The Top Wines of the Calabria Region
Calabria is the toe of the Italian boot in southwestern Italy. The soil is poor and mountainous and you know what that can mean for wine production. The region contains no DOCG wines but 12 DOC wines.Gaglioppo grape for Ciró wine
Ciró
Ciró may possibly be the oldest existing wine. It is said to come from a wine consumed by victorious Calabrian athletes who returned from the Olympics well over 2500 years ago. Red and rosé Cir? are made from the local Gaglioppo grape with a maximum of 5% local white grapes. Red Cir? is a ruby red wine with orange highlights on aging made from a small, high altitude area on the Ionian Sea. Its alcoholic content varies from 12% to 13.5%. White Cir? is made from the local Greco Bianco grape with a maximum of 10% of the Trebbiano Toscano grape. The red wine is vinified in several styles. The Riserva and Classico Riserva are aged for a minimum of 24 months. Serve the red wine at 67-70 degrees Fahrenheit (19-21 degrees Centigrade).
See I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Calabria Region for a review of a red Ciró wine from this region.