Magliocco is a red grape of Calabria, grown mainly in the province of Cosenza and on the Tyrrhenian side of the region. It makes medium- to full-bodied reds with dark cherry, plum, Mediterranean herbs and firm but ripe tannins.
The name is used for more than one variety in Calabria, which has long caused confusion. The two most often mentioned are Magliocco Canino and Magliocco Dolce, which are different grapes despite the shared name. For a long time Magliocco was used mostly in blends, often with Gaglioppo, but since the 2000s a group of Calabrian producers has bottled it on its own, and it is now one of the region's most interesting native reds.
Most vineyards are in the hills, where altitude and nights cooled by the mountains of the Sila and the Pollino keep some freshness in a hot southern climate.
Magliocco is made in different styles: fresher wines aged in steel or concrete, and fuller, oak-aged wines that need a few years. The best examples can age for ten years or more.
Start with a varietal Magliocco from Calabria IGT or Terre di Cosenza DOC, where the grape name is on the label. Producers worth knowing include Librandi, L'Acino, Le Quattro Volte, Giuseppe Calabrese, Serracavallo and Spadafora.
Magliocco is often blended with Gaglioppo, and Calabria's white side includes Mantonico and Greco. Like Aglianico and Nero d'Avola, it shows the dark, structured side of southern Italian reds. Read our best Calabria wines, the best Italian red wines, or browse the grape varieties index.