he wine is made from a mixture of Gaglioppo and many other varieties cultivated on the hills on the Ionian side of Calabria in the vicinity of Isola di Capo Rizzuto, southeast of Crotone, one of the most industrialized cities of the region.A single, massive column of the huge Temple of Hera Lacinia is all that remains of the extremely ancient Greek city of Croton, the home of Pythagoras and Milo. And it is, as well, the sole momento of the period of Greek colonization of the Calabrian peninsula.
However, the cult of the goddess survives, in modified form, in the devotion paid to the Black Madonna in ceremonies held each May in the ruins of the ancient temple.
The numerous objects discovered in excavations of ancient Croton can be admired at the city's Museo Civico, which also has a fine collection of the coins struck by the colony. The symbol most extensively used on the coins was the tripod of the oracle of Delphi, a reminder of the legendary origins of the city. In the MiddleAges, the Benedictines founded numerous monasteries throughout the territory and made a considerable contribution to grape-growing and winemaking, since all of the institutions had vineyards to supply their own needs in wine. After century of steady improvement in quality, the wine's reputation began to spread beyond the immediate area. And its standing was further promoted by some famous figures in history. After entering the area with an army, Emperor Frederik Barbarossa found that food was so plentifull and the wine so good, that he remained there for six mouths. In recent decades, winemaking has expanded through the application of an economic development plan that originally emphasized small family holdings but now promotes more extensive and rational vineyards.
