Pipoli, Aglianico del Vulture DOC (Basilicata, Italy) 2016

 Basilicata, the mountainous, largely isolated instep of the Italian boot, has been named Europe’s cultural capital for 2019.  Don’t expect too may tourists.  It’s difficult to get to Basilicata.  There are no airports or high speed train lines, just narrow roads that climb up and twist down mountains.  Despite centuries of conquests, the people here cherish their independence.  They also love their idiosyncratic red wine, made with Aglianico grapes grown on the side of a volcano, Mount Vulture.  Unlike Aglianico from Campania, it offers no pretense of elegance or sophistication.  Instead, it is hearty and rugged, a wine to pair with wintry stews and pastas, and definitely not a wine for the faint of heart or palate.  This example, at a very reasonable price, provides a delicious introduction if you don’t know it already.