Campania Region

Fast facts: over 72,000 vineyard acres, 64/36 red wine grapes vs. white. Key white grape varietals are: Falanghina, Fiano, Greco, and Coda di Volpe. Key red grape varietals are: Aglianico, and Piedirosso.

Cougar's Aglianico is clone VCR02 aka FPS03 on rootstock 3309 originating in the Campania region of Italy.

Aglianico - "ah-LYAH-nee-koe"

Aglianico is a black grape grown in the Campania and Basilicata regions of Italy. The vine originated in Greece and was brought to Campania by Greek settlers. The name may be a corruption of Vitis hellenica, Latin for "Greek vine". Another etymology 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 principal grape of the famous Falernian wine which was the Roman equivalent of a First Growth wine today.

Wines produced from Aglianico tend to be full bodied with firm tannins and high acidity, making this a wine that has aging potential. The rich flavors of the wine make it appropriate for matching with rich meats such as lamb. In Campania, the grape has been blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the production of some Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) wines. Read more...