Exploring Southern Italy with Radici del Sud

Simon reports on a superb evening tasting Southern Italian wines and pairing them with delicious food from their home regions.

Ever since it was unified in 1861, Italy has struggled with its north/south divide. Outdated cliche or not, the north is supposedly affluent and commerce-focused, while Southern Italy is the poorer, less sophisticated cousin, looked down on by their richer northern neighbours. These stereotypes also pervade Italy's wine. All of the country's blue-chip regions - Amarone, Barolo, Barbaresco and Chianti to name the most prestigious - are north of Rome.

Times are changing though. Etna, the volcanic region in the north-eastern corner of Sicily, has become one of Italy's most exciting and hyped wine regions. More will surely follow. From Abruzzo to Puglia and all points in between, fascinating indigenous grape varieties and characterful wines abound. Southern Italian wine is championed by the Radici del Sud (roots of the south) organisation, which organises a massive wine competition and tasting each June in Bari. I collaborated with Radici's director Nicola Campanile to bring a small taste …