a red Italian wine grape variety that is planted primarily in the Campania region. The grape is considered a specialty of the region, being used to produce wines for local and tourist consumption. Its name "piedirosso" means "red f ...

and

may be blended in.T. Stevenson ''"The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia"'' pg 299 Dorling Kindersley 2005

References

{{reflist Italian DOCG Wines of Campania Province of Avellino