2013 Viticoltori de Conciliis, Donnaluna Aglianico, Paestum IGT, Campania Italy.
Aglianico is sometimes referred to as the Nebbiolo of the south in Italy, and you can see the tannic and robust similarities, but Aglianico is very much it’s own grape and it has multi layered complexity and rustic charms unique to itself, and an especially poised example comes from Viticoltori de Conciliis an artisan producer in Campania. Organic and working toward biodynamic, de Conciliis respects their terroir, high elevation vines that get plenty of warm sunshine, big day to night temp changes that promotes complexity and acidity and coming from one of the poorest wine regions in Italy they factor in the human element too, paying living wages to vineyard and winery staff, trying to give them full employment, not just seasonal work. All the wines are hand-crafted with great care and they show unique personalities, de Conciliis also makes an all Aglianico sparkling wine and a succulent Passito as well as this wonderful Donnaluna Aglianico and a gorgeous lees Fiano white. The 2013 Donnaluna Aglianico is beautifully detailed and open knit with a range of flavors and aromas that includes dried flowers, iron ore (blood), anise, willd plum and new leather! Everything is polished and the power is hidden in a velvet coat with lovely rose petal, sweet raspberry, minty herbs and mineral notes leading the way. If you are looking for a way to understand Aglianico or get started on this varietal this would be a great place to start, it has a sense of purity of the grape, but is more refined in style than most, I adore this medium/full bodied vintage and was thrilled by it’s class and intensity, drink this Donnaluna over the next 5 to 7 years.
($24 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive
