Short and simple: a bunch of Aglianico wines from Campania and Basilicata, ie. the larger IGT appellation of Irpinia and smaller, more acclaimed appellations of Aglianico del Taburno, Aglianico del Vulture and Taurasi.
Probably the most positive surprise this time around was that 400 Some Aglianico del Vulture by Carbone. It was bottled in a huge, heavy, broad-shouldered “wanker bottle” (as we prefer to call them), setting expectations pretty low - ie. for a big, heavily oaked and jammy blockbuster wine. Instead the wine turned out to be very classically styled and structure-driven, ie. exactly how I love my Aglianicos! A superb wine and definitely one to look out for.
Sorry about the photo quality - the only place to set up the bottles was right in front of these damn bright lamps, making it impossible to take a proper picture of the lineup!
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2018 Elena Fucci Aglianico del Vulture Titolo - Italy, Basilicata, Aglianico del Vulture (19.12.2022)
An Aglianico from 50-70 yo vineyards in Monte Vulture. Macerated with the skins for two weeks, aged for 12 months in new 225-liter barriques. Bottled unfiltered. 14% alcohol. Tasted in a tasting of ten Aglianicos.
Deep, somewhat translucent cherry-red color with a slightly more evolved pomegranate hue. The nose feels brooding and slightly sweetly-fruited with dark-toned aromas of black cherries and earth, some sweeter strawberry tones, a little bit of licorice, light sanguine notes of iron, a hint of toasty oak spice, a touch of forest floor and a subtly volcanic whiff of something smoky. The wine feels moderately ripe and slightly warm, but also dry and firm - despite the rather full body the wine feels relatively light on its feet. There are flavors of sour cherries and ripe red plums, some volcanic smoky tones, a little bit of ferrous blood, light tart notes of lingonberries, hints of Oolong tea and licorice root and a touch of savory wood spice. The high acidity and ample yet ripe and quite silky tannins make the wine feel structured and balanced but not aggressive. The finish is dry, somewhat warm and quite firm with some mouth-drying tannins and a long aftertaste of tart lingonberries, a somewhat pronounced streak of sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of tart red plum, light toasty oak tones, hints of tobacco and Oolong tea and a sweeter touch of ripe dark berries.
A very nice, clean and balanced Aglianico that has a somewhat modern, polished feel to it - yet it doesn't bother me one bit. This is a very harmonious effort with good emphasis on balanced structure and vibrant Aglianico fruit, not on oak or too ripe and soft fruit. The overall feel is still maybe a bit too young, but at least the wine isn't dominated by either oak tones of candied primary flavors. I'd still love to see the wine develop some additional tertiary complexity and integrate those oaky nuances even further with the fruit. All in all, a nice Aglianico with lots of upside. However, perhaps a bit pricey for the quality at 38€, though.
(91 points) -
2017 Azienda Agricola Quintodecimo Irpinia Terra d'Eclano - Italy, Campania, Irpinia (19.12.2022)
Made with fruit sourced from five vineyards in and around the Taurasi appellation. Macerated with the skins for 15-20 days. Aged for 12 months in oak barriques (50% new). 14% alcohol. Total production 15742 bottles, 200 magnums and 300 double mags. Tasted in a tasting of ten Aglianicos.
Brooding, dark and quite opaque black cherry color. Juicy, sweetly-fruited and quite expressive nose with aromas of ripe blackberries and black cherries, some dark plummy tones, a little bit of soot, light licorice root tones and a floral hint of roses. The wine feels quite big, somewhat round and rather sweetly-fruited on the palate with a full body and ripe, juicy flavors of sweet black cherries and blueberries, some licorice tones, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light bitter notes of sour cherries, a hint of dusty earth and a solar touch of very ripe dark fruits. Although the wine is quite high in acidity with quite ample tannins, the overall feel is rather round and a bit on the soft side, thanks to the quite full body and the ripeness of the tannins that contribute mainly to the texture, not to the grip and structure. The finish is ripe, somewhat sweet-toned and slightly warm with rich flavors of licorice and juicy black cherries, some dusty earth tones, a little bit of blueberries, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of sweeter toasty oak and a touch of graphite or soot. The ample tannins make the wine end on a somewhat grippy note.
A rather big, rich and accessible effort for a young Aglianico. The wine is somewhat recognizable for the variety, but the overall feel is somewhat too polished, modern and easy - pretty much stripped of character and anything of real interest. When I want a good Aglianico, I'm looking for wines that show more acidity and tannic structure, less oak and alcohol. I really hope this wine picks up some depth and complexity as it ages - although the wine doesn't feel as ageworthy as many other Aglianicos - because at the moment it feels pretty anonymous and uninteresting for me.
(85 points) -
2013 Il Cancelliere Irpinia Gioviano - Italy, Campania, Irpinia (19.12.2022)
100% Aglianico from vineyards in Taurasi. The fully destemmed grapes are fermented spontaneously and macerated with the skins for three weeks in stainless steel, aged on the lees for 6 months in stainless steel tanks, then racked into 3500-liter botti and aged for another 12 months. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and without any SO2. Lot number L02/16. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted in a tasting of ten Aglianicos.
Very deep, dark and almost fully opaque black cherry color. There's some deposit in the bottle, so decanting is heartily recommended. The nose feels very sauvage and quite volatile with somewhat stuffy aromas of old dry leather and earth, some ethery notes of VA, a little bit of tobacco, light funky notes of animale and barnyard, sweet hint of wizened dark berries, a hint of plum liqueur and a touch of plum pits. The wine is wild and quite volatile on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and rather funky flavors of ethery VA and almost acetic notes of VA, some ripe black cherry tones, a little bit of plummy fruit, light bretty notes of leather and animale funk, a hint of earth and a rustic touch of merde. The wine is quite high in acidity with ample and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is somewhat warm, savory and a bit stuffy with a funky aftertaste of licorice root, some acetic notes of VA, a little bit of earth, light bretty notes of barnyardy merde and sweaty leather saddle, a hint of ripe dark forest fruits and a sweet touch of black cherries.
Ugh. I usually enjoy rustic old world wines that don't feel too polished and can show some nice funk, but this was way too much even for my levels of tolerance. The overall feel is very funky, somewhat stuffy and rather unclean with the fruit and varietal characteristics getting overwhelmed by excessively pronounced notes of VA. The wine isn't mousy, but I wouldn't be surprised if the wine started to show mousy notes of THP with enough air. Not really recommended.
(76 points) -
2013 d'Angelo Aglianico del Vulture - Italy, Basilicata, Aglianico del Vulture (19.12.2022)
Macerated with the skins for approximately 10 days, aged for 18 months in large oak botti casks. 14% alcohol. Tasted in a tasting of ten Aglianicos.
Deep, luminous and still quite youthful dark ruby color that permits relatively little light through. The nose feels pretty intense, fragrant and very attractive with aromas of juicy dark forest berries and sanguine notes of iron, some perfumed notes of elderflower, a little bit of anise and licorice root, light earthy tones, a hint of plum pits, a touch of pipe tobacco and a rubbery whiff of reduction. The wine feels firm, dry and rather youthful on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of blueberries and blackberries, some floral elderflower tones, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light gravelly mineral notes, sweet hints of plummy dark fruit and boysenberry juice and a touch of earth. At first there was a reductive nuance of swimming pool toys, but it blew off quite quickly. The structure relies mostly on the high acidity; there are quite a bit of tannins here, but they feel quite ripe and relatively gentle, contributing more to the firmness and texture, not as much to the grip and structure. The finish is long, fresh and moderately grippy with a dry aftertaste of fresh bilberries, blackberries and brambly raspberries, some earthy tones, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light pipe tobacco notes, a hint of plum pits and a tough of floral lift.
A classically styled and still surprisingly youthful for a 9-yo Aglianico that is still brimming with aging potential. The overall feel is less tough and more accessible compared to the older bottles of d'Angelo Agliancos that I've had - even if the wine does have quite a bit of grip and structure compared to many other Aglianicos we had at the same time. Great stuff - the wine drinks wonderfully now, but is going to get better with further aging. Drink or keep. Excellent value at 13€.
(92 points) -
2012 Carbone Aglianico del Vulture 400 Some - Italy, Basilicata, Aglianico del Vulture (19.12.2022)
Made with fruit sourced from 40-yo vineyards. Macerated for 10-12 days in small stainless steel fermentors. Aged for a year in old, neutral 350-liter oak barrels. Lot number L.02/14. 14% alcohol. Tasted in a tasting of ten Aglianicos.
Deep, somewhat translucent and slightly evolved pomegranate color. Brooding, dark-toned nose with aromas of fresh black cherries and ripe dark fruits, some tobacco, a little bit of stony minerality, light woody notes of old oak spice, a sweeter hint of blueberry juice and a touch of savory spices. The wine feels juicy, rich and still relatively youthful on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of boysenberries and elderberry juice, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light woody notes of old oak, a hint of savory spices and a ferrous touch of blood. The overall feel is firm and sinewy yet not too tightly-knit with the high acidity and ample, moderately grippy tannins that are perfectly in balance with the body and the fruit. Despite the moderately structure-driven overall feel, the texture is more silky than rough and angular. The finish is dry, firm and quite grippy with a long, juicy aftertaste of sweet dark berries and wild strawberries, some cocktail cherry tones, a little bit of tobacco, light floral nuances of elderflower, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a touch of gravelly minerality.
A wonderful, classically built Aglianico. The heavy weight and rather modern appearance of the bottle made me think that the wine is going to be a big, polished and oaky effort, but this turned out to be a very attractive, skillfully made and thoroughly old-school effort. Not a big, rustic and aggressive beast of a wine either - just a very harmonious and pure-fruited example of Aglianico with good emphasis on both the structure and the varietally correct Aglianico fruit flavors. This is great stuff that is only now starting to show the very first signs of age; the wine is drinking well already now, but there is a lot of room for further improvement. Drink now or keep for another decade. Excellent value at 17,90€.
(93 points) -
2012 Paternoster Aglianico del Vulture Synthesi - Italy, Basilicata, Aglianico del Vulture (19.12.2022)
Made with fruit sourced from multiple vineyards in the Aglianico del Vulture appellation. Macerated with the skins for two weeks. Aged for 12 months in Slavonian oak botti (80%) and old French barriques (20%). 13,5% alcohol. Tasted in a tasting of ten Aglianicos.
Dark, quite opaque and moderately evolved black cherry color with a maroon hue. Sweetish but also somewhat restrained and a bit one-dimensional nose with reticent aromas of wizened black cherries, some licorice tones, a little bit of dusty earth and a hint of dried red berries. The wine feels ripe yet quite dry and sinewy on the palate with a full body and somewhat evolved but also quite reticent and linear flavors of ripe dark berries, some licorice tones, a little bit of sun-baked earth, light gravelly mineral tones and a sweet hint of black cherry. The wine is quite high in acidity and the ample tannins come across as pretty grippy and assertive as there is so little fruit to mask them. The dry finish is grippy and somewhat restrained with a medium-long aftertaste of chokeberries, some gravelly earth tones, a little bit of wizened black cherry, light notes of licorice root and a hint of pouch tobacco.
This wine felt enjoyably sinewy and structure-driven in character, but it left much to hope regarding its taste and aromatic profile. I wonder whether the wine is normally this restrained and understated or if it had just faded away with age? At first I thought this might've been slightly corked, but as the wine remained pretty much unmoved for a few days, it seemed that it wasn't corked after all - by that time the wine should've started to exhibit some TCA aromas. It's hard to assess whether this wine was in a good shape or not, but it left a rather lukewarm impression.
(81 points) -
2012 Bisceglia Aglianico del Vulture Gudarrà - Italy, Basilicata, Aglianico del Vulture (19.12.2022)
100% Aglianico. Macerated with the skins for 15 to 25 days. Aged for 12 months in new oak barriques. Lot number L.029,16. 14% alcohol. Tasted in a tasting of ten Aglianicos.
Deep, dark and slightly evolved pomegranate color that permits relatively little light through. The nose feels red-toned, somewhat evolved and a bit reticent with aromas of cherries and lingonberries, some evolved meaty tones, a little bit of tobacco, light green-toned herby nuances and a developed hint of beef jerky. The wine is firm, dry and somewhat evolved on the palate with a medium body and savory flavors of tart lingonberries and cranberries, sweeter blueberry tones, some meaty notes of umami, a little bit of tobacco, light ferrous nuances of blood, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a developed touch of beef jerky. The wine comes across as pretty structured, thanks to its high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is dry, firm and quite grippy with a long aftertaste of tart lingonberries, meaty umami tones, a little bit of sour cherry, light developed nuances of soy sauce, earth and beef jerky, a hint of tobacco and a touch of gravelly minerality.
A nice, firm and moderately evolved Aglianico. Perhaps not at its peak, but at least aromatically the wine is getting close - however, structure-wise the wine will stay firm and quite tough for many more years. I was honestly quite surprised to learn from the winery website that the wine is supposed to have aged in new barriques, because there was nothing oaky here. Overall this was a quite nice effort; not a big blockbuster, but instead a sinewy and somewhat austere effort. Perhaps aromatically slightly restrained and underwhelming compared to some other wines we tasted, but nothing that would make the wine feel too closed or mute.
(89 points) -
2012 Feudi di San Gregorio Irpinia Serpico - Italy, Campania, Irpinia (19.12.2022)
100% Aglianico from the historic Dal Re vineyard that is still planted with pre-phollexera vines. Aged for 18 months in French oak barriques and 5000-liter botti casks and for another 12 months in bottles. 14% alcohol. Tasted in a tasting of ten Aglianicos.
Very dark, almost fully opaque blackish-red color with a slightly evolved maroon hue. The brooding, somewhat developed and slightly underwhelming nose exhibits aromas of wizened black cherries, some toasty oak tones, a little bit of licorice, light earthy nuances, an evolved hint of raisiny dark fruit and a touch of dark forest fruit. The wine feels dry, silky and moderately evolved on the palate with a quite full body and somewhat concentrated flavors of tobacco and sour cherry bitterness, some oxidative notes of soy sauce, light sweet notes of ripe red plums, a little bit of game, a hint of old leather and an aged touch of prunes. The structure relies more on the quite assertive and grippy tannins than on the medium-plus acidity. The finish is dry, quite grippy and relatively tertiary with a long aftertaste of crunchy cranberries and sour cherry bitterness, some raisiny tones, a little bit of earth, light oxidative nuances of meat stew and soy sauce and a hint of pouch tobacco. The wine ends on a rather grippy, tannic note.
Curiously, I expected Serpico to be a capable of developing much longer. Based on the somewhat tertiary notes that are verging on oxidative, this wine feels like it has reached its plateau of maturity, yet hasn't evolved into something particularly interesting. The tannins feel still very tough and unresolved, but I doubt the fruit department retains enough substance to stay good until the tannins have resolved and softened enough. The acid structure seems also a bit too soft and easy for such a big and burly wine. Overall this wasn't at the level of the other Serpicos I've tasted.
(86 points) -
2012 Fontanavecchia Aglianico del Taburno Riserva Grave Mora - Italy, Campania, Aglianico del Taburno (19.12.2022)
Macerated for 15 months with the skins in stainless steel. Aged for 18 months in new French oak barriques. Lot number L1344, 15% alcohol. Tasted in a tasting of ten Aglianicos.
Almost fully opaque blackish-red color. Big, somewhat evolved and slightly sweetly-fruited nose with dark-toned aromas of juicy plums and black cherries, some balsamic tones, a little bit of old saddle leather, light evolved meaty tones and a hint of balsamic richness. The wine is rather ripe and quite silky yet still dry, firm and harmonious on the palate with a full body and clean, fine-tuned flavors of juicy dark plums and fresh black cherries, some meaty umami tones, a little bit of savory spice, light leathery nuances, a hint of balsamic richness and a touch of earth. Although the texture feels plush and velvety, the overall feel is enjoyably firm and structured, thanks to the rather high acidity and ample, ripe tannins that slowly coat the palate. The finish is long, somewhat grippy and slightly warm with a juicy aftertaste of dark plums and fresh black cherries, some ripe dark berries, a little bit of balsamic richness, light earthy tones, a meaty hint of umami and a touch of pipe tobacoc.
A tasty and harmonious Aglianico that is surprisingly elegant and balanced, considering this wine is clocking in at 15% ABV and is supposedly aged in new barriques. The high ABV and barriques description in the back label made me feel wary, but this turned out to be just fine - I guess ten years of aging might have done the trick in hiding all the oak. The high alcohol does show a bit, but this doesn't feel like an Amarone or any other high-octane red despite the ABV. The wine might not be the most memorable or interesting effort character-wise, but even then this is a pretty nice wine.
(90 points) -
2010 Perillo Taurasi - Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG (17.12.2022)
100% Aglianico sourced mainly from vineyards planted in the 1930's with a smaller part of the fruit is sourced from vineyards planted in the 1980's. All fruit is destemmed and crushed, fermented spontaneously and macerated with the skins for three to four weeks in stainless steel. Aged for 12 months in old, neutral barriques, then blended and aged for another 12 months in large (+2000-liter) botti casks. Finally blended in a stainless steel tanks, left to marry for some time and bottled. Lot number L.10.02.15, 14,5% alcohol. Tasted in a tasting of ten Aglianicos.
Deep, dark and almost fully opaque black cherry color with a slightly evolved brick-red hue towards the rim. The nose seems quite intense, somewhat evolved and a bit sweet-toned with aromas of prunes and wizened plums, some balsamic tones, a little bit of sweet exotic spices, light dark chocolate tones, a hint of raisiny dark fruit and a boozy touch of alcohol. The wine feels dry, juicy and quite silky and gentle on the palate with a full body and somewhat understated flavors of wizened black cherries, some earthy tones, a little bit of old leather, light savory notes of old wood, sweet hints of prunes and wizened figs and an oxidative touch of meat stew. The overall feel is lacking a bit in structure as the modest medium acidity makes the wine seem a bit tired and the ripe, powdery tannins do coat the gums yet don't bring much grip or sense of structure to the wine. The finish is somewhat warm, slightly grippy and a bit sweet-toned with a long aftertaste of wizened dark berries and ripe black cherries, some pruney tones, a little bit of earth, light meaty notes of umami, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of roasted game.
A pleasant but ultimately rather underwhelming, soft and uninteresting Taurasi. In our Aglianico tasting, many wines from Aglianico del Vulture or the generic Irpinia IGT performed better than this. I guess this might've been more interesting in its youth, but even if the wine doesn't feel particularly old yet, it comes across as a bit tired, dull and boring. Not a bad wine - just nothing that would get me excited in any way.
(84 points)
Posted from CellarTracker