The island's winemakers emphasize their production of white wines, the Ischia and Ischia Superiore, which superbly match the seafood caught in the surrounding waters, but they also turn out a lively and satisfyingly tannic red wine. The wine of Ischia was already well known in the 16th century and, according to Andrea Bacci, a writer and oenologist, "it has an extremely gentle taste with a rich nature that makes it satisfying to the stomach and corroborating. It is quite digestible and nutritious without causing disturbance or weakness to the body." The winemaking tradition on the island has been maintained throughout the centuries despite some formidable setbacks. In 1453, the "Assassin-King," Alfonso of Aragon, had all the men of the island taken into custody without explanation. They were carried off in the night abroad 24 ships and were never heard of again. The "widows" were married to 1,418 Spaniards from Catalonia, who were brought to the island for the purpose. In addition to wives, they received as gifts gardens and the vineyards from which the famous wines are obtained. Since then, the methods of tending the vines and making the wines have changed little. In 1880, the efforts of the mayor of Ischia, Alfonso Perazzo, led to the initiation of exports of the island's wines. And the exceptional richness of their aromas has won them an important place on the world's markets.