Taurino Notarpanaro 1997

Puglia is in the heel of Italy's boot. It is here that Cosimo Taurino has established himself as a producer of quality wines for great value. Since 1981 when Taurino's wines were first introduced into the US market, he has led the vanguard of Puglian producers determined to focus on producing fine wines from their own region. Until that time, this region which produces only slightly less wine than California, generally shipped their wine in bulk for blending with the better known wines of Northern Italy and France.

The excellence of these wines is owed to the indigenious varietals, Negro Amaro and Malvasia Nera. Taurino recognized that these brawny varietals, with a little bit of respect and care in vineyard and cellar, had great potential. Yields in the field were drastically reduced and new equipment and modern fermentation techniques were implemented.

Never content with the status quo, Cosimo experimented. Enamored with the density of the Veneto's famous Recioto della Valpolicella Amarone he decided to find out what would happen if Negro-Amaro and Malvasia Nera were treated in the same way. Hence, Patriglione which has become the flagship wine of the estate. This wine and the others reflect the intensity that the Taurinos have demonstrated in achieving their goal: The production of Puglian wines to be admired and respected.