Aglianico

This red classic comes from marl- and clay-rich soils from the high and steep hills near Taurasi, not far from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The soils are rich in minerals and salts and give the Aglianico grape a wonderful depth and minerality.

A big step on the path to depth: Core Rosso is the red-black equivalent of the well-known white wine – a single-varietal Aglianico that uncompromisingly embodies the power and elegance of this indigenous grape variety. The grapes come from limestone-rich vineyards at the foot of Monte Soprano in Sannio locations, where cool nights and Mediterranean heat peaks allow for perfect ripening. Good balance, ripe fruit and fine acidity.

"Place of the snakes". The name Serpara sounds menacing, but is actually a tribute: snakes seek warmth, sunshine and mild temperatures, even in the coldest months. And this is exactly what describes the single vineyard Serpara in the municipality of Maschito – a vineyard with a sunny exposure that never really knows winter, even in winter. At 550 metres above sea level, on a volcanic hillside, lie 6 hectares, half of which are planted with Aglianico vines over 40 years old. The black imperial eagle of the Swabians adorns the label – a legacy of the imperial claim that once shaped this land.

The name says it all – and nothing less. Titolo is Elena Fucci's great promise: one of the most concentrated, structurally rich Aglianico del Vulture wines ever, from the oldest vines of the Contrada Solagna del Titolo at the foot of Monte Vulture. The Pink Edition is the same address, the same conviction – but a different phase in the life of the vine. For the Rosato, Elena Fucci chooses the youngest vines of the Titolo vineyard: vines between six and ten years old that give more fruit than structure, whose vigour gives the wine energy instead of heaviness. The grapes are deliberately harvested a little earlier than for Titolo Rosso – first week of October, by hand, in small crates, immediately into the cellar. This is followed by cooling, then four days of cold maceration on the skins – cryomaceration – to extract colour, aroma and the volcanic mineral character without taking away tannin or weight. Gentle pressing, steel tank, two and a half months maturation, unfiltered in the bottle.

"La Stipula" - "The signing of the contract". The names of Gerardo Giuratrabocchetti's wines are reminiscent of his father's world as a notary. White vinified vintage sparkling wine from the Aglianico grape – a real rarity! The elegant Metodo Classico Millesimato pas dosé exudes delicate aromas of fresh spring flowers, magnificent almond blossom, pink grapefruit and ripe lemon. On the palate, you get a sense of the tannin structure and the power of the Aglianico grape, the perlage is firm and excellently defined, the flavour is broad, delicate and bone-dry. SUPERIORE.DE

Taurasi, undisputedly the great red of the south, rightly referred to as the "Barolo of the south", shows all its power and nobility in Feudi di San Gregorio's interpretation. The pure Aglianico comes from vineyards at altitudes of up to 700 metres, on volcanic soils with basalt, clay and tuff. The result is a brooding, long-lasting red wine with character of origin and high standards.

Feudi di San Gregorio's DUBL project was born in 2004 from an awareness of the great richness of the autochthonous vines of the Irpinia region and the desire to open up new horizons for them: as a Metodo Classico Spumante or by means of the famous Méthode Champenoise. An advisor was quickly found for this - none other than Anselme Selosse, who is known for his champagnes and his feeling for the particularities of the vines and vineyards.

Feudi di San Gregorio's DUBL project was born in 2004 from an awareness of the great richness of the autochthonous vines of the Irpinia region and the desire to open up new horizons for them: as a Metodo Classico Spumante or by means of the famous Méthode Champenoise. An advisor was quickly found for this - none other than Anselme Selosse, who is known for his champagnes and his feeling for the particularities of the vines and vineyards.

Vigna Andrea is the centrepiece of Clelia Romano's oeuvre – a single-vineyard Taurasi, grown at an altitude of 500 metres on calcareous and clayey soils near Lapio. Not a Taurasi monument, but a wine of deep tension, dignity and ageing potential – a solitaire that rewards patience and interprets Aglianico in its noblest form. A great southern Italian, far from any exaggeration, but full of inwardness and substance.

Deep ruby red in colour. Cenito seduces with complex aromas of dark red fruits, cinnamon and cloves mingling with earthy tones, mint, chalk dust and camphor. The palate is seamlessly smooth and elegant, with ripe wild berries flowing over a core of vibrant acidity, while a hint of acidic citrus adds tension towards the end. The finish is structured and long, with fine-grained tannins and floral notes of sour plums and violets. Cenito is Cilento Aglianico at its best. It is deceptively accessible and gentle, but the tension increases with every sip. Be patient and savour this great Aglianico! SUPERIORE.DE

A very special wine made from overripe and strictly selected Aglianico grapes that thrive in Mastroberardino's south-facing vineyards. The Taurasi is aged for two years in oak barrels and one year in the bottle. A wine with a fascinating personality, power and extremely high Storage potential.

Elena Fucci's exceptional Titolo wine is built for the long haul. It will continue its steady development for at least the next 20 years, which is why it is particularly enjoyable when aged in magnum format. Dark ruby red in colour, the bouquet has aromas of ripe red fruit and a fine woody spice. The wine is assembled with enormous precision, offering a balanced intensity and a beautiful degree of fruit purity that speaks both in favour of the Aglianico grape and the extreme region that produces it. Titolo impresses with its fine texture and elegantly integrated tannins. This is the kind of masterful Aglianico performance we love. SUPERIORE.DE

Fusonero is the powerful, broodinginterpretation of Taurasi – made purely from Aglianico from high-altitude vineyards in Irpinia, where volcanic soils and cool nights lend the grapes complexity and structure. 2016 produced balanced, ripe berries with firm acidity and rich phenolics – ideal conditions for a long-lasting Taurasi. Almost impenetrable ruby colour with a purple core in the glass. A rich composition of black cherries, blackberries, dried plums and liquorice on the nose, underpinned by cedar wood, tobacco, dark chocolate and a fine balsamic note. Powerful yet supple on the palate, with present, ripe tannins that are perfectly balanced by juicy fruit and fresh acidity. The mineral vein carries the wine through to a long, spicy final with hints of smoke and herbs. Our verdict: A Taurasi of aristocratic depth that reveals the great potential of the grape variety in an outstanding vintage – structured, long-lasting and with a presence that will continue to unfold for many years to come. SUPERIORE.DE

In 2000, buyers were at the door. The Fucci family had almost given up on the six hectares of vineyards that their grandfather Generoso had acquired at the foot of Monte Vulture in the 1960s – the parents teachers, the children on their way into the world. At the last moment, daughter Elena decided otherwise. Not out of calculation, but out of a feeling that she herself later described as "a stab in the heart": she could not accept that a foreign name would do something great with the oldest vines of the Vulture while she watched.

"La Firma" - "The signature". The names of Gerardo Giuratrabocchetti's wines are reminiscent of his father's world as a notary. La Firma is a single-varietal Aglianico that matures in natural caves made of volcanic tuff, carats and French oak barrels. Beautiful ruby red colour with bright violet reflections. Complex bouquet with aromas of small black berries, liquorice and hay. Powerful and very harmonious on the palate, characterised by velvety tannins and a long, balsamic finish. Great ageing potential! SUPERIORE.DE

"Il Sigillo" - "The Seal". Gerardo Giuratrabocchetti's wines recall his father's notarial world with their names.

Feudi's Riserva Piano di Montevergine is only vinified in outstanding years. The wine has a very impressive concentration and great richness in every vintage. Dark and brooding on first impression, it slowly awakens in the glass with a captivating blend of menthol, mint and exotic spices that evolves with a lively note of cinnamon-dusted redcurrant. This velvety-smooth and elegant wine appears heavy at first, but is quickly enlivened by a core of vibrant acidity and zesty citrus notes that embellish the tart black fruits. The tannins on the finish are sweet and chalky, while notes of wild red plum and blood orange keep the tasterer coming back for more. SUPERIORE.DE

This genuine Aglianico speciality from 70-year-old vines is aged in terracotta amphorae for 18 months, giving it greater juiciness, freshness and depth. Intense ruby red in colour with garnet hues. Spicy hints of pepper and fruit jam, blackcurrant and tobacco on the cautiously reductive nose. Great structure, complexity and a certain originality on the palate, which, together with a fine minerality, makes it an exceptionally drinkyred. SUPERIORE.DE

Dark, concentrated ruby red colour. Complex on the nose with an abundance of ripe red and black berry fruit aromas, including sour cherry, blackcurrant and elderberry, followed by notes of dried violets, sweet spices, liquorice, cocoa powder, mentholated tobacco and eucalyptus. Rich and multi-layered on the palate, powerful and soft with youthful but well-integrated tannins and excellent acidity. Only reveals its large reservoir of impressions after some aeration. Very long on the finish, great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Serpico is the flagship of Feudi di San Gregorio – a large, monumental Aglianico from vines over 150 years old from the legendary single vineyard "Dal Re" in Sorbo Serpico. The vineyard is located on mineral soils of volcanic origin and is cultivated with painstaking manual labour. 2016 was a moderate year, with a cool spring, a perfect ripening phase in late summer and a late, selective harvest in October – ideal conditions for a wine with depth and balance.

The Taurasi 2016 from Pietracupa is a lesson in patience and precision – an Aglianico from high vineyards in Irpinia that only reveals its complex spectrum of flavours after years of ripening. The year 2016 brought ideal conditions: a moderate summer, sufficient rainfall and a long, dry autumn, which allowed a late harvest of healthy, perfectly ripe grapes. Deep dark ruby red in the glass with a garnet-red rim. The nose is multi-layered and rich in detail: black cherry, blackberry, ripe plum, dried violets, tobacco, dark chocolate, graphite and fine spice nuances. It is powerful on the palate, with a firm tannin structure, lively acidity and fruit that is carried by fresh energy despite its maturity. Ageing over many months in large wooden barrels gives the wine depth and harmonious integration of flavours. The finish is long, balsamic and characterised by mineral spice – a Taurasi with great nobility that combines the power of Aglianico with cool precision.

I Viaggiatori is a particularly finely woven Aglianico. Its grapes come from almost 200-year-old open-air vineyards with vines that are already over a hundred years old. The Paternopoli area, one of the highest areas of the Taurasi Valley, lies in the green heart of Irpina. The cool, continental climate here allows the Aglianico to ripen very slowly and thus retain its fresh and extremely elegant profile.