The toe of Italy’s boot is not the first place we think of when we think of Italian wine (and at Vino we do a lot of that), but the region of Calabria currently devotes nearly 60,000 acres to grapevines, and can boast twelve DOC appellations. Chief among these is Cirò, which according to Calabrese folklore is the oldest continuously made wine in the world, dating back over 2,500 years.

Cirò grows in low hills along the Ionian coast between the ancient Greek cities of Sybaris and Kroton (Sibari and Crotone today). Indeed, viticulture in Calabria can be traced back to the eighth century B.C., when the first Greek settlers arrived in what is now Calabria. The fertile richness of the area prompted the coinage of the term “Enotria” (“Land of Wine”, from the Greek oinos), used to describe the Italian meridionale, with what is now Calabria becoming an important center for the cultural development of the Magna Grecia. Local legend even has it that Cirò descended directly from Krimisa, the wine Calabrian athletes drank to celebrate victory in an early Olympiad. Today two grape varieties of Greek origin dominate Calabria’s winemaking industry: Gaglioppo and Greco.

The vineyards of Tenuta del Conte are located near Cirò Marina, overlooking the Ionian Sea. Here the local climate is characterized by very hot days and cool nights, a factor that helps maintain acidity in the wines. Estate winemaker Francesco Parrilla is committed to Calabria’s traditions. Cultivating only native varieties and refusing chemical intervention in the vineyard, his grapes are meticulously picked by hand from vines planted in the early 1960s. Vinification takes place in stainless steel tanks to preserve the freshness and clarity of the wines.

Displaying berry fruit tempered by strong tannic structure, the red Gaglioppo is an ideal match for game, roasts and cheeses while the aromatic Greco is a natural partner to the fresh-caught seafood that comprises much of the Calabria’s cuisine. And remember, you can taste both wines this Saturday afternoon from 3pm!

Tenuta del Conte Cirò Bianco (Greco) 2009
$14

Tenuta del Conte Cirò Rosso (Gaglioppo) 2008
$14

For more information please call 212-725-6516 or email info@vinosite.com.