Terre di Cosenza Wine

The province of Cosenza in Calabria has long been known for its thriving wine production. In recent years, a Calabrian wine consortium has merged seven different wineries under one label: “Terre di Cosenza” PDO (Protected Designation of Origin). These sub-zones in the consortium cultivate the majority of grapes in the region, producing high quality yields of varieties that are native to Calabria. The oldest of these varieties is the widely recognised Magliocco Canino, which is known for its outstanding quality in winemaking. It is this traditional grape variety upon which the Terre di Cosenza PDO label is building its identity.

The local grape growers of the area, aside from Magliocco, also grow various other local varieties. For the red grapes they include Gaglioppo, Aglianico, Calabrese, Greco nero and Nerello cappuccio; and for white wines varieties such as Greco bianco, Guarnaccia bianca, Pecorello, and Montonico. These local grapes are at the heart of Calabria’s rich winemaking heritage. The “Magliocco Academy” is an organisation that was created in order to promote and disseminate this winemaking culture and heritage.

Magliocco Canino grapes are a hardy grape variety, able to withstand harsh climates and environments. They take a long time to mature and ripen, and are usually harvested in the first or second week of October.

In traditional vineyards, they are typically grown and then used in blends alongside another native grape variety, such as Greco Nero. In recent years however, there has been an increase in using Magliocco grapes exclusively to produce a pure wine with a perfect balance acidic and alcohol balance These pure Magliocco wines are rich in phenolic compounds (these give wine its taste, colour and mouthfeel), and are sought after by connoisseur and collector alike. These wines possess a clear sweetness with a sensational richness, and these qualities imparted by the Magliocco grapes are highly desired by many manufacturers, many of whom now produce the grapes themselves. Only these grapes can produce the rare sensory experience in wine that combines both elegance and richness in its flavour.

Partaking of any delectable Calabrian wine is said to work wonders for one’s mood. This holds especially true for pure Magliocco grape wines. More than just a saying, this effect has actually been proven in research by Professor Stefano Alcaro of the Department of Life Science at Catanzaro’s University “Magna Græcia". Professor Alcaro and his associates isolated a unique component amongst the phenolic compounds of Magliocco wines which they termed campferolo, “kaempferol”. They then analysed and compared various other wines made from native Calabrian grape varieties. They found that this kaempferol compound was present also in the Gaglioppo and Nerello varieties, and that this compound “suppressed the degradation of neurotransmitter signals” in the brain, which they found correlated to a significant positive mood boost in humans.