WTI Magazine #23 2014 Mar, 28
Author : Vino OK Translation by: Alessandra Bitetti
The area of production of this Aglianico is a few miles east of Benevento, perched around the slopes of Mount Taburno, an isolated ground on the massive Campanian mountains formed in the Mesozoic. The entire area of Benevento was originally occupied by a lake, that a violent depression in the ground between Taburno and Matese emptied into the river Volturno. The hills are composed of gravel layers, or pebbles mixed with limestone and sandstone.
During the tertiary intense and vast tectonic movements formed the modern Apennines. The soils are made up mostly of clay - limestone – acidic elements, with a few rare granite boulder, with many marine fossils and sediments of transparent flint and common chalcedony.
There also are signs of a prehistoric volcanic activity that gave rise to the soil, especially in Tocco Caudio, tuff and pumice, leaves of mica and pyroxene crystals, which enrich the soil and the vineyards of potassium. The weather is quite cold, with clean and healthy air.
The red varieties
Aglianico is the largest native wine of Campania for excellence, raised mainly by the Guyot method. It has the berries with a lot of bloom on the skin, almost blue color and rich sour-astringent pulp. It vinifies products with intense ruby color, to be softened by aging in oak barrels, followed by a long aging in bottle. It is now among the great red grapes of Italy, although its potential is not yet fully expressed, because it was just recently enhanced. It is a beautiful native vine and since a decade it has been climbing to the summit of the noble grape varieties, thanks to the efforts of the winemakers.
It is a vigorous vine, highly resistant to cold and providing the wine with elegant and fine aromas of black wild berries, slightly spicy. It is ideal for the growth in cold regions and at high altitudes because of its early sprouting and ripening, and it does good on soils of volcanic and limestone origin. Its versatility makes it one of the most important southern varieties with high quality wines, from the lively and fruity rosé to the well structured, soft and durable reds.
Originally it seems to have been imported in Italy by Greek settlers around the seventh century BC, as it is believed that the name comes from the word "Aglianico Hellanico" or Hellenico, which subsequently evolved into Aglianico during the Spanish domination. Another theory says that the name derives from the Latin word "Aglaia" which means splendor.
The name Aglianico was used for the first time in a letter of 1559 where Sante Lancerio, winemaker of Pope Paul III, described the Italian wines at Cardinal Guido Ascanio Sforza.
Andrea Bacci, doctor of Paul III, described it as a fragrant and fruity wine, stable, high nutritional, tonic for the stomach and the limbs, in an era when wine was supposed to be highly healing.
Aglianico del Taburno DOCG
The denomination of controlled and guaranteed origin Aglianico del Taburno was already recognized designation of origin by Ministerial Decree of 29 October 1986, and was replaced by a decree on 2 August 1993 to recognize it into the DOCG.
The regulations authorize the production of these types: Aglianico del Taburno, Red Aglianico del Taburno, Rosé Aglianico del Taburno and Aglianico del Taburno Rosso Riserva (Red reserve) in the municipalities of Apollosa, Bonea, Campoli del Monte Taburno, Castelpoto, Foglianise, Montesarchio, Paupisi, Torrecuso and Pontee and part of the territory of the municipalities of Benevento, Cautano, Vitulano and Tocco Gaudio, all in the province of Benevento.
The authorized blend consists of Aglianico grape, which must be present for a minimum of 85% to which may contribute other black grape varieties, non-aromatic, suitable for cultivation in the province of Benevento, up to a maximum of the 15% remaining.
The maximum yield should be 9 tons per hectare and minimum natural alcohol content to ensure is 11.50% for the generic red and 12.00% for the Reserve.
The red Aglianico del Taburno must undergo a mandatory aging period of at least two years with effect from November 1st of the year the grapes were grown, while the Reserve obligatory aging is at least three years, of which at least twelve months in oak barrels and six months in the bottle, with effect from November 1st of the year the grapes were grown.
The red Aglianico del Taburno has a ruby red color, more or less intense, tending to garnet-red with aging. The smell, characteristic, is pleasant and persistent with a dry taste, slightly tannic, which softens with age.
Aglianico del Taburno Rosso Riserva has instead intense garnet-red color, with the pleasant and persistent distinctive aroma of the grape. On the palate the taste is dry, but soft enough.