Southern Italian Idyll - The Wonderful World of Mezzogiorno Pt.1

There’s a land of hazy sun, heat and azure skies that shimmers south of Rome – it’s known as Mezzogiorno (meaning the half day), because of the heat of the midday sun. It’s one of my favourite parts of the world; I’ve been fortunate to travel to so many wonderful wine regions over the years, but Southern Italy remains firmly in my top 5.

Italy has long been a holiday destination of choice, but it’s been the north and the centre of the country that have largely been the venues of choice – Tuscany, Umbria, Lake Garda, and so on. In recent years, the focus has switched to the undiscovered South, but it’s still a journey into the unknown for many, but one that will transport you into a world of seductive southern charm, dusty heat, ancient Greek-influenced culture, colourful people, and a cornucopia of food and wine.

For decades, this slumbering giant produced vast quantities of cheap, indifferent, rough local wine, much of which was often shipped northwards to bolster up the weak Valpolicella and Chianti. Now the south is developing into one of the most exciting wine regions in the world, with massive interest from buyers, especially those in the UK, who are looking for quality, but affordable wines. Smart producers have also switched on to the opportunities and are using modern technology to make wines that are softer, fruitier and gentler. The best news is that they are not relying on bringing in overseas superstar grapes such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, but have groomed their own, glorious grape varieties into stars – Nero D’Avola, Primitivo, Fiano, Greco,Catarrato, Negroamaro, Aglianico  - the list goes on.

How to describe Southern Italy in a blog? Here goes…

Let’s start in Molise, a small, mountainous and rustic region, just south of Abruzzo. One of the least known provinces, it’s a quiet, agricultural, country region, which seems a million years away from the sophistication of Italy’s main cities. This in itself, gives Molise an uncluttered, bucolic charm.  It may not be a  well known holiday destination point, but is on the route down from Pescara, in neighbouring Abruzzo, as you head south to Puglia. The food is simple, and based on pasta, vegetables, lamb and pork, with an abundance of herbs and tiny chilli peppers. Don’t ignore this region, as it’s starting to produce some true gems, at a fraction of the price of many other regions – from crisp, lemony dry whites, to  fresh, juicy reds, with a lighter style than their more southern companions, but full of cherry fruit and wild herb charm, such as Camillo Di Leilis Biferno Riserva, an all time favourite of mine, which combines the savoury, fruitiness of neighbouring Abruzzo’s Montepulciano grape, with the gutsy, rustic pepperiness of the southern Aglianico .

From Molise we head south to one of my favourite regions of Italy – Puglia, the south’s most important wine region. I first discovered this area on a two day buying trip, and managed to catch a snapshot of this fertile, beautiful, and historic area, as we raced down the motorway between winery visits.  Situated south of the port of Bari, it’s a land of abundance and tranquility. I cannot write about Puglia without mentioning its close association (both geographically and historically) with Greece – the light, the azure, luminous skies, and most of all the architecture, and the dazzlingly white buildings, which reflect the heat and intensity of the southern sun . Firstly, you must go to Lecce, a city of stunning baroque splendour, with its labyrinth of streets and white-washed buildings, and the glorious architecture of the churches and cathedrals, carved out of the local golden stone.

With tiny fishing villages scattered along the lengthy coast, and sleepy country villages hidden amongst the fields of wheat, and the olive groves, it’s a region that is just starting to attract tourist attention, so go there soon. Stay at one of the local ‘Masseria’, working farmhouses, which have opened guest houses, or make the experience unique by residing in a typical ‘Trulli’, one of the traditional conical shaped, whitewashed houses, which look like a hobbit’s dwelling, but are increasingly being converted into boutique hotels and B&Bs. I’d recommend Le Alcove, in the Trulli dominated town of Alberobello. As well as the bounteous fish, tiny chilies, and vegetables, Puglia is also famous for its best-known dish ‘Orecchiette con cime di rape’, little ear shaped pasta cones with the cooked green parts of turnip tops – sounds odd, but tastes delicious.

The north produces lots of decent, if unexciting red and white, but the real gems come from the south of the region, near Salento, Brindisi and Gallipoli.  With an increasing number of fresh, citrusy whites, Puglia is also a great source of great value reds, from the spicy  and increasingly popular Primitivo such as  the soft, fruity La Boheme Primitivo, to the richly concentrated flavours of Salice Salentino.  It’s also home of the Negroamaro, another local grape, which is now being transformed into tantalizingly rich, yet surprisingly fresh, black cherry fruit reds, such as 12 E Mezzo, a superb food wine, which comes in at a refreshing 12.5% alcohol.

Move onto the instep of Italy and you find yourself in the rugged, wild, mountainous region of Basilicata, with its dark, forested valleys, and age-old villages, whish seem welded to the mountain rockfaces. This is one of the least discovered Italian regions, and the pace of life is different even from Puglia. It’s a province of extremes – extreme heat in the summer, but extreme cold, up in the mountains during the winter. Enjoy the spectacular hidden beach coves, and the unspoilt coastline of the Ionian Sea; Visit the ancient, historic city of Matera, where houses cling to the mountain face, and where many of  the famous ‘Sassi’ (cave dwellings) have been turned into luxury hotels and spas. The food is rustic and simple, with lots of fresh fish on the coastal side, but focusing on game, charcuterie, peppers and b vegetables inland. The most famous wine of the region is the bold, full-blooded, fleshy Aglianico del Vulture.

Continue travelling through Southern Italy on March 29th where I will be covering the areas of Campania, Calabria and more...

By Angela Mount