The Wines of Cirò: What Makes Calabria’s First DOCG so Special?

Cirò (pronounced chi-ro) has the largest production volume of any DOC in Calabria. It’s not just important in volume, but also in quality; in 2025, Cirò Classico was promoted to Calabria’s first DOCG.

There are several factors that make this appellation special, including its history, its terroir and the distinctive style of wine it produces thanks to the characterful Gaglioppo grape. Comparisons with Barolo abound; are they well-founded or just wishful thinking?

Cirò: History and Terroir

Cirò is a fortified hilltop village in the province of Crotone in Calabria, the toe of Italy’s boot (for a quick introduction to Calabria, check out his 101 guide). 

Winemaking in Calabria dates back to the 8^th century BCE, when Greeks began colonizing the area. It has been controlled by various tribes and nations throughout its history, but Cirò remained largely feudal in structure until the government land reforms ushered in after World War II.

The appellation, established in 1969, is applicable to reds, whites and rosés and encompasses four communes: Cirò, Cirò Marina, Melissa and Crucoli. The two main settlements are Cirò itself, an ancient village just 6 km/4 mi from the Ionian Sea; and Cirò Marina, a more recent town on the coast founded in 1952.

The hot and sunny Mediterranean climate is moderated by proximity to the sea and maritime breezes. Rainfall is low and the dry climate is intensified by the Tramontane and Sirocco winds, which help to reduce disease pressure.

Styles and Grapes

Though Cirò is best known for its reds, it makes wine in three colors. Whites have to be at least 80% Greco Bianco (no relation to the Greco of Campania), with other authorized local varieties such as Alberello and Pecorello. They tend to be dry, saline and tense, with stone fruit flavors tinged with flowers, herbs and honey.

Gaglioppo is Calabria’s flagship red grape and it must make up 80% of the blend in Cirò rosso. The remaining 20% is made up of indigenous grapes such as Magliocco, but only a maximum of 10% of Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and/or Sangiovese is allowed. The same blending rules apply for Cirò’s savory rosato. 

The Gaglioppo grape is prone to making very tannic wines, but this isn’t the only reason Cirò rosso is often compared to Barolo. In terms of appearance, the wines have a similar transparency and slight orange/brown tint. Acidity in both Gaglioppo and Barolo’s Nebbiolo is often marked. Flavor profile too can be similar; red berries, with savory herbal and earthy notes. Both wines can age impressively–up to 20 years and more. 

If Gaglioppo is harvested underripe or handled roughly in the winery however, it can make for harshly tannic wines. It has been criticized for rusticity in the past, but there are increasing numbers of elegant examples being made. With the finer wines of Cirò, the stylistic comparison with Barolo is not unfounded.

In fact, Calabrian wine expert Giusy Andreacchio of Guisy Wine Consultancy says that up to the 2000s, Gaglioppo was even sent up to Piemonte in poor vintage to boost the tannins of some local wines. 

Cirò Revolution

It was the admittance of Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot into DO Cirò in 1996 that sparked change. Though some large producers welcomed the change, many smaller ones were opposed to it, believing that Cirò should embrace pure Gaglioppo and local traditions. So in 2010, they set up a group that has since become known as Cirò Revolution.

Their shared vision includes sustainable or organic viticulture, using pure Gaglioppo and rejecting barrique ageing to ensure their wines’ sense of place is not obstructed by oak. They helped to raise Cirò to new heights and garnered some much-needed international recognition.

Promotion to DOCG

In 2025, it was announced that producers who follow more stringent practices for their reds are able to use the classification Cirò Classico DOCG–a first for Calabria.

Grapes must be from the classico area, so between the hilly vineyards of Cirò down to the low-lying, flatter area of Cirò Marina. Gaglioppo must make up at least 90%; only Magliocco and/or Greco Nero can make up the remaining 10%. In practice, most wines will be pure Gaglioppo.

Additionally, the minimum alcoholic strength is 13.0% abv and wines need to go through extended maturation: at least 36 months, at least 6 months of that period in wooden barrels.

The Future

After many years of struggle and underinvestment, Cirò Classico’s promotion to DOCG might serve to inspire other Calabrian appellations to strive towards higher quality. “It raises the bar for Calabrian wines,” says Andreacchio.

Inside Cirò, producers are now looking at different crus to further explore and express their terroir. 

Despite the comparisons with Barolo, there is one big difference with Cirò: the prices of Cirò are typically much lower. With the ascendency of Barolo and Barbaresco in recent years, clearly there is a large cohort of wine lovers worldwide that enjoy robust, structured, savory Italian reds–and are prepared to pay for them. Which is encouraging news for the winemakers of Cirò.

Discover Calabria's Top Producers:

Top producers include Librandi, A’ Vita, Arcuri Sergio, Baroni Capoano, Brigante Vigneti & Cantina, Cantina Enotria, Caparra & Siciliani, Cote di Franze, Fratelli Cerminara, Fratelli dell'Aquila, Ippolito 1845, L'Arciglione di Cataldo Calabretta, Santa Venere, Scala Francesco, Senatore Vini, Tenuta del Conte, Vigneti Vumbaca and Zito. WSG Members can access full details on these producers and others across Italy, in our Producer Guide.