Wine
It is well known that the vine has very ancient origins and its cultivation for the production of wine would appear to go back to prehistoric times, beginning in the Transcaucasian regions, between Asia Minor and the Mediterranean.
On the wines of the Calabrian lands we could indeed write volumes because this region has a history which, from Magna Graecia onwards, is indissolubly linked with that of its wines. To the peasant civilisation of this region goes the merit of having accumulated, over the centuries, a storehouse of aenological knowledge of incalculable value.
The consequence of this is that the Calabrian wines are numerous and diversified as a result of the various combinations of vine species, environments and wine-making techniques. Amongst those with the D.O.C. seal of quality an outstanding wine is Cirņ, an ancient wine which it seems was offered to the winners of the Olympics and which takes its name from the area in which a temple dedicated to Bacchus was situated. Extremely fine wines are Donnici Rosso and Donnici Rosato, produced in the Province of Cosenza. Other great wines are Greco di Bianco, Lamezia, Melissa, Pollino, Sant'Anna di Isola Capo Rizzuto and Savuto.
Bivongi ( D.O.C. )
It is produced in the municipalities of: Bivongi, Camini, Caulonia, Monasterace, Pazzano, Placanica, Riace, Stignano, Stilo in the province of Reggio Calabria and Guardavalle in the province of Catanzaro.
In this area, the grapevine has been grown from very ancient times; it was certainly introduced here by the Magna Graecia colonisers, who founded the settlement which gave rise to today's Caulonia. Nowadays, the grapes for wine-making are cultivated mainly on the hillsides or on small terraces, thus the unique qualities of the grape are ensured, and the traditional landscape and environment are preserved. Bivongi is an excellent wine, with an intense, especially lively aroma, full bodied and well-textured.
Cirņ ( D.O.C. )
This was the first wine to be awarded the DOC distinction; indeed, it has been a DOC wine since 1969. It is produced in the municipalities of Cirņ and Cirņ Marina and partly in the municipalities of Melissa and Crucoli in the province of Crotone. Cirņ Classico is the variety produced exclusively in the municipalities of Cirņ and Cirņ Marina, while Cirņ Riserva is aged for at least three years and has an alcohol content of 13.5% vol. It is the best known and appreciated among Calabrian wines both in Italy and abroad, and deservedly so; its origins are rooted in legend: the ancient Greeks offered it as a drink and nutrient to the athletes who participated in the Olympic games. The production of Cirņ wine is the most homogeneous and typical of Calabria.
