It is an ancient vine, probably originating from Greece and introduced into Italy around the 7th-6th century BC. One of the many testimonies of its long history is the discovery of the remains of a Roman press in the area of ​​Rionero in Vulture, in the province of Potenza. There is no certainty about the origins of the name, which could date back to the ancient city of Elea (Eleanico), on the Tyrrhenian coast of Campania, or be more simply a corruption of the word Ellenico. Historical and literary testimonies of the presence of this vine can be found in Horace, who sang of the qualities of his native land Venosa and its excellent wine. According to others, the original name does not derive from Elleanico or Ellenico which then became Aglianico during the Aragonese domination during the 15th century, due to the double l pronounced gli in Spanish phonetic use but from the suffix “anicus” which in Latin indicates belonging to something and from the term “llano” which in Spanish means plain, so Aglianico is nothing other than the wine of the plain, in Roman times a low-quality wine and therefore defined as Latin.

Aglianico is the most widespread black grape variety in the Sannio Beneventano. It perfectly identifies the Samnite viticulture, having been cultivated for centuries in the areas with the greatest vocation of the province, where it has adapted perfectly to the different hilly environments.