The region (Ital. Calabria) with the capital Catanzaro lies deep in the south of Italy and forms the rugged "tip of the boot". The coast stretches over a length of 780 kilometres. The Strait of Messina, only three to eight kilometres wide, separates Calabria from the island of Sicily. It is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in Italy. As early as 1,000 BC, Greek settlers founded colonies here and in neighbouring Campania from the outpost of Sicily and called the area Oinotria. They also introduced many of their grape varieties, possibly including the ancestors of Gaglioppo, Greco Bianco and Greco Nero. According to legend, the DOC area of Cirò produced the wine of the ancient Olympic champions called Krimisa. The naturalist Andrea Bacci (1524-1600) praises a wine from Cirella in his major work; Calabria still lives on this today.
The glossary is a monumental achievement and one of the most important contributions to wine knowledge. Of all the encyclopaedias I use on the subject of wine, it is by far the most important. That was the case ten years ago and it hasn't changed since.
Andreas Essl
Autor, Modena