Basilicata food and wine tour

Fine wines, the freshest ingredients and tasty cuisine make this italian region a must-visit destination for gourmands. “When you see Basilicata, you see fields, vineyards, beautiful landscapes, you see the land as it should be,” said the film director, Francis Ford Coppola.

Aglianico del Vulture is a tannic, full-bodied red wine from the Basilicata region in southern Italy. It is only produced on the slopes of Mount Vulture, an extinct volcano which dominates the skyline of northern Basilicata. It is one of southern Italy’s greatest wines and has been dubbed the ‘Barolo of the South’. The designation Aglianico del Vulture was created as an official DOC (controlled designation of origin) title in May 1971, just as Italy’s official wine classification system was getting established. In August 2010, the wine’s superiore variant was promoted to full DOCG status, as Aglianico del Vulture Superiore. (www.wine-searcher.com)

Aglianico del Vulture is a rich and clean red wine. If you’re looking for an ideal type of food to match, look no further than the local dishes, such as the stewed wild cardoncelli mushrooms, the creamy fave e cicoria (bean puree with greens), the home-made scorze di mandorla and cavatelli pasta, the grilled sausages flavored with fennel, and the many interesting sheep and cow cheeses.

Cavatelli (traditional fresh pasta) with turnip tops and typical dried peppers (peperoni cruschi)
Cavatelli (traditional fresh pasta) with turnip tops and typical dried peppers (peperoni cruschi)

These include the rare caciocavallo podolico, made from the exotically flavored milk of a cow that grazes only the highest pastures, chewing up rare grasses and wildflowers, tender mushroom caps or rucola muralis, the tiny-leafed spicy wild rocket. (Extracted from article Basilicata, Rock Hard And Still Untamed by Frederika Randall nytimes.com)

Getting Around. It’s essential to have a car in Basilicata. You can fly to Rome and rent a car there, then drive the five hours south. Or you can connect in Rome and fly to Bari and then rent a car and drive a little over an hour. If you are travelling around the region by car or motorbike, you will need a detailed road map. (discoverbasilicata.com)

Matera, the city of stones
Matera, the city of stones
The wonderful views of the Dolomite Lucane
The wonderful views of the Dolomiti Lucane

Accomodation. Basilicata offers a range of accommodation that allows you to indulge in a true Italian experience – whatever your budget or itinerary. From ‘Albergo Diffuso’ where you experience a stay in local village houses with the services of a hotel, to the 5* Palazzo Gattino where luxury is combined with style, classic meets modern in a remarkable experience that awaits you. (discoverbasilicata.com/accomodation)

The Cantine del Notaio
Rionero in Vulture, Cantine del Notaio
Maratea coast
Maratea coast

Restaurant, Osteria, Trattoria. You will find a variety of restaurants and eateries across the region. From upmarket restaurants (ristorante) to the more frequently found cafes (osteria and trattoria), eating out is one of the most memorable experiences in Basilicata. Often it is shabbier establishments, that don’t always print a menu, where you will find delicious freshly made local specialities. The local tourist office will recommend the best places for you to eat. (www.aptbasilicata.it/Hospitality)

Aglianico del Vulture Winery Tours