The region (Calabria) with the capital Catanzaro lies deep in the south of Italy and forms the rugged "tip of the boot". The coast stretches over 780 kilometres. The Strait of Messina, which is only three to eight kilometres wide, separates Calabria from the island of Sicily. Viticulture plays only a minor role compared to the cultivation of citrus fruits, olives and vegetables.
It is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in Italy. As early as 1,000 BC, Greek settlers from the outpost of Sicily founded colonies here and in neighbouring Campania and called the area Oinotria. They also introduced many of their grape varieties, including possibly the ancestors of Gaglioppo, Greco Bianco and Greco Nero. According to legend, the wine of the ancient Olympic champions called Krimisa was produced in the Cirò DOC area. The naturalist Andrea Bacci (1524-1600) praised a wine from Cirella in his magnum opus; Calabria still lives from this today.
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Dominik Trick
Technischer Lehrer, staatl. geprüfter Sommelier, Hotelfachschule Heidelberg