Get ready to rumble with volcanic wines of southern Italy

What makes the volcanic wines of southern Italy so exciting?

That will be the focus of my April 11 adult education seminar at Middlesex Community College’s Nesmith House in Lowell, from 7-9 p.m. Participants will taste up to seven wines – white and red – and pair them with regional cuisine. They’ll be able to decide for themselves the answer to the above questions. (Several seats remain for the class. Call 1-800-818-3434 to register.)

This sipping study of distinctive and largely unknown wines is sure to open eyes and inspire the palate.

I’ve been exploring southern wines for months and have come up with a classic lineup to highlight the unique grape varietals and historic viticultural zones where the vines flourish in rocky, volcanic soils. So get ready for an eruption of tastes and smells.

Topping the red wine-sampling list is the “Barolo of the South” – Basilicata’s Aglianico del Vulture which takes its name from Mount Vulture, a extinct volcano. Also, getting our sensory inspection will be the red gem of Sardegna, Cannonau (Grenache); Sicily’s impressive Etna Rosso, a red blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio grapes that grow in vineyards surrounding Mount Etna; and a favorite of mine, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, a beautiful, fruity red grape that can change its profile dramatically depending on  whether it is grown in the mountains or around the sandy beaches off the Adriatic coast. And who can forget Sicily’s Nero D’Avola, a bold red that thunders with black berry flavor on a supple frame?

The white grapes are just as fascinating, from Fiano and Falanghina – both believed to be the special grapes that went into ancient Rome’s most prestigious and expensive wine, Falernum – to Coda di Volpe (Tail of the Fox) which provides the full-bodied flavor to one of Campania’s most revered wines, Lacryma di Christi (Tears of Christ).

So what makes Italy’s volcanic wines so exciting?

First, a majority of southern Italy’s native grapes and wines can trace their roots to ancient Roman times when Caesar’s legions were building an empire.

Second, until the last two decades, most of these wines – crafted by small family farming operations – remained unknown and unfamiliar to people outside of regional markets – unlike the famous northern wines of Tuscany and the Piedmont that are globally distributed.

Third, investments from larger wine houses have poured in. Modern wine-making technology and best vineyard practices have significantly improved the quality of these wines, and marketing campaigns have raised awareness. Still, some of these wines have a limited production total and, thus, remain largely undiscovered to the broader wine-consuming market. And that, my friends, is reason enough to explore these gems and appreciate their endurance.