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# 77 MARCH 21 , 2016
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ITALIAN WINE:
Reinvigorating the Almost Extinct,
Native Grapes of Calabria
By Jennifer Gentile Martin for www.vinotravelsitaly.com
Like many wine producing
areas within Italy, grapes
that were native to a region over the years were
replaced with grape varieties that were more productive for winemakers. In
Calabria, wines that were
ble nded were always preferred, but as the focus
shifted towards more single varieties many native
grapes got lost. Due to
this, many of these native
grapes became extinct
and some wineries, like
Librandi in Calabria, are
working to bring some of
those native grapes back
on the wine scene.
Unfortunately I don’t recall
ever having the chance to
try either of these grapes
I’m sharing with you today,
but I hope one day I can
experience some of these
native varietals of Calabria. It’s all about education and to open our eyes
to just how many grapes
are out there being produced in Italy that many of
us aren’t familiar with.
Magliocco grape
Magliocco, also known
as magliocco canino, is
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