The New York Times: Aglianico del Vulture è sottovalutato

Venosa (PZ) 14 Ottobre 2008 ore 12.38

– Antonio Teora, tutta New York parla di voi…
– E’ positivo; è il nostro piccolo contributo alla buona immagine del made-in-Italy…

– Fortuna o tenacia?
– Raccogliamo i frutti di un preciso progetto aziendale partito nel 2003, i cinque anni di attesa sono il biglietto minimo per operare con successo negli States.

– Come avete intenzione di consolidare questo capitale d’immagine accumulato?

– Rimaniamo nei fondamentali del marketing aziendale. Molta formazione ed assistenza per il trade, eventi e degustazioni per i “wine enthusiast”…

Antonio Teora è direttore commerciale della Cantina di Venosa (PZ) http://www.cantinadivenosa.it

Il New York Times ha segnalato di recente il loro Aglianico come vino italiano misconosciuto, superiore a Barolo, Brunello, Chianti e Valpolicella…

The New York Time, 17 settembre 2008

Aglianico, vini troppo sottovalutati dice l’International Herald Tribune!
La fonte è doppiamente autorevole, l’International Herald Tribune, ovvero “the global edition of the New York Times”, e Eric Asimov (hai detto niente!) ovvero
il critico di vino del celeberrimo quotidiano nuovayorchese e conduttore del blog The Pour.
Asimov (nipote di Isaac, scrittore di fantascienza autore del Ciclo della fondazione) in un ampio articolo concentra l’attenzione su quella grande uva che è
l’Aglianico definendo i vini che se ne ricavano, in Basilicata, Campania, Puglia, ingiustamente sottovalutati e non considerati come meritano e che essi “languish unfairly
out of the minds of most consumers. Part of the reason is simply that the wines are overshadowed by more familiar names like Chianti, Barolo and even Valpolicella”.
Asimov conclude dicendo “I’m usually very happy to find aglianicos on wine lists. The subtlety of the fruit and the fact that they can be dry and intense without being heavy makes
them good companions to a variety of meat, poultry and pasta dishes”, ovvero di essere felicissimo quando scopre dei vini base Aglianico sulle carte dei vini, perché la
finezza e la giusta succosità del frutto e la loro capacità di essere asciutti e intensi senza essere massicci li rende ottimi abbinamenti ad una vasta varietá di
piatti”. Ma non è finita, perché in un post pubblicato sul suo blog riferito agli Aglianico degustati, fa notare che hanno un altro innegabile pregio, sono dei Wine
Values, ovvero dei vini dal rapporto prezzo-qualità vincente, come dimostra il fatto che il vino che è piaciuto di più nel corso della degustazione, il Vignali
“Aglianico del Vulture” prodotto dalla CANTINA DI VENOSA, costa solo 10 dollari a bottiglia. Come a dire che anche negli States, particolarmente in questi tempi di crisi
economiche rampanti e di banche che falliscono, l’attenzione al risparmio non viene mai meno…

The Newyork Times, September 17, 2008
Wines of the times
An Italian Name Worth Practicing
By Eric Asimov
Why is this? Because it’s come to my attention that a crucial word in the lexicon of Italian wines has fallen by the wayside.
That word is aglianico, which, just to be clear, is pronounced ah-lee-YAHN-ee-koh, and which is the name of the leading red grape of southern Italy.
Yet the entire category of aglianico wines seems to pass unnoticed by most people, which is a shame because they have so much pleasure to offer.
In an effort to remedy this sad state of affairs the wine panel recently sampled 25 aglianico wines, mostly from the two leading aglianico regions, Campania and Basilicata, with a
couple of other areas sprinkled in. Florence Fabricant and I were joined for the tasting by two guests, Chris Cannon, an owner of Alto and Convivio, and Charles Scicolone, a wine
consultant.
Both Chris and Charles agreed that aglianico wines languish unfairly out of the minds of most consumers. Part of the reason is simply that the wines are overshadowed by more familiar
names like Chianti, Barolo and even Valpolicella.
More important is the diffuse nature of aglianico production, which has prevented any one name or region from becoming well known. In addition, while the grape is ancient, widespread
production for international consumption is relatively recent.
Winemaking has always been important in Campania, which forms a half moon inland from the Mediterranean, encompassing Naples, and in Basilicata, at the arch of the boot between
Apulia’s heel and Calabria’s toe. But until about 20 years ago the wines were largely for local consumption.
Change has come with lightning speed. Mirroring developments all over former vinous backwaters of Europe, government assistance has helped dozens of farmers, who used to sell their
grapes to cooperatives, go into winemaking themselves. Cooperatives, once notorious sources for poor wine, have improved exponentially, and viticulture and winemaking have moved into a
new age.
In fact, our No. 1 wine came from a co-op in Basilicata, Cantina di Venosa. Its 2003 aglianico del Vulture Vignali is as good a $10 wine as anybody is likely to find, dense and pure
with classic aglianico flavors of sour cherry, minerals and leather.
All of us were surprised and pleased by the high level of quality throughout. While we found a few overtly modern wines that pander to consumers with sweet fruit and oaky flavors, most
were balanced, well-knit and dry.
For years, the aglianico torch was largely carried by two producers, Mastroberardino in Campania, best known for its Radici from the Taurasi zone, and Paternoster in Basilicata, which
has long made exemplary aglianicos from the volcanic soils of Mount Vulture (pronounced VOOL-too-reh). Now, dozens of producers export their wines to the United States. Sadly, we
couldn’t find wines from some of the top producers, like Paternoster, Antonio Caggiano and Galardi, which makes Terra di Lavoro, as close as an aglianico wine comes to cult
status.
Surprisingly, our No. 2 wine wasn’t from Campania or Basilicata, but from Apulia. The 2003 Tormaresca Bocca di Lupo, from Castel del Monte in northern Apulia, was clearly in the
modern style, with plenty of oak, but it was structured and harmonious with a pronounced aglianico identity. It isn’t my preferred style, but it’s well-made.
With the dollar down, aglianico is no longer the value it once was, our $10 winner notwithstanding. Neither of the two most expensive wines in our tasting made the cut. Both showed the
effects of expensive modern winemaking — the 2003 aglianico del Vulture Vigna Della Corona from Tenuta le Querce at $73 was sweet and jammy, while the 2004 Naima from De Conciliis
at $60 was much too oaky.
Then again, our No. 1 wine was the only one of the eight wines for $20 and under that did make the cut. That left a sizeable middle ground, with top-flight wines like the earthy 2004
Cretarossa aglianico d’Irpinia from I Favati and the spicy, pure 2003 aglianico del Taburno from Ocone.
The aglianico grape is fairly tannic, though not as tannic as the nebbiolo, to which it is often compared. Still, depending on the wine and the vintage, aglianicos are best enjoyed
after 5 to 10 years of aging. Some wines, like our No. 6, the 2003 Taurasi Cinque Querce from Salvatore Molettieri, may age for much longer because of the density of its flavors.
Mastroberardino’s Taurasi Radici has a history of aging well (the 1968 is a lovely wine today), but the 2003, our No. 8 wine, seems a little too soft to last even half that
long.
I’m usually very happy to find aglianicos on wine lists. The subtlety of the fruit and the fact that they can be dry and intense without being heavy makes them good companions to
a variety of meat, poultry and pasta dishes.
With their fairly recent entry into the world of modern winemaking, aglianicos are bound to get better as new vineyards mature, and winemakers and growers gain more experience. Now is
the time to get in on the fun.
Don’t say I didn’t try to tell you.
Tasting Report: Out of the Shadows, Ready for Subtle Pleasures

Best Value
Cantina di Venosa Aglianico del Vulture Vignali
$10
*** 1/2
Dense, intense and pure with aromas and flavors of sour cherry, earth, minerals and leather. (Winebow/Leonardo LoCascio Selections, New York)
Tormaresca Castel del Monte Bocca di Lupo 2003
$38
***
Well-done modern take on aglianico with balanced flavors of cherry, earth and oak. (Rémy Cointreau USA, New York)
I Favati Aglianico d’Irpinia Cretarossa 2004
$22
***
Earthy and tannic with good underlying flavors of fruit and minerals. (Vinity Wine/Dino Capriotti, Emeryville, Calif.)
Ocone Aglianico del Taburno 2003
$40
** 1/2
Funky and lively, with smoky dark fruit and mineral flavors. (U.S.A. Wine Imports, New York)
Salvatore Molettieri Taurasi Cinque Querce 2003
$46
** 1/2
Modern and oaky yet well balanced with spicy cherry and earth flavors. (Domenico Valentino Selections, New York)
Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici 2003
$38
**
Aromas of plush fruit, flowers, earth and oak. (Wilson Daniels, St. Helena, Calif.)
Vigne Irpine Aglianico d’Irpinia Giubilo 2005
$23