Wine Tastings Basilicate

More information on Basilicate

Located in the southern end of the country, the small region of Basilicate is, without doubt, one of the hidden gems of Italy, with a mountainous hinterland rich in forests and national parks, fortresses and ancient greek towns perched across its rolling hills, and beautiful bays with crystalline waters. Within the wild and fascinating territory of Basilicate, you will be able to visit a few special wineries and taste some unique wines.

Spread across the hilly territory of Basilicate, particularly suited for the cultivation of vine, you will find various wineries that can be visited for a wine tasting. Within the region, three different wine areas can be identified: the Vulture area, with some ramifications in Alto Bradano, the area of Val d'Agri, and the area of Materano. In total, Basilicate boasts 4 DOC-certified wines, 1 DOCG and 1 IGT.

Which food to taste in Basilicate?

Your wine tastings in Basilicate will often be paired with a selection of local products and artisanal products, such as cheeses and cured meats. While in the region, we also recommend trying a few of its most popular traditional dishes, such as pane cotto (a sort of bread soup of peasant origin), lucanica sausage, often used with other meats to prepare the traditional ragù lucano, popular pasta sauce, baccalà ‘a ciuredda’ (salted codfish with tomatoes and onion), cruschi peppers, roasted or stewed lamb, or their traditional cake with sheep’s ricotta.

Which wines to taste in Basilicate?

During your winery visits in Basilicate you will have the opportunity to taste some excellent red wines, which represent about 80 percent of the region’s production, as well as some white wines with character. The most widespread black grape variety is by far Aglianico, which is used for the vinification of almost all of the region’s appellations, while other common varieties found are Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Bombino Nero. The white grape varieties that can be found in Basilicate include Malvasia Bianca, Verdeca, Bombino Bianco and Chardonnay.

Which is the best season to visit Basilicate?

Wine tastings and winery visits in Basilicate can be organised during every season. If you’re planning on relaxing on its beautiful beaches and having a swim, then you should plan your visit to Basilicate between May and September. If instead, you’re planning on exploring the region’s hiking trails and tourist attractions, early spring and autumn are also good alternatives.

What things to do in Basilicate?

Between a winery visit and a wine tasting in Basilicate, make sure to visit at least a few of its most important sites, such as Matera, famous for its cave houses delved about 9.000 years ago, the castle of Melfi, the ancient greek Archeological site of Metaponto, the Pollino National Park, the town of Maratea and its Redeemer statue, perched on San Biagio’s mount, second in size only to the Christ of Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro.