Aglianico. Help me! (Fontanavecchia)

2004 has been pretty tremendous in the Campania and Basilicata for Aglianico, to overgeneralize. I have been very happy with a number of wines, and see very long ageing curves for several. We are still serving the '03 Radici, amongst other, over here. I haven't checked in with the '04 Radici yet.
 
originally posted by Thor:
(Psst, dude: this is the interweb, make something up.)
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Right. OK, um...Chris Coad has a wealth of information on aglianico, though it's tough to get him to translate his finer work.
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Look, if people don't speak LOLcat, that's their problem, not mine. KTHXBAI.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
originally posted by MarkS:
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
Young Aglianico del Taburno tastes like Northern Rhone Syrah in a way that is not the same; old Aglianico (25 or so years on it) tastes like supercharged Volnay. Older than that Aglianico usually tastes like vinegar.

Or so my experience goes.
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Sorry to rain on your stats, but a nearly 39-yr old Mastroberadino Taurasi (the 1968 riserva) tasted 2 years ago was nowhere in decline.
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Actually, I said "usually" because I am well aware of the '68 Mastro. But I think that if you check in with '70, '71, or '74 Mastro Taurasi, as I have recently, you would see evidence of decline. On the other hand, the '83 and '85 are drinking beautifully, and the '88 Radici is just hitting it's stride.

There isn't much else to go on for aged Aglianico, in terms of other producers to try.

Thus what I said.
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Even though Levi is some sort of autistic movie-child, he's spot on here. That Mastroberadino (maybe even that bottle) is really and truly an outlier. Not a trend.
 
originally posted by Chris Coad:
originally posted by Thor:
(Psst, dude: this is the interweb, make something up.)
Click to expand...

Right. OK, um...Chris Coad has a wealth of information on aglianico, though it's tough to get him to translate his finer work.
Click to expand...

Look, if people don't speak LOLcat, that's their problem, not mine. KTHXBAI.
Click to expand...

From Carson: CCIMH!!!
 
originally posted by Cole Kendall:
The Italian thread I mention talks up not only the 68 Riserva del Mastro but also the 28, 34, 58, 61, 73, 77...
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I could see it if they had never been moved from the cellar at Mastro, or some such. I haven't had that kind of opportunity.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
originally posted by Cole Kendall:
The Italian thread I mention talks up not only the 68 Riserva del Mastro but also the 28, 34, 58, 61, 73, 77...
Click to expand...

I could see it if they had never been moved from the cellar at Mastro, or some such. I haven't had that kind of opportunity.
Click to expand...

sounds like some vintages have broad drinking windows. any thoughts about the '98?
 
It has been awhile since I checked in with a Mastroberardino '98 Taurasi. I happened to try a '99 today (Radici Riserva), and it is just moving into secondary development. The Paternoster '98 "Don Anselmo" Aglianico del Vulture (admittedly from a neighboring region) has lately moved into a nice middle place in it's development. I like where it is these days.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
originally posted by MarkS:
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
Young Aglianico del Taburno tastes like Northern Rhone Syrah in a way that is not the same; old Aglianico (25 or so years on it) tastes like supercharged Volnay. Older than that Aglianico usually tastes like vinegar.

Or so my experience goes.
Click to expand...

Sorry to rain on your stats, but a nearly 39-yr old Mastroberadino Taurasi (the 1968 riserva) tasted 2 years ago was nowhere in decline.
Click to expand...

Actually, I said "usually" because I am well aware of the '68 Mastro. But I think that if you check in with '70, '71, or '74 Mastro Taurasi, as I have recently, you would see evidence of decline. On the other hand, the '83 and '85 are drinking beautifully, and the '88 Radici is just hitting it's stride.

There isn't much else to go on for aged Aglianico, in terms of other producers to try.

Thus what I said.
Click to expand...

I agree, the problem with understanding great Aglianico is that it is clearly very ageworthy, and there were very few producers 20 years ago, so who knows, really. It's like Barolo must have been in 1970. And many of the current big names of Taurasi are suspiciously inky/milk-chocolaty...
 
And also that very little turns up in the way of aged examples on the secondary market. To say that it is much easier to find an '83 Margaux in New York than it is to find an '83 Radici is to say something so obvious that it barely need be said.

Of course there are probably fewer fakes out there where the Taurasi labels are concerned.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
The Paternoster '98 "Don Anselmo" Aglianico del Vulture (admittedly from a neighboring region) has lately moved into a nice middle place in it's development. I like where it is these days.
Click to expand...

That Paternoster is nice. I had it a couple of years ago and it made me wish I had 6 bottles chilling in the cellar as opposed to just one :(

This is a question amybe you can answer: if aglianico is pretty widely planted in the DOC's where it is grown (albeit small, localized areas, but still fairly substantial in size. I mean, Etna is a small appelation, yet there is no shortage of exports from there), why is it so bloody difficult to buy bottles of good aglianico here in the States, without resorting to a massive goosechase?
 
originally posted by MarkS:
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
The Paternoster '98 "Don Anselmo" Aglianico del Vulture (admittedly from a neighboring region) has lately moved into a nice middle place in it's development. I like where it is these days.
Click to expand...

That Paternoster is nice. I had it a couple of years ago and it made me wish I had 6 bottles chilling in the cellar as opposed to just one :(

This is a question amybe you can answer: if aglianico is pretty widely planted in the DOC's where it is grown (albeit small, localized areas, but still fairly substantial in size. I mean, Etna is a small appelation, yet there is no shortage of exports from there), why is it so bloody difficult to buy bottles of good aglianico here in the States, without resorting to a massive goosechase?
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I actually don't think it is difficult to buy young vintages. There are many to be had with relative ease. I stock quite a few. The problems arise when you want to find older vintages, or when you are concerned about spoof and try to find the lack thereof. Then the options dwindle.

Keep in mind that the Campania basically follows a negociant model in that Mastroberardino and others buy from small vineyard holders. I have had several people tell me that their family back in the Campania sells to Mastro. In Etna, those same sort of growers would probably be releasing under their own small production label.
 
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
originally posted by Cole Kendall:
The Italian thread I mention talks up not only the 68 Riserva del Mastro but also the 28, 34, 58, 61, 73, 77...
Click to expand...

I could see it if they had never been moved from the cellar at Mastro, or some such. I haven't had that kind of opportunity.
Click to expand...

sounds like some vintages have broad drinking windows. any thoughts about the '98?
Click to expand...

I checked in with the 1998 Mastroberardino "Radici Riserva" Taurasi last evening. A touch more open and a touch more plump with red fruit than the '99. The finish of the '98 was a touch strange. Perhaps that will even out with time. I found it to be a bit of a gawky teenager, but still approachable nonetheless.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
I happened to try a '99 today (Radici Riserva), and it is just moving into secondary development.
Click to expand...

I had the 99 radici riserva last night. after a long decant it was pretty fucking nice.
 
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