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Red Grape · Basilicata
Aglianico is the deep south's iron-fisted answer to Nebbiolo: a black, late-ripening grape from Campania's Irpinia hills and Basilicata's extinct Vulture volcano, with tannin and acidity fierce enough to age Taurasi and Aglianico del Vulture for decades.
Aglianico [ahl-YAH-nee-ko] is an ancient Southern Italian varietal with lots of charm. This big and bold red wine has been adored since the Greeks occupied Italy. Produced in the stunning regions of Campania and Basilicata, Aglianico remains Southern Italy’s most premiere red grape.
Setting it straight
From the Irpinia hills of Campania to the extinct Vulture volcano in Basilicata, Aglianico is the deep south's most serious, slowest-aging red, not a cheap and cheerful quaffer.
The anchor fact: Taurasi, made from Aglianico, was Campania's first DOCG in 1993 and must be aged three years before release, while Aglianico del Vulture Superiore is Basilicata's only DOCG. These are cellar wines, not everyday bargains.
Taste · Where it sits
Forget scores out of five. Here’s Aglianico described against grapes you already know.
Full-bodied and muscular, up in the heavyweight class with Sagrantino and top Nebbiolo, but the weight is all tannin and dark extract, never sweet or soft.
Some of the firmest tannin in Italy, thick-skinned and mouth-gripping like a young Nebbiolo, which is exactly why Taurasi earned the nickname the Barolo of the South.
Startlingly high acidity for a southern red: it keeps a wine this dark and tannic feeling fresh, and it is the backbone that carries Aglianico through decades in the cellar.
Firmly dry and savoury, all black cherry, iron and smoke rather than the sweet, jammy fruit of Primitivo or Nero d'Avola from further south.
Key flavours
The map
Aglianico is powerfully full, bold, gripping tannin, mapped against other red grapes you can buy. The closer a grape sits, the more its weight and grip resemble Aglianico.
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Serving guide
Serve at
17-20°C
A touch below room temperature keeps the alcohol and fierce tannin in check and lets the dark fruit through.
Decant
1 hours
Give young Aglianico a good hour of air; it is tightly wound and needs time to unclench its tannin and wake the fruit.
Glass
Bordeaux Glass
A big Bordeaux bowl suits it, softening the grip and spreading its smoke, iron and dark-fruit aromatics.
Drink within
4-5 days
Once open it holds for days, as the tannin and acidity that let it age also keep it fresh long after the cork is pulled.
Cellar
+20 years
Cellar the serious bottlings for twenty years or more; Taurasi and Aglianico del Vulture Superiore are among Italy's longest-lived reds.
On the table
Start with the home-table matches that made the grape, then browse the full cuisine library.
The Lucanian classic
Basilicata's own lamb ragu, from the same Lucanian tables as Aglianico del Vulture: the wine's tannin cuts the fatty lamb while its acidity lifts the long-simmered sauce.
Gamey and slow-cooked
Rustic mutton stew, gamey and rich, meets its match in Aglianico's grip and savoury, smoky edge, a pairing the mountain south has eaten for generations.
The region's cheese
Stuffed, melting caciocavallo, the great cheese of the south, is salty and savoury enough to tame the tannin and let the wine's dark fruit answer back.
Braised and collagen-rich
Slow-braised lamb shank is the textbook foil for a big tannic red: its collagen and fat soften Aglianico's grip, making it the easy way to open a young Taurasi at the table.
Browse every pairing
Buy it · three to start with
A curated trio across the price range, then every Aglianico on sale in the UK right now.
Entry · everyday
1 retailer
Sannio
1 retailer
£13.25
Why this one: A pure, everyday Aglianico from the Sannio hills of Campania and one of the region's biggest co-ops: honest black-cherry-and-pepper fruit with real grip, the cheapest way to learn the grape.
The sweet spot
2 retailers
Aglianico del Vulture Superiore
2 retailers
£27.64
£30.07
Why this one: Now cross to Basilicata, where Basilisco grows Aglianico on the black volcanic soils of Monte Vulture; this Superiore, Basilicata's only DOCG, adds the smoke, iron and depth those old volcanic slopes give.
Special occasion
1 retailer
Taurasi
1 retailer
£45.50
Why this one: Radici is the benchmark Taurasi from Mastroberardino, the house that kept Taurasi alive through the last century: a firm structure of tar, graphite and dark cherry with a cellar life measured in decades, this is Aglianico at full stretch.
12 of 30 bottles
5 retailers
Taurasi
5 retailers
£23.19
3 retailers
Taurasi
3 retailers
£33.47
£36.46
2 retailers
Biferno
2 retailers
£10.57
2 retailers
Campania
2 retailers
£13.70
£15.05
2 retailers
Irpinia
2 retailers
£16.90
2 retailers
Campania
2 retailers
£16.82
£18.40
2 retailers
Aglianico del Vulture Superiore
2 retailers
£27.64
£30.07
2 retailers
Irpinia
2 retailers
£32.60
£34.12
2 retailers
Irpinia
2 retailers
£38.60
£42.08
1 retailer
Sannio
1 retailer
£13.25
1 retailer
Puglia
1 retailer
£11.10
£14.09
1 retailer
Puglia
1 retailer
£13.95
Denominations
The appellations where Aglianico plays a starring role.
Where it grows
Italy's smallest southern producer, where Aglianico ripens late on the volcanic cones of Mount Vulture and Matera's tufa cellars age the country's most Read more
From Vesuvian ash to Avellino's Tufo hills, Campania pours four DOCGs of Italy's deepest wine memory: Aglianico for thunder, Fiano and Greco for stone-cool Read more
Italy's quietest wine region: Tintilia rediscovered on Apennine slopes, Montepulciano ripened by Adriatic light, and Biferno reds anchored above the Termoli Read more
From Manduria's Primitivo bottlings to Salento's Negroamaro estates and Castel del Monte's Nero di Troia DOCG hills, Puglia offers Italy's deepest catalogue Read more
The terroir
Aglianico is a creature of the volcanic deep south, thick-skinned and so late-ripening it is often the last red picked in Italy, hanging on the vine into November. It needs the heat and the old volcanic and high-altitude soils of Campania and Basilicata to ripen that fierce tannin, which is why its great homes sit inland, high and cool, rather than on the easy coastal plains.
Taurasi DOCG
Irpinia, Campania
Campania's first DOCG, from the high Apennine hills of Irpinia around the town of Taurasi. Aged at least three years before release, it is the firm, tar-and-graphite benchmark, the wine that earned Aglianico the Barolo of the South tag.
Aglianico del Vulture
Monte Vulture, Basilicata
Grown on the basalt and ash of Monte Vulture, an extinct volcano, on slopes between 450 and 600 metres. Wilder and smokier than Taurasi, with more iron and blood; the Superiore is Basilicata's only DOCG.
Aglianico del Taburno DOCG
Taburno massif, Benevento
Campania's other Aglianico DOCG, on the slopes of the Taburno massif near Benevento; a little rounder and more approachable young than austere Taurasi, but built on the same grip.
Editorial
Aglianico wines are accessible for a range of budgets, typically priced between £12 to £40. The cost varies depending on the type and vintage, offering options for both casual enthusiasts and serious collectors in the UK.
Thick-skinned and stubbornly slow, Aglianico is among the very last grapes harvested in Italy, still ripening on the volcanic slopes of Monte Vulture and the hills of Irpinia into November, long after the rest of the country has finished its vintage.
The last red picked in the southThis robust wine pairs exceptionally with pasta dishes featuring rich meat sauces. Recommended combinations include pasta with Lamb ragu, oxtail, or wild boar, where the wine's depth complements the hearty flavours of the sauce.
For risotto enthusiasts, Aglianico makes an excellent companion to Risotto alla Milanese topped with ossobuco or a hearty mushroom risotto, enhancing the creamy texture with its bold profile.
This wine is a perfect match for barbecued or smoked meats, stewed beef, or a classic steak. Its structure and tannins beautifully cut through the richness of the meat.
Generally, Aglianico does not pair well with fish due to its robust nature. However, if opting for an Aglianico rosato, some fish dishes can be complemented.
When it comes to cheese, Aglianico pairs wonderfully with aged varieties. Enjoy it with a slice of parmigiano, a chunk of cheddar, or a wedge of blue cheese to appreciate the harmony between the bold wine and the sharpness of the cheese.
This versatile wine finds its place alongside various global cuisines. It pairs particularly well with French dishes, American barbecue, and traditional Italian meals, offering a broad spectrum of culinary explorations for British palates.
Made in Basilicata, this classic Aglianico is bold and beloved by many wine drinkers. The wine gets its name from where the grapes are grown, around Monte Vulture.
This is the most esteemed Aglianico wine.The grapes are made in Avellino, in the Campania region. This Aglianico requires the most aging in bottle to soften its intense structure.
This Aglianico is grown and vinified in the Benevento area in Campania. It is usually the most affordable of the Aglianicos, but still delivers a bold structure and finesse.
Aglianico has an impressive lineage. It is an ancient grape indigenous to Southern Italy. This grape has been adored by several peoples for centuries. In fact, it is considered to have one of the most extensive histories in the global grape market. The oldest civilizations in Italy cultivated and exported Aglianico.
The Romans were in love with Aglianico. When the Romans took over, the grape’s production expanded further. This led to Avellino becoming the prized region for Aglianico grapes. Avellino remains the most distinguished Aglianico growing zone today - the Taurasi wines are produced exclusively in the comune of Avellino.
Overtime, Aglianico production expanded beyond its home in Campania and Basilicata. Aglianico is also grown in the neighboring regions of Molise as well as Puglia. In certain areas of Campania, Aglianico makes up at least 85 percent of wines with a bit of Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. Aglianico is also exported all around the world. It is even grown in different wine growing regions. Parts of Australia and California now produce Aglianico grapes as well.
Aglianico is a gem of Southern Italy. Its impressive history and complex flavors make it a quality wine you must try out, preferably with a delicious meat dish.
Good to know
Aglianico is a full-bodied Southern Italian wine. It is incredibly structured, with high tannins and high acidity. It features beautiful red fruits, with spicy and smoky flavors. It is typically grown in the regions of Basilicata and Campania.
Aglianico features some exceptional tasting notes. It is very structured and full-bodied. It features red fruits, like black cherry and plum. It is also incredibly savory, with lovely smoky tones reminiscent of smoked and peppery meats.
Aglianico is a dry wine. It does have high alcohol and a large body, which causes it to lean more on the dry than bone dry side of the dryness spectrum.
Aglianico is produced almost exclusively in Southern Italy, particularly in the regions of Basilicata and Campania. It is also produced in the nearby regions of Molise and Puglia. Some other countries have started to cultivate the grape as well, like Australia and the U.S.
Aglianico tastes best with rich dishes. Red meats pair excellently with Aglianico, especially when stewed or with a full-flavored sauce. Aged and salty cheeses, like parmigiano and cheddar, do wonderfully with this wine too.
The correct pronunciation of "Aglianico" using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is [aʎˈʎaːniko]. In a more simplified form, it is pronounced as "ahl-YAH-nee-ko".
Explore by style
Jump to the editorial guide for each style this grape turns up in.
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