Winemaker Notes
"The 2001 Serpico, impenetrable and inky, staggeringly rich in both aroma and flavor, offers ultra-ripe but perfectly fresh berry fruit, cloves, cinnamon, and chocolate, and mouth-coating, deep-pile tactile sensations which combine iron power and a enveloping, voluptuous texture, infinitely deep and long. I would be amazed if this wine did not last thirty years."
-Wine Advocate
Grape Varieties: 100% Aglianico di Taurasi, harvested in part from century-old pre-phylloxera vines. Vinification: Manual harvesting starts in mid-October and lasts until early November. After pressing, a long maceration on the skins takes place. Once malolactic fermentation is completed, the wine is aged for 14 months in new French oak barrels prior to release.
Intense, persistent bouquet of rich wild cherries, toasted oak and warm vanilla. Soft, dense and well-balanced. The finish is long and pleasant, with flavors of red berries against a smooth background of toast and spice.
Serving Suggestions: Well-matched with roasted meat and game
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2001 Serpico, impenetrable and inky, staggeringly rich in both aroma and flavor, offers ultra-ripe but perfectly fresh berry fruit, cloves, cinnamon, and chocolate, and mouth-coating, deep-pile tactile sensations which combine iron power and a enveloping, voluptuous texture, infinitely deep and long. I would be amazed if this wine did not last thirty years.
Italian Red Wine
While picturesque hillsides, endless coastlines and a favorable climate serve to unify the grape-growing culture of this country. The apparent never-ending world of indigenous grape varieties gives Italy an unexampled charm and allure for its red wines. From the steep inclines of the Alps to the sprawling, warm, coastal plains of the south, red grape varieties thrive throughout.
The kings of Italy, wines like Barolo and Barbaresco (made of Nebbiolo), and Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino (made of Sangiovese), as well as Amarone (mostly Corvina), play center stage for the most lauded, collected and cellar-worthy reds. Less popular but entirely deserving of as much praise are the wines made from Aglianico, Sagrantino and Nerello Mascalese.
For those accustomed to drinking New World reds, the south is the place to start. Grapes like Negroamaro or Primitvo from Puglia and Nero d’Avola from Sicily make soft, ammicable, full-bodied, fruit-dominant wines. Curious palates should be on the lookout for Cannonau (Grenache), Lagrein, Teroldego, Ruché, Freisa, Cesanese, Schiopettino, Rossese and Gaglioppo to name a few.