Wine tours in Calabria

Lovers of good taste and nature should not miss Verbicaro, within the Pollino National Park. The town is characterised both by excellent dairy products and by being a sub-zone of the DOC Terre di Cosenza. Where, among the main protagonists with the most intense notes, we find both Greco Bianco and Magliocco, a red wine derived from an indigenous grape variety rediscovered in recent years. Continuing the journey towards the coast, crossing the breathtaking views of the Sila National Park, one arrives at Cirò Marina, a former Greek colony where the majestic temple dedicated to Bacchus once stood. The history of Cirò DOC, the region's first controlled designation of origin, could only start here. All the warmth of this territory is conveyed by this wine marked by the unmistakable flavour of the Gaglioppo, the prince of indigenous Calabrian vines, to be enjoyed in both red and rosé versions.

At the end of the Gulf of Squillace, the 15th century Aragonese fortress awaits us, considered a true pearl of the Ionian Sea. Through bush-trained vineyards, stretching towards the sea, we arrive on the Tyrrhenian coast. This is where the typical wines of the DOC Savuto are produced: fruity, mineral wine with slight balsamic notes. And it is certainly worth a visit to Tropea, a classic picture-postcard village overlooking the sea, with its crystal-clear beaches and delicious local cuisine.
A vast wine tradition also designs the Ionian coast, along the Serre chain: the Bivongi Doc, a blend of Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Nocera and Castiglione, lesser-known vines, but still of local tradition.

Following the itinerary of the wine places of Calabria, you arrive at the Costa Viola. Here, at the tip of the boot, almost heroic viticulture is practised, clinging to the wild slopes of the Aspromonte National Park. The high altitude of the terraces facing the sea and the narrow passages oblige the operators to hard manual labour. From pruning to harvesting, each stage of cultivation is done strictly by hand, between steep steps and typical dry stone walls. But the low yields as well as the hard labour are rewarded by a product of excellence: the surprisingly aromatic red, white and rosé wines of Costa Viola IGT.

A journey that cannot fail to end well with the Passito dello Stretto. A unique wine obtained from the drying of the bunches of Moscato d 'Alessandria and Greco Bianco, one of the many treasures of this territory. Tasting it by the sea is like diving into the heart of this land: a joy for the palate, amidst hints of honey and apricot, which tells us the history of this part of our splendid Italy with its millennial stratification of cultures, well testified to in the Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria, one of the most prestigious in Italy where, in addition to the Riace Bronzes, one can admire an archaeological heritage of extraordinary interest.

A fascinating itinerary between history and identity flavours of Calabria, a lively land to be explored through the cellars of the Wine Tourism Movement.

For visits and itineraries between cellars, go to www.movimentoturismovinolive.it