Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2005 Aglianico del Vulture Don Anselmo is a beautifully aged red wine from Basilicata. There is some sediment at the bottom of the bottle; however, the wine still shows the tight tannins that are a natural part of its DNA. Dried fruit is followed by smoke, spice and bacon fat. This year saw a late harvest and fruit remained very tight and compact throughout the growing season.
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.
Inhabiting the arch of Italy’s boot, this southern, mountainous region has a relatively small amount of vineyard area under vine. Basilicata has one DOCG for its prized red grape, Aglianico, Aglianico del Vulture Superior, which is limited to the slopes of an extinct volcano. The best whites are made of Malvasia bianca.