I am over one month removed from my two-week wine excursion to Southern Italy, but I am able to keep the memories current by purchasing wines from Southern Italy at local wine shops that sell such wines, such as Vintages in Belmont, MA, http://www.vintagesonline.com. The owner, Eric Broege, one of the area’s top Italian wine consultants, arranged for me to purchase wine from four outstanding Southern Italy wineries.
L’Azienda Agricola Antonio Caggiano – http://www.cantinecaggiano.it
I have visited Antonio’s cantina four times. It is located in Taurasi, Avellino, Campania. Please refer to
past posts on Antonio Caggiano’s cantina; September 19, 23, 26, and October 20. Eric has two vintages of Antonio’s highly acclaimed Taurasi Vigne Macchia del Goti in stock – 2008 and 2011. As noted in my previous posts, this award-winning wine is a one of my favorites. I am pictured above with Antonio at the Vigne Macchia dei Goti vineyard.
Azienda Agricola Luigi Maffini – http://www.maffini-vini.com
I visited Luigi’s cantina in 2014 at Castellabate, Salerno, Campania. Luigi has since moved his headquarters to his other estate located in Giungano, also in the Province of Salerno. His wine-making process and wines are certified organic. Eric has Luigi’s top four wines in stock. I am partial to red wine, thus I just purchased a case of Luigi’s Cilento Aglianico Cenito 2010. During the visit Luigi said that his 2010 Cilento Aglianico is
one of his best vintages. For white wine drinkers, consider purchasing Luigi’s Cilento Fiano Pietraincatenata. This award-winning wine has been recognized as one of the top Fiano in Salerno. For an everyday wine, Luigi is partial to his entry-level Fiano – Kratos.
Azienda Agricola Montevetrano – http://www.montevetrano.it
For over twenty years Silvia Imparato has produced Montevetrano, a highly acclaimed, award-winning, Bordeaux style wine at her cantina located in San Cipriano Picentino, Salerno, Campania. Montevetrano has an international cult following due in part to its high quality and in part to its limited production of only 30,000 bottles. Montevetrano is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and aglianico grapes. I have a small amount of Montevetrano in my cellar because, in spite of my preference for wines made with indigenous grapes, I felt that I had to round out my cellar with this impressive wine. In 2011, much to my pleasure, Silvia made a monovarietal aglianico wine named Core. Eric has both wines in stock. I strongly encourage readers to try Core as it is reasonably priced (under $30) and of high quality.
Azienda Agricola COS – http://www.cosvittoria.it
In 1980 COS was founded by Giambattista Cilia, Guisto Occhipinti, and Cirino Strano. For the past 25 years COS, located in Vittoria, Ragusa, Siclia, has been a pioneer in sustainable viticulture. It is a certified organic producer of approximately 160,000 bottles of wine per annum. Eric has many of COS wines in stock, but COS’ Pithos is unique and I encourage readers to experiment with this wine. Pithos, made with a 60%-40% blend of nero d’avola and frappato grapes, is fermented and aged in amphorae terracotta jars, similar to the method of wine-making over 2,000 years ago. Thus, there is no influence of wood and, in the words of COS, the terracotta “allows the wine to breathe”. COS describes the philosophy of Pithos as “(w)hen committing to making wines without any chemical influences nor following any recipes, and allowing nature to have the primary influence on the path of wine, vinification in terracotta is the inevitable decision.”
