Taurasi DOCG 2015

Taurasi DOCG 2015 / Villa Raiano / Campania

Red wine from Italy

Villa Raiano is based in the town of San Michele di Serino in the hinterland of Naples in the southern Italian region of Campania. Irpinia is a fertile land, with a network of mountains and hills crossed by rivers and streams. The geographic and climatic conditions make this piece of the southern Apennines a unique and inimitable place for growing grapes. The small winery Villa Raiano grows only selected autochthonous grape varieties on about 27 hectares of its own vineyards. Not so well known in the rest of Europe, these wonderful wines still offer potential for new discoveries.

The Aglianico is an autochthonous red grape variety that is mainly cultivated in the southern Italian region of Campania. It produces bold and complex wines that are often referred to as "Southern Barolo". The grape variety needs a lot of sun and warmth in order to ripen optimally, and therefore thrives particularly well in the southern Apennine mountains and in the hills around Vesuvius. Aglianico wines are usually very tannic and can therefore be stored for a long time in order to develop their full complexity. They often present themselves with aromas of black fruits, spices, and tobacco when young, while they can develop notes of leather, truffles, and mushrooms with age. In addition to Campania, the variety is also grown in other regions of southern Italy, such as Basilicata and Puglia.

The Taurasi takes its name from the municipality of the same name, Taurasi, located in the southern Italian region of Campania, east of Naples, roughly halfway between the cities of Avellino and Benevento. It is currently one of the best red wines in Italy and is often compared to Barolo or Brunello di Montalcino. The Aglianico grapes for Villa Raiano's Taurasi DOCG come from the company's own vineyard in the municipality of Montemarano, in the province of Avellino. Here the vines thrive at an altitude of 450 m asl. with the Guyot espalier system on calcareous tuff and yellow marl ground with a good organic matter. The grapes are harvested manually in the first decade of November and transported to the winery in small crates to avoid crushing the grapes. After destemming and pressing, vinification begins in steel with daily tumbling and pumping over and maceration on the skins, which can last from ten to twenty days depending on the vintage. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 27 to 29°C. The refinement of this wonderful red wine begins with aging in oak barrels of different capacities for approximately twelve months and continues in steel barrels for another twelve months. After bottling in September of the second year after the grape harvest, the Taurasi matures in its bottle for another twelve months.

Filled into a wine glass, the Taurasi shows itself in an intense ruby red with garnet reflections. The nose is elegant and delicate with scents of fruits such as mulberry and blackberry. In addition, there are sensations of myrtle and cinchona bark, which complete the complex olfactory profile in parallel with aromas of bitter cocoa, tobacco, and a refreshing note of menthol. On the palate, the Taurasi is dry and the recognizable woody notes are perfectly integrated. Its pleasant tannins ensure a feeling of freshness, which is accompanied by a nice softness.

At a recommended drinking temperature of around 14 to 16°C, the Taurasi DOCG from Villa Raiano is an excellent meditation wine. With smoked salami it leads to true taste explosions. In addition, this top wine is suitable for strong dishes based on game and beef, which can also be grilled. Delicious with veal fillet, roast suckling pig and - very profane - with roast chicken.

General properties

• Vintage: 2015
• Ageing: Dry
• Country: Italy
• Region: Campania
• Volume: 0,75 liters

Detailed properties

• Producer and bottler: Villa Raiano - Loc. Cerreto - Via Bosco Satrano, 1 - 83020 San Michele di Serino (AV) - Italia - +39 0825 595663
• Quality Designation: Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG)
• Grape: 100% Aglianico
• Winemaking: The grapes for this wine are grown in and around the municipality of Castelfranci near Avellino on clay and limestone soils in the Guyot system. The vinification takes place in stainless steel, depending on the year, with daily circulation and maceration on the skins for 10-20 days. The aging takes place in oak barrels of various sizes for about 24 months and then in the bottle for 12 months.
• Sensory characteristics: Elegant on the nose with notes of red fruits such as mulberry and blackberry, accompanied by a scent of cocoa, tobacco, and a refreshing note of menthol. Dry on the palate with finely integrated wood; pleasant tannins, long-lasting.
• Color: Intense ruby red with garnet-colored nuances.
• Alcohol content: 14,0% Vol.
• Residual sugar: 0,5 g/l
• Acidity: 6,1 g/l
• Stopper: Natural cork
• How to serve: Ideal with smoked sausages and game dishes. Connoisseurs use the Taurasi as a contemplation wine.
• Recommended serving temperature: Between 14 and 16°C.
• Allergens: Contains sulfites
• EAN (bottle): 8004123002257
• Scope of supply: 1 bottle of wine 0.75 liters

Grape variety

AGLIANICO

Aglianico is a red grape that is grown mainly in the Basilicata and Campania. It was introduced more than 2500 years ago by the Greeks as vitis hellenica to Campania and spread up to Puglia and Basilicata.

This vine produces well-structures and full-bodied wines with intense tannins and a strong acid. The wines need, because of the high tannin content, some years of maturity to develop their high quality.

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