Campania at its best!
The people who know me a little, know that I am a fan of Campania. Not only of the region but also of the wines that come from there. This is not only due to the fact that I was born in Campania and I was literally brought up with the Aglianico grape, but also because you can find things in Campania that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. Think of real pizza, f*cking delicious buffelo mozzarella, prestigious truffles and not to forget Taurasi. What’s that? Taurasi is a wine from the municipality of Avellino, 42,000 hectares of pure pornographic wine enjoyment. In 1993 this wine obtained the DOCG status and where in the 90’s only one winery made Taurasi, there are now a lot more to be found.
Aglianico rocks!
Why do people call Taurasi the Barolo of southern Italy and what makes it so special? First, the volcanic soil on which the Aglianico grape grows. In addition, this wine has to ripen for at least three years before it is put on the market. A real powerhouse, but with the complexity of the volcanic soil!
The king of the Taurasi
The king of the Taurasi is, in my opinion, Luigi Tecce. Not only because of his 80 year old vines but especially because he does everything by himself. When he was young, this man used to work in the Italian parliament when suddenly his father died. He decided to go back home and take over the family business. He didn’t have any knowledge about wine so he works from instinct. And you can taste that! In the positive sense, of course. They use their own yeast and no shit is added. His wines are organic and unfiltered.
Luigi’s vineyards are located in a mountainous area, which means that the grapes ripen very late in the season. The first grapes are harvested at the beginning of October and are not yet fully ripe, which ensures freshness in the wine. The rest is harvested later, the last round is at the beginning of November. Fully matured Aglianico provides full fruit, fleshy tannins and can age to the brim.
The poliphemo Taurasi is made from 1 hectare of hand-picked grapes from 85 year old vines. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in chestnut barrels, then the wine ripens for no less than two years in oak barrels and then some time on the bottle. The result? Dried flowers, unparalleled spiciness, deep fruit, tobacco and an unprecedented freshness. Yes I am a fan.