Winemaker Notes
Intense ruby color with garnet reflections pronounced complex nose with hints of black cherry, spicy scents of violet and tobacco, as well as, tar and mineral notes. Full-bodied, elegant, smooth, velvety and intense on the palate, with balanced tannins and aromatic intensity. Excellent cellaring potential, with bottle age adding to the wine’s complexity.
This pairs well with all roasted meats, including beef fillet, rib-eye steaks, grilled lamb chop, game, spicy dishes, mushrooms, truffles and aged cheeses, such as aged provolone, parmigiano or gorgonzola.
Professional Ratings
-
Decanter
Red berry fruit and spicy aromatics. The palate is rich and weighty with lots of peppery oak character and bold, youthful tannins. Well-made example with great ageing potential.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This is a delicate and carefully aged expression of Aglianico from one of the most experienced and influential wine producers of the area. The Terredora di Paolo 2013 Taurasi Fatica Contadina delivers plenty of dark fruit and measured spice, and it also shows a mildly creamy side with white chocolate or yogurt-covered almonds. The mouthfeel is sharp and tight, with good structure and dusty tannins.
-
James Suckling
A subtle, balanced Taurasi with delicate cherry, walnut and dried-meat aromas and flavors. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins and a fresh, clean finish. Really creamy texture with resolved tannins. Drink now or hold.
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.