Aglianicone: The Alfred Nobel of Wine
My journey into Italy’s rare grape cultivars soldiers on, and next in line is a grape characterised by mistaken identity. When I think about the Aglianicone cultivar, I am reminded of the story of Alfred Nobel. While the grape is not Swedish and did not invent dynamite, it does share Nobel’s tale of mistaken identity.
Alfred Nobel and Mistaken Identity
Nobel had a high intellectual curiosity, one he dedicated to the understanding of explosives. He was taught the ins and outs of engineering by his father, which would lead him to invent dynamite. He had the mining industry in mind, but militaries had other ideas, as they do.
Upon the death of his brother Ludvig, in 1888, a French newspaper published an obituary titled “Le marchand de la mort est mort” (the merchant of death is dead). They had mistaken Ludvig for Alfred and thus published #fakenews, something journalists are no stranger to.
Reading the relentless obituary is said to have prompted Alfred to start handing out prizes for Nobel deeds. And with that bit of random information, let’s journey to Campania to learn about Aglianicone, “Big Aglianico.”
What is Aglianicone?
Aglianicone is a red grape, that has caused headaches for wine scholars. I am talking about the pain in the rectum administration headaches, not the hangover kind.
Its name is derived from the famous Southern Italian grape Aglianico and has often been mistaken for other grapes. Aglianico Femmina, Aglianichello, Aglianico di Caiazzo, Ciliegiolo are cultivars it has been falsely accused of impersonating.
Aglianicone DNA Confusion
In 2001, Monaco and Manzo found a connection between Aglianicone and Aglianico. Three years later, enologists Calo and Costacurta rained on the former’s parade. Their studies concluded that Aglianicone was Ciliegiolo, a cultivar from Tuscany. I will discuss this cultivar later in the series, but for now, it is pertinent to this story.
Calo and Costacurta’s DNA tests found that Aglianicone had no relation to Aglianico. The Lunfardo term“quilombo”, describing a messy situation, adequately sums up this situation.
The muddle likely arose from enologists testing a Ciliegiolo vine previously passed off Aglianicone. Both grapes are identical with the naked eye, but often our eyes deceive us, and it is the taste where the difference is noted. Farmers who encountered grapes similar in appearance to Aglianico, but larger and looser, called the cultivar Aglianicone or “Big Aglianico.”
Italian wine expert Ian D’Agata found that unsavoury nurseries are willing to sell Ciliegiolo under the guise of Aglianicone. The poor suckers who have fallen victim to these tactics, genuinely believe that they are growing the elusive cultivar.
When I lived in Buenos Aires, home to a substantial number of Southern Italian descendants, I was informed that they do not trust anybody, not even themselves. Now I understand why.
Bruno De Conciliis
Bruno de Conciliis, a highly regarded producer in Campania, is not convinced about his “Aglianicone” vines. The previous landlord found the vines on the property and was notified that they were the variety in question. Bruno must have family in Buenos Aires, as he does not trust the variety’s authenticity.
One cannot blame de Conciliis for his doubts, as D’Agata noted a proportion of “Aglianicone” vines grown in Campania, were not who they claimed to be. In a survey conducted in 2000, officials recorded 140 hectares of this variety’s vines, an insignificant area in comparison to the 702,000 hectares of vines under cultivation across the boot-shaped nation.
Cultivation
The grapes are medium round in appearance and grow in cone-shaped, pyramid bunches. Harvest kicks off in the last weeks of October, and into early November. Our discombobulated cultivar has a reputation for high yields and low quality, but this is a theory of utter malarkey. Yes, the berries are fare in stature, but millerandage disease eliminates most of the yield, leaving only the fittest berries to survive. Darwinism of the grape world.
After harvesting, the berries are crushed and left to macerate on the skins for 5–7 days. Then they are pressed and the juice is pumped into wooden barrels, to age for 24 to 30 months. After barrel ageing, the wine is bottled and aged for a further year, before sending it into the world for consumption.
Taste
Aglianico berries hold low sugar levels and are high in acid, prompting a dry-full body structure, high in tannins. The nose immediately identifies chestnuts, and the acidity of the berry shines through, to add a hint of citrus.
Food
The complex tannins and acidity of Aglianicone are an impeccable companion for hearty meals. Think of nonna’s ragout, or braised pork, the fat of the dish will break down the acidity of the wine, exposing the complexity, and quality of the beverage.
Unlike Alfred Nobel, Aglianicone won’t be sponsoring any prizes for noble deeds. But, it will be act Noble in its quest to keep the palates of wine drinkers satisfied for generations. The time has arrived for Aglianicone to emancipate itself from its identity quagmire and forge its path moving forward.
