Winemaker Notes
Subtle hints of violet, and balsamic notes of eucalyptus and liquorice. Spicy notes of ground cardamom and white pepper. Slight hints of black fruit, but not as pronounced as in hot weather vintages. The sip is elegant, full, complex, and as always, it lingers on the palate. The aftertaste confirms the aromas, but the mouthfeel deepens with citrus sensations and herbaceous aromas on the characteristic mineral finish.
Blend: 80% Aglianico, 20% Piedirosso
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The polished oak hits the nose straight away, but then comes a fabulous array of black fruit with dark plums, blackcurrants and berries, as well as some coffee cream and chocolate. Full-bodied and intense with silky layers of fruit, dark chocolate and fine, grainy tannins that pick up a lot of the fruit and savory flavors, driving to a long finish. Delicious to taste now, even drink, but will continue to improve in the bottle. Best from 2023.
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Vinous
Flat-out stunning, the 2019 Terra di Lavoro entices with a dramatic bouquet that blends wild blueberries with crushed violets, cloves, dried orange peels and a lovely whiff of sweet smoke. This is a model of elegance, velvety yet cool-toned in feel. A vibrant, acidic core keeps masses of ripe red and black fruits in constant play. Its tannins are chiseled, creating a crunchy sensation, and while structured for the long haul, the wine remains amazingly fresh and graceful. There’s a level of refinement and balance here that tempts the imagination. The 2019 is not to be missed.
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Decanter
Year by year, this blend of Aglianico and Piedirosso results in one of my favourite wines from Campania. The 2019 doesn't deviate despite slightly less concentration. The grapes (from a mix of 40% younger vines and 60% up to 25 years old) are grown at 450 metres above sea level on volcanic soils between Sessa Aurunca and Galluccio, mostly west-facing. Fermented in stainless steel with selected yeasts and matured in French oak barrels for 12 months, it has a dark crimson colour and expresses restrained cassis, Modica chocolate, fresh leather and black olives. The attack is firm, broad and refined, with youthful grainy tannins of great extraction on the mid-palate, followed by a sweet aftertaste. The dark-fruit acidity is plentiful, well integrated yet brilliant, giving a relaxing drinkability. A bit leaner than usual and still a bit embryonic considering its potential.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Galardi 2019 Terra di Lavoro shows pretty density and concentration that offers firmness without feeling heavy or too thick. That's what gives this blend of 80% Aglianico and 20% Piedirosso its high drinkability and general appeal. The bouquet does show a savory character of charred spice and cured tobacco that follows dark fruit and baked plum. This is a very elegant, medium to full-bodied Campania red.
The family-owned estate that is Galardi is unlike any other. Established in 1991, they produce just one wine, with near perfection, and are located in an ideal location with volcanic, sloping soils in the northwestern part of the Campania region of Italy. The influence of the Mediterranean Ocean’s breezes combined with the unique soil composition make the native grape varieties of Aglianico and Piedirosso a nearly instinctual process. Although the soils create unique flavors in the wine, they make for extremely low yields and only a couple thousand bottles of Galardi’s flagship, Terra di Lavoro, are bottled annually making the quality and price skyrocket.
Making its home in the mountainous southern Italy, Aglianico is a bold red variety that is late to ripen and often spends until November on the vine. It thrives in Campania as the exclusive variety in the age-worthy red wine called Taurasi. Aglianico also has great success in the volcanic soils of Basilicata where it makes the robust, Aglianico del Vulture. Somm Secret—The name “Aglianico” bears striking resemblance to Ellenico, the Italian word for "Greek," but no evidence shows it has Greek ancestry. However, it first appeared in Italy around an ancient Greek colony located in present-day Avellino, Campania.
A winemaking renaissance is underfoot in Campania as more and more small, artisan and family-run wineries redefine their style with vineyard improvements and cellar upgrades. The region boasts a cool Mediterranean climate with extreme coastal, as well as high elevation mountain terroirs. It is cooler than one might expect in Campania; the region usually sees some of the last harvest dates in Italy.
Just south of Mount Vesuvio, the volcanic and sandy soils create aromatic and fresh reds based on Piedirosso and whites, made from Coda di Volpe and Falanghina. Both reds and whites go by the name, Lacryma Christi, meaning the "tears of Christ." South of Mount Vesuvio, along the Amalfi Coast, the white varieties of Falanghina and Biancolella make fresh, flirty, mineral-driven whites, and the red Piedirosso and Sciasinoso vines, which cling to steeply terraced coastlines, make snappy and ripe red wines.
Farther inland, as hills become mountains, the limestone soil of Irpinia supports the whites Fiano di Avellino, Falanghina and Greco di Tufo as well as the most-respected red of the south, Aglianico. Here the best and most age-worthy examples come from Taurasi.
Farther north and inland near the city of Benevento, the Taburno region also produces Aglianico of note—called Aglianico del Taburno—on alluvial soils. While not boasting the same heft as Taurasi, these are also reliable components of any cellar.