Nusco

Nusco is a town and comune in the province of Avellino (Campania region) in the south of Italy, east of Naples, with c. 4,400 inhabitants. It is situated in the mountains between the valleys of the Calore Irpino and Ofanto Rivers.

History

Hannibal crossed this area during the Punic Wars. As the legend goes, some of Hannibal's elephants became ensconced in the mud of the river to the east. As his elephants drowned the General mourned the death of these great beasts. As such, the river that extends through this valley became known as, and remains, the Ofanto (a corruption of Italian "elefante") River.

The Lombards built in Nusco a castle to defend the valley from the Ofanto river to the Calore one. It played a very important role between Irpinia's people until the 17th century. In the 1656 a plague struck Irpinia killing up to a third of Nusco’s population. In addition to its drastic effect on people, the plague irrevocably changed Nusco’s social structure. It started to lose its economic power, and until the second half of the 20th century Nusco’s history was strictly linked to the history of the Church.

Nasco (grape)

Nasco is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown primarily in Sardinia around the city of Cagliari. The grape has a long history on the island and is described by wine expert Jancis Robinson as "ancient". There is a special Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) designation, Nasco di Cagliari, for varietal wines that are 95–100% Nasco.

History

While the grape was once widely planted throughout Sardinia, vineyards were devastated by the phylloxera epidemic of the 19th century and Nasco's numbers have been slow to rebound. Today there are less than 40 hectares (100 acres) of the vine planted on the island.

DOC wines

The DOC zone for Nasco extends south and west of the Gennargentu mountains and includes the broad Campidano plain. Here Nasco can be produced in dry (secco), sweet (dolce) and fortified (liquoroso) styles. Nasco grapes that are destined for DOC wine production must be harvested to a yield no greater than 10 tonnes/hectare. The finished wines must reach a certain minimum alcohol level based on the style of the particular wine ranging from 13.5% for dolce, 14.5% secco and 17.5% for liquoroso wines. A separate Riserva bottling can also be produced provided the wine is aged a minimum of two years prior to release with at least one of those years being spent in oak.