Focusing on the regions of Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia, and Sicily, RADICI DEL SUD’s task is a monumental one. To put the vast geographical measure in perspective, we’re talking about 123,000 km2.

Recognizing the length and breadth of the challenge, event founder Nicola Campanile has adopted a pragmatic approach. Such a gathering needs a focal point, an inspiring home: and within the historic walls of Castello Normanno-Svevo, located in Sannicandro di Bari, he and his team have certainly found one.

So, there you have it. We’re in Bari, preparing for two days of competitive blind tastings in the cool of the Castle’s chambers. With wine submissions exceeding +300 samples, the tasting teams will be required to swirl, sip, spit (and occasionally swallow) their way through a selection of Aglianico, Cannonau, Fiano, Falanghina, Montepulciano, Greco di Tufo, Primitivo, Negroamaro and Nero di Troia, as well as many lesser-known gems like Coccociola, Verdeca, Minutolo, Susumaniello, Nocera, Piedirosso, Gaglioppo, Tintilia and Magliocco. Other minor varieties are to be showcased in a selection of curious blends.

As one can appreciate, many of these native varieties are rarely encountered beyond regional borders. And so, with limited experience, especially among the international tasting contingent, palate calibration is an absolute must. To bring tasters as close as possible to source, event organizers assembled two mixed groups of press & trade buyers: one team based in Calabria, the other, including yours truly, based in Bari, Puglia.

Hence, my tasting experience is summarized with the following simple subjectivity:

• The vast majority of wines I tasted were… GOOD.
• A rather modest, number were… VERY GOOD.
• A handful crossed the Rubicon to reach… OUTSTANDING.

A firm GOOD is a fair assessment of the quality we tasted. The few VERY GOOD and OUTSTANDING outliers are indicating the qualitative path that I daresay the vast majority should now seek to follow.

For those in pursuit of a deeper understanding, a few contextual guides should assist.

Though the wines we tasted are produced from native grapes of noted ancient origin, it must be accepted by everyone, meaning producers and consumers alike, that our collective experience is entirely recent. One hopes that the wineries will persevere with their cultivation. Growing understanding is a patient process. Knowledge and skill will surely evolve over time.

Of course, native grape wines, crafted with modern technologically-controlled vinification methods, prompt us to consider the extent to which these wines reflect the nature of the grapes and their place of origin? The tastings raised questions about typicity, terroir, vineyard management, harvest timings and wine-making practices. Particularly among the international contingent, a recurring comment about the level of residual sugar left many to question why? Is residual sugar indicating a southern Italian taste and preference, one that is yet to be understood by the international palate?

In tandem with such considerations, a thought must be spared for the influence of vineyard maturity. While some southern regions host thriving plots of +100-year-old vines, the reality is that most vineyards are young. Many of the recovered varieties have less than 25-30 years’ worth of quality cultivation or winemaking behind them. Of course, this situation applies across all of Italy, not just in the south. If we agree that vine maturity plays a significant role in grape and wine quality, then vineyard maturity is a measure we must employ to keep our quality expectations in perspective. Let’s face it, 25-30 years old vines are still young. Not dissimilar to us humans at the very same age. As humans our growing objectives must correlate with naturally achieved maturity. Balanced growth is essential. If we succeed in this, the qualitative differences will be dramatic.