Aglianicone

The Aglianicone grape has ancient origins and was brought to Italy probably by the Greeks. It was long time known as a variant of the best-known grape Aglianico, but actually it corresponds more closely to the Ciliegiolo and is related to the Montepulciano. It gives a modest quality wine and this prompted it to mix with common varieties for table wines, where Aglianicone makes a good contribution of acidity. However, there are attempts to obtain a quality wine made purely of this variety by controlling the yields and cellar practices. Aglianicone has black, medium, round berry with thick, solid, waxy, blue-black skin. The bunch is medium-large, cylindrical, compact with medium or medium-large, pentagonal, three or five lobed leaves. The vine Aglianicone gives an intense ruby red wine, fairly tannic, sometimes of a bitter sour taste.