The aglianico grape produces diverse wines throughout Campania, Basilicata and Puglia. The annual wine tasting will focus on five difficult find wines from two provinces; Potenza and Salerno. I have not selected aglianico based wines from Avellino because past wine tastings have featured many different Taurasi wines. Aglianico is indigenous to Southern Italy and does not flourish in other parts of Italy or the world. When I asked my personal wine consultant, my cousin Michael Bonadies, why this is the case, he pointed out that the aglianico grape thrives in areas where there has been volcanic activity. Consistent with this thought, the top aglianico based wines from Potenza are from an area near the extant Mt Vulture volcano; and ones  from Salerno and Avellino are from areas whose soil is enriched by Mt. Vesuvius.

Colli Cerentino

Colli Cerentino’s celllar is located in the town of Rionero in Vulture, Potenza.  Sandro Calabrese started Colli Cerentino in 2002 with his first bottling in 2003.  Sandro’s wines are organically produced.  Colli Cerentino, with an annual production of about 40,000 bottles, is one of the smaller wineries in the Aglianico del Vulture area. The vineyards are located in the nearby town of Maschito. Ro and I had a tour of the production area, followed by a wine tasting with  soppressata, cheese, and bread. We tasted an array of Colli

Cerentino wines, including  a 2006 Masqito. (Masqito is not a typo, there is no “u” after the “q”.) The last bottle we tasted was Colli Cerentino’s multi-award winning Masqito Gold, a 2006 Aglianico del Vulture. Sandro is looking for an importer, so if you enjoy his wines as much as I do, contact an importer and put in a plug for Colli Cerentino.

Michele Laluce

Michele Laluce’s winery, located in Ginestra, Potenza, has a small vineyard of six hectares that produces grapes for about 40,000 bottles per year.  The aglianico grape is grown on five and one-half hectares (see photo above) and muscato grape is grown on one-half hectare.  The winery adheres to organic methods in the vineyard and in the production of its wines.  Rose bushes planted in the vineyard

serve as a warning of disease that might affect the grape.

During the tour, Michele and his daughter, Maddalena, demonstrated how quickly  wine changes during fermentation.  We contrasted the taste of wine that had been fermenting for just a day with wine that had been fermenting for four days. The reduction of the sugar from day one to day four was strikingly

different.  Michele and his four daughters manage the winery.  The oldest

daughter, Caterina, is studying economics and manages the winery’s books.  Maddalena studied oenology and is the wine maker.  Donatella is an agronomist and operates the vineyard’s machinery.  Michela is studying culinary.  During our tasting, four archeologists working in the area stopped by.  Michele and Maddalena welcomed them offered them a glass of wine — an example of Southern Hospitality.

We will be tasting Michele’s top Aglianico del Vulture, Le Drude. The wine is fermented in stainless steel and ages for 24 months in oak barrels.

Salavtore Magnoni

Salvatore Magnoni’s family has owned the land on which the vineyard is located for over 500 years. In the 1700’s a family member, a priest, served as a consultant to Joseph of Austria who then named him a count, giving the Magnoni family nobility status.  Salvatore indicated both pride and amusement telling this family history. Salvatore’s grandfather immigrated to the USA, where his father was born, but the family returned to the estate in Rutino, Salerno.  Both his father and grandfather were physicians, but Salvatore took a different career path. He sold records and was a DJ in Naples for 25 years. In 2002 he made a career change and decided to plant the vineyard in Rutino. His first vintage went to market in 2008. Salvatore today produces about 50,000 bottles per year.

Salvatore is an ardent follower of organic viticulture. He does not add sulfites to the wine.  We tasted his 2013 Rosso del Ciglio, which ages one year in barrique oak barrel. This wine features red fruit and has a tingling sensation when contrasted with the second wine we tasted, Primalaterra. This elegant wine,

which ages 18 months in oak barrels and another 6 months in the bottle, has hints of cherry and has a long, smooth finish. Rosso del Ciglio is a “wild” wine when compared to the regal Primalaterra. I will be serving Primalaterra at the wine tasting.

During the tasting we enjoyed a sumptuous lunch of local goat cheese and dried sausage, bread with Salvatore’s olive oil, zucchini quiche, escarole pie, and fusilli with tomato — an unexpected treat from a generous and welcoming host.

Casa di Baal.

Casa di Baal is a family owned and operated winery located in Montecorvino, Salerno, about 20 miles east of the City of Salerno and near the Parco Regionale Monti Picentini. The winery, which produces about 25,000 bottles per year and is certified organic, has its origin in 1977 when Annibale Salerno’s father purchased 30 hectares of  land less than one mile from where Annibale was raised.  Annibale and his father had to smooth out hills so that the land could be used for farming and dig a well over 150 meters deep to provide a

steady flow of water to olive trees. Of the 30 hectares only 4 are dedicated for the cultivation of grapes; the balance of 26 hectares are used to cultivate olives, vegetables, fruit, and honey. The farm produces approximately 30,000 liters of olive oil per year, all for private customers.

In 2006 Annibale and his family decided to make their wine available to the public. Under the guidance of wine consultant Gennaro Reale of Vigna Viva, http://www.vignaviva.com, Casa di Baal produces five wines. I have purchased two in the

USA, Aglianico di Baal and Fiano di Baal. Aglianico di Baal, which will be served during the wine tasting, is made with 100% aglianico grape. The grapes ferment and the wine ages  for about four to five months  in stainless steel tanks. The wine is then transferred to medium sized oak barrels to age for about another 12 months. After 8 months in the bottle Aglianico di Baal is released for sale. Fiano di Baal, made with 100% fiano grape,  ages between 6 to 9 months in stainless steel tanks before bottling. After about 6 months in the bottle, Fiano di Baal is released for sale.

Annibale, his wife Anna, and five children all work at the farm. Josephine, the oldest, is responsible for distribution, Mario is charge of olive oil production, Nadia is the “jack of all trades”, Francesca oversees the wine production, and Laura is responsible for public relations. Last year during our visit, Annibale, Francesca, and Francesca’s cousin Serena gave us a tour of the 30 acre estate, including the area for olive oil production.  We then relaxed under a large shade tree for a tasting of their wines paired with cured meats and cheese prepared by Anna.  The Salerno family was most engaging and showered us with “Southern Hospitality”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                  

Vuolo

Mila Vuolo’s winery is located in Giove, a frazione of the city of Salerno.  Mila’s father, a physician, purchased the land on which the vineyard is located  in 1980’s to be a “hideaway” working farm. When

Mila’s father died sixteen years ago, Mila began working at the farm. After a couple years of commuting from Rome, she quit her telecommunication job and dedicated herself full time at the farm. In addition to growing olives and apples Mila makes wine for commercial purposes. As a certified organic producer her first few vintages were small; which is typical for organic producers as it is difficult to create yield without non-natural interventions. Her grapes are hand-picked; no machinery.

In 2003 Mila had her first production – a modest 2,000 bottles. The next two years’ vintages were about the same. By 2006 the yield increased to 4,000 bottles. In 2007 the yield was 5,000 bottles and in 2009 the yield was 7,000. Her yield continues to grow in modest amounts. In 2013 Mila produced 10,000 bottles of aglianico and 3,000 bottles of fiano. She dedicates about two and one-half hectares for aglianico grapes and less than a hectare for fiano grapes.

We tasted Mila’s 2007 and 2009 aglianico. (The 2009 will be served at the annual wine tasting.) Mila is

sold out of 2008. Her 2007 is still available because Mila held back the 2007 vintage for more bottling because it was not ready for distribution. It is this careful consideration of the end product that is ever so present with organic/sustainable producers – quality trumps quantity. The 2009 had more fragrance – more of a perfume bouquet. Whereas the 2007 was more robust, fuller, with stronger sensation of spices and herbs which is somewhat uncharacteristic for a Salerno based aglianico.

Generally (with 2007 being the noted exception) Mila’s aglianico spends two years in an oak barrel and two years in the bottle before it is released.

After the tasting, Mila provided us a tour of her modest cantina. We had a barrel tasting of 2012 and 2013 vintages of aglianico. Her read on these two vintages are they are “more tame” than some of the

earlier vintages and may be more approachable at a younger age.

Like Colli Cerentino, Mila is without a reliable importer. She said that her former importer told her that there was a limited market for Mila Vuolo wines in the USA so they terminated the relationship. The importer said that they would process special requests. We found this not to be the case as I went through the New York wine store that locates wine for me who reached out unsuccessfully to the importer about obtaining Mila Vuolo’s wine.