While it will most likely earn viability through its red production, which it is, of course, more disposed to than the vinification of whites, Calabria’s efforts with whites—constituting 9% of the production—primarily involve Greco Bianco, a strain of the Greco grape that Calabrians claim as their own. Greco Bianco also features in many Calabrian dry white blends—which constitute only 9% of the production—and it is the primary constituent in the whites of the Cirò Bianco DOC. Of Calabria’s 12 DOC regions, 9 are designated for white production. Other white grapes involved in these blends, which span a wide stylistic range, include Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianca.

The Cirò DOC is essentially the sole spokesperson of the reds, which are led by the Gaglioppo grape. The wines produced go against the type that seem the provenance of this Mediterranean zone, with its high altitude, slight contrast between day and night temperatures, and soils of clay, sand, and marl. However, the Gaglioppo grape is not the easiest sort to work with, particularly given its paucity of tannins. This dearth renders it necessary for producers to conduct a fairly lengthy maceration in order to produce a wine of credible structure—an effort that not many are willing to undertake. Some of the production is compromised by premature picking, undertaken in the interest of preserving acidity.  

Yet, there are producers who are willing to be guided by Gaglioppo, pursuing a regimen implicitly attuned to the grape’s needs. Librandi is foremost among conscientious practitioners—indeed, Librandi is the name that most wine drinkers know the region of Calabria by. In addition to getting the best possible out of Gaglioppo—in some instances going outside the Cirò DOC to enlist Cabernet Sauvignon’s assistance in enhancing color and tannin—Librandi has also revived the career of the ancient Magliocco grape.

Gaglioppo is also a constituent in reds beyond Cirò, particularly in the adjacent zone of Melissa, whose wines are fairly similar to those of Cirò. It plays on a fairly minor vine line in the DOCs of Lamezia, Scavigna, and Savuto, however, sharing the grapevine with both familiar and esoteric names—including Nerello, Aglianico, and Sangiovese. Producers such as Cantine Statti take after Librandi, setting up Gaglioppo with Cabernet in order to fashion a bravura wine that appeals to the crowd rather than the minority.

On the dessert front, however, the amounts produced are not substantive enough to support a major following, particularly in the case of Greco di Bianco. This appassimento-style wine is essentially the provenance of one winery, rendering the wine a revered local celebrity whose exceedingly limited production precludes it from going beyond local borders. Librandi’s contribution to the dessert category—a wine derived from the regional Mantonico—does make it beyond Calabrian borders, although its international presence is extremely modest. While beloved by Italians, it is essentially unknown to an international audience, owing primarily to its extremely limited production.

While many Italian regions contribute to the nation’s prodigious olive oil production, Calabria presently accounts for roughly one quarter of the production, with two of its efforts—Bruzio and Lamezia—rating DOP status. Heading up the pasta offerings are the creative cuts—ricci di donna (lady’s curls) and capieddi ’e prieviti (priest’s hairs), which join standard styles such as lágane, maccheroni, and spaghetti. Vegetables constitute the preferred topping and encompass a broad range including tomatoes, peppers, beans, artichokes, potatotes, eggplants, and asparagus. Beyond the garden, Calabrians satisfy their penchant for pork three ways—serving it in the form of ham, salame, and sausages. One version of the latter—'ndugghi—features small pieces of liver and lung. The most prevalent catches of most days are swordfish and tuna, while cod is a local favorite, enjoying numerous customized preparations; anchovies and sardines also abound.  

In the salumi category, the DOP designation is accorded to capocollo (neck roll), pancetta (pork belly), salsiccia (sausage), and soppressata (cured dry pork flavored with black peppercorns), while Caciocavallo Silano rates a DOP in the cheese category. Special pastries are crafted for the Christmas and Easter holidays, while figs and the IGP-rated clementine are the region’s celebrated fruits.