When you consider Italian wine the varietals that most likely come to mind first could be Sangiovese, Pinot Grigio, Super Tuscan Sangiovese as well as basket wines (Chianti). Well over 2,000 Italian grape varietals identified, there are so many other Italian varietals that are becoming available in the United States and the Temecula Wine Country is beginning to take recognize and plant them.
Ever heard of grape varietals like Aglianico, Montepulciano, Vermentino, Malvasia Bianca, Arneis or Primitivo? Fortunately, they are all now being planted as well as exist in established producing vineyards in the Temecula Valley AVA.
The new found attraction in these varietals is partially due to the like region of Temecula Valley to the areas that these vines thrive in Italy . Similar reasons for the curisoity in planting these varietals is that they previously were not available in the United States.
We will discuss one of these newly emerging Italian varietals in Temecula Valley Wine Country. Aglianico (pronounced ah-LY-AH-nee-koe) is a black grape grown in the Campania and Basilicata areas of Italy. The vine originated in Greece and was brought to Compania by Greek settlers. The name could be a corruption of Vitis hellenica, Latin for Greek Vine. A separate origin derives the name Aglianico from a corruption of Apulianicum, the Latin adjective which indicates the whole of southern Italy in the Roman age. In early Roman times, it was the main grape of the famous Falernian wine which was the Roman equivalent of a First Growth. Current analysis has indicated that Aglianico could be related to the Syrah grape.
Currently Aglianico has been planted in Australia and the United States, particularly in Southern California. Aglianico thrives in dry, sunny areas like that found in Temecula Valley AVA.
In 1988, Caparone Winery in the Paso Robles began the first American Aglianico planting in their San Marcos Road vineyard. They produced the first American Aglianico wine in 1992 and continue to produceAglianico to this day.
Wines harvested from Aglianico are likely to be full bodied with firm tannins and high acidity, making this a wine that has maturing possibility. The rich flavors of the wine make it perfect for matching with rich meats such as lamb and delicious red-sauced pastas.
Here in the Temecula Valley, Aglianico is offered for wine tasting blended as a percentage of the dessert port-style wine offered at Masia de Yabar Winery located at 39788 Camino Arroyo Seco and also as a varietal Estate wine at Cougar Vineyard & Winery located at 39870 De Portola Road. Both of these wineries are located on the De Portola Wine Trail of Temecula Wine Country. There is a well established vineyard planted on property owned by the Temecula Olive Oil Company and also planted in 2006 on the winery property of Cougar Vineyard & Winery.
Cougar Vineyard & Winery is planted in whole Italian varietals with 2,000 of the 8,500 vines being Aglianico. We will be discussing some of these other varietals being grown by Cougar in upcoming articles regarding the Italian grape varietals planted in Temecula Wine Country of Southern California.
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