Taurasi Vigne Alto

Producer: Cantina di Lonardo/Contrade di Taurasi

Region: Taurasi

Variety: 100% Aglianico

Volume: 2016

Vinification: M"aceration in steel tanks, further aging 36 months in botti grande, then 36 months in tonneaux." 

Colour: Ruby red with purple hues
Fragrance: The aromas are deep and waft from the glass, indicating utmost purity and precision. Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and oriental spices overwhelm the nose and taste buds.
Taste: "This really has an amazing sweetness and precision of juicy fruit. As with almost all wines from this winery, it manages to be both powerful and elegant at the same time, and it hides its alcohol content of 14% very well. Knock-out stuff and easily one of the best red wines I've had all year."

Dish combinations:

• Mature cheeses
• Grilled red meat, braised meat, game sauces, stews such as wild boar ragout, venison with red wine sauce.
  

Serving temperature: 18 C°

Shelf life: until 2038

Anecdote:  The winery "Contrade di Taurasi" was born in 1998 in Taurasi, in the heart of Irpinia, thanks to the company of Sandro Lonardo. They have been producing wines for 30 years (although the family has been in the wine trade since 1700) that strictly follow the regulations of organic viticulture on a small production scale. The company's rules can be summarized in four points: exclusive use of grapes from the family's vineyards, use of indigenous yeasts to convey the aromas and flavors in the wine, optimization of winemaking procedures, and experimentation with new techniques both in the vineyard and in the cellar. Experimentation is one of the most striking aspects of the winery: to this end, the Lonardo family also relies on a group of absolutely important technicians, university professors from Naples and Palermo. This team of experts was responsible for the restoration operation of an old local, ungrafted vine, which occurred in a few scattered varieties in the countryside of Irpinia, the Grecomusc, the Roviello Bianco, which in Greek dialect means soft, due to the soft and low-water grapes. Grecomusc is produced in minimal quantities: about 2,500 bottles per year and it is the only white wine produced by the company. While Grecomusc represents research and experimentation, Aglianico represents tradition: it is the most important grape variety used and from it, two excellent wines are produced, the Taurasi DOCG, and in particularly favorable vintages, the Taurasi Riserva. The company's offerings consist of an Aglianico DOC Irpinia, the Taurasi, the Taurasi Riserva, and two Taurasi Crus: Taurasi Coste and Taurasi Vigne d'Alto.

Scores: 98/100

Scores Comments Terroir Sense: Ok, if the 2016 Taurasi from Lonardo was a WOW! wine, then this is hands down a double-WOW!. Deep purple-ruby in colour, the aromas soar from the glass showcasing utter purity and precision. Raspberry, blackberry, blueberry and Oriental spices smother the nose and taste buds, with a powerful but suave mouthfeel that lasts and lasts. This really boasts an amazing sweetness and precision of juicy fruit. Like with almost all of this winery’s wines, it also manages the neat trick of being at once powerful yet elegant, and it hides its 14% alcohol very well. Knockout stuff and easily one of the best reds I have had all year.