A taste of Bivongi DOC wine

Wine lovers should definitely visit Bivongi, one of the "Villages of Longevity" in the Stilaro Valley, in the province of Reggio Calabria.

What is so special about Bivongi DOC wine? It tells the story of an ancient winemaking tradition, which evokes the flavours and traditions of the area, but also something more...

What if Bivongi wine were the true "elixir of long life'"?

Nestled in Mount Consolino, Bivongi is known as the "City of Wine" and the "Village of Longevity": the fact that these two things are linked is much more than just a hunch! It is no coincidence that, according to scientific research conducted by National Geographic, Bivongi is part of the so-called "Blue Zone": the global mapping of places where centenarians live, based on nine parameters, including diet and water quality. Among the local specialities are typical products of the Mediterranean Diet (such as Pitta di San Martino) and an inevitable glass of Bivongi DOC wine.

Bivongi wine obtained DOC status in 1996 and has since established itself on the national and international wine scene. Bivongi DOC offers all types of wine: Bivongi Red and Bivongi Red Reserve, Bivongi White and rosé. Reds and rosés account for the majority of production and are made from Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Nocera and Calabrese grapes. How does a wine become Bivongi DOC? To earn the Red Reserve mark and label, a Bivongi wine must have spent at least two years ageing and six months maturing in barrels. The production area of Bivongi DOC wine includes the municipalities of Bivongi, Stilo, Riace, Caulonia, Monasterace and Guardavalle, along the Costa dei Gelsomini, perfect for discovering on a tour of the Middle Ionian coast of Reggio Calabria.

Visiting the vineyards and wineries that produce Bivongi DOC wine is the best way to taste it in the company of experts and paired with local specialities: platters of Calabrian cold cuts and cheeses, seasonal soups and all the typical dishes that call for a fragrant, vinous glass of wine. When to taste Bivongi DOC? During the grape harvest, of course, or at the Bivongi Wine Festival at the end of August.

The combination of "Bivongi wine and longevity" is an excellent reason to visit the village, but it is not the only one! Bivongi has Basilian origins dating back to the 11th century, making it one of the oldest and most flourishing centres of silk production and mining, as evidenced today by the presence of the Bivongi mines and ancient mills, such as the Do' Regnante Mill. The area is also surrounded by thermal springs and crystal clear waters, among the best in Calabria: the thermal baths known as Bagni di Guida are part of the evocative industrial archaeology complex, surrounded by beneficial sulphurous gas springs that the ancients called Holy Waters. Still on the subject of wellness, don't miss an excursion to the Marmarico Waterfalls, the highest in Calabria (144 m).

Finally, among the elements that contribute to making Bivongi a "Village of Longevity", there is one aspect that keeps mind and body in balance: the spirituality that surrounds the famous Monastery of San Giovanni Theristis, a jewel of Norman-Byzantine art in Calabria and still the seat of Greek Orthodox monasticism. Also not to be missed are the remains of the Grange of the Apostles, the MacAM - Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Rural Life "A lumera".