Itinerary through the cities of Zibibbo in Calabria

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Intense aromas, ancient vines and authentic flavours of the wine-making tradition

Wine and food

Regione Calabria

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Wine and food

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Have you heard of Calabrian Zibibbo? It is a white wine with a unique taste and an intense, enveloping aroma, with an ancient history that spans the Mediterranean (Zibibbo derives from the Arabic Zabīb, which means “raisin” or “dried grape”). It has the scent of the earth because, long underrated, it has always been “the wine of the farmers” due to its sweetness, pleasantness and lack of complexity.

The origins of this cultivation are Egyptian, arriving in Italy with the Phoenicians and later spread by the Saracens in Sicily and Calabria. Every sip tells a story, its colour reflecting the sun that nourishes the vines.

There are 12 Zibibbo producers in Calabria, six of which are located on the Costa degli Dei, because here, with the scent of the sea pervading the air, this vine finds the best conditions to grow strong and lush. Prepare your glasses, let's discover where it is produced and where you can taste the best Calabrian Zibibbo.

Francavilla Angitola

Oasi WWF Lago Angitola - Kalabria Coast to Coast

We are in the province of Vibo Valentia, an unspoilt corner near the WWF Lago Angitola Nature Reserve, where flamingos come to rest undisturbed.

Francavilla Angitola, a stone's throw from Pizzo and the Costa degli Dei, produces very special white grapes that boast a thousand-year history. There is a local company that has revived this natural vocation of the territory and turned it into a product of excellence, so much so that the Zibibbo produced here has been included by the British magazine Decanter among the 20 best white wines in Italy.

Ricadi

Regione Calabria

We remain on the Costa degli Dei and arrive in Brivadi, a small hamlet of Ricadi 130 metres above sea level. The view of the Capo Vaticano promontory is spectacular.

Here, a local winery cultivates, among other native grape varieties, Zibibbo in five versions: still, macerated, ancestral, classic method and oxidative. Produced with the same grape, but with extremely different results.

Filadelfia

Regione Calabria

Also near Lake Angitola and the unspoilt WWF Oasis, in Filadelfia, there is another winery that produces its own Zibibbo, promoting this extraordinary grape variety.

Drapia

Drapia - Regione Calabria

In the Tropea hinterland, in the hamlet of Brattirò in the small municipality of Drapia, you will see expanses of cultivated fields and vineyards overlooking Capo Vaticano and Tropea. An ancient agricultural tradition dating back to the Greeks, who built ditches to allow rainwater to flow towards the sea rather than towards the town centre.

Here there is a winery that produces an excellent Zibibbo wine and offers visitors a sensory journey through its vineyards.

Bagnara Calabra

Regione Calabria

Continuing south, we arrive at the Costa Viola, north of Reggio Calabria. This area overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Strait of Messina. Your eyes will be filled with beauty as you gaze upon vineyards and terraces overlooking the sea.

It is here, in Bagnara Calabra, that a small winery recovers abandoned land to use it for the production of wines from native vines, and one of its flagship products is Zibibbo.

San Floro

Nido di Seta

Our tour ends in San Floro, a delightful municipality already famous for its focus on the revival of silkworms and ancient grains. Here, since 2018, a small company has been focusing heavily on white grapes to produce its pure dry Zibibbo wine.