The Barolo of The South?

Something has been happening to me lately, which I welcome with open arms. For many years I've heard tales of "The Barolo of The South", or otherwise known as Taurasi, made from the Algianico grape in the region of Campania. Yet, time and time again I would try these wines and find disappointment. Not in the quality of the wine, but in the anticipation of tasting "The Barolo of The South", which in reality is quite a boast. How do you live up to such a title? Most Taurasi I would taste were of high quality--earthy, dark and full bodied with structure to spare--but not Barolo.

But then something happened. It was a perfectly stored, won at auction, bottle of 1977 Mastroberardino Taurasi Riserva--and it changed my opinion of the wine forever. In it's youth, tasting any wine that can live for 40+ years is a challenge, especially without a reference point. This wine was that reference point. Suddenly all of that rich, dark fruit (not sweet or ripe mind you) contrasted against gobs of soil, minerality and vibrant acidity--just made sense. Did I mention these wines usually cost about half the price of your average Barolo?

Now fast forward to today and the producer Salvatore Molettieri. In comparison to Mastroberardino (which is an article all to itself), Molettieri is much smaller in production and still a relative newcomer, with it's first vintages released in the mid-ninetees. Yet even without decades of back-vintages to taste, you can gleam the upward trajectory from what's in the bottle. They are imposing in that austere, high acid Italian way that I love.

Yet, there's an elegance to it, which keeps it enjoyable now. The nose is all black stone-earth (if black quartz had a smell, this would be it) with it's fruit as an afterthought. The more I taste the wines of Molettieri, the more I want in my cellar. The 2005 (tasted below) may not have the trajectory of the '04 or '06, but it will mature and for $33, I plan to buy enough for a ten-fifteen year booking in my cellar.

I know it's rare for me to be moved to words by a single bottle, but Salvatore Molettieri deserves a place amongst these pages. And I can guarantee you that there will be many more tasting notes to come down the road. (The 2006 Riserva has recently found a place in my cellar--for the long haul.) But is it the Barolo of the South? My short answer would be... No. Yet that's because, in my opinion, Tuarasi is good enough to stand all on its own--without the cliche.

2005 Salvatore Molettieri Taurasi Cinque Querce - The nose showed radiated dark earth, stone and minerals, with a tart cherry and herbal notes rounding out the fruit. On the palate, soil laden, sour red fruits with rich, focused concentration flowed across the senses. The tannins were chewy, but not overwhelming, leaving an impression of austere elegance. It finished with palate staining dark red fruits and tannin, which slowly faded, yet never seemed to disappear. Day two was even more enjoyable as this wine darkened even more, while also taking on undergrowth and notes of mushroom, which continued to accentuate the experience.. Earthy, so very Italian, and enjoyable to the last drop.

Find it on: Wine-Searcher!
Website: Salvatore Molettieri

The evolution of a bottle

The evolution of a bottle of wine is something that we must sometimes wait decades for. There is this way of thinking, that if you want to watch a bottle evolve, you should buy a case and check in on it every few years. It's a very affluent way of thinking. I know that I can't afford to buy a case of every wine I'd like to keep in my cellar. And so, I usually end up with three or four bottles. This is one of the reasons why the tasting notes of other trusted collectors are so important to me, so that I can read about their experiences and try to properly plan for each of my own bottles to be opened.

Honestly, this may be more effort than the average wine lover is willing expel.

However, there is a way to cheat a little, and that's to open a bottle early in the day and check in on it throughout the day. Why? Because wine ages through the slow exposure to oxygen. Basically, what I'm doing is speeding up the clock, but not as fast as a decanter would do it. By opening a bottle and simply pouring a small glass each hour, you are given a glimpse into the wine's possible evolution.

This weekend, I decided to open a 2000 Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici Riserva. A bottle with 11 years of age on it, and yet when I looked at other tasting notes, I see that many are still calling it young. I thought this was a perfect bottle to follow throughout the day.

Taurasi zone in Campania, Italy

For those that don’t know, Taurasi is made mostly from Aglianico, an ancient varietal that was cultivated as early as Roman times and was used in Falernian wine. Today, it produces big wines with a capability to age, often referred to as the “Barolo of the south.”

On to the notes:

2000 Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici Riserva

At 12pm – On the nose, this wine showed bright strawberry and floral notes with a hint of moist earth. The palate was strict with acid and drying tannin, yet showed black fruits and a chewy, rustic sweetness. The finish was dry with blackberry fruit lingering to the close.

At 3pm - The nose showed beautifully with ripe strawberry and potpourri; yet as the wine sat in the glass, it turned darker and fuller with notes of candle wax, earth, mushrooms and moist fall leaves. On the palate, this wine was eloquent and soft at first but turned more tannic into the finish. The senses were wrapped with penetrating black fruit, followed by minerals and a taste of older wood, which gave it a bit of a rustic feel. The finish was laden with intense cranberry fruit, giving it a really nice sendoff. This wine is just starting to show its age, yet still has many more years to go before its structure truly softens.

At 6pm - The aromas remained very much the same, which certainly isn't a bad thing. However, by this time, the palate really came together. The tannins in the wine softened to reveal richer fruit with dark chocolate accents. The older wood note seemed more like herbal tea and woodland than before, as well as, less rustic. It came across now as a glimpse into this wine’s maturity at peak, with a gorgeous opulence and beautiful balance. This is what I love about Italian wine; I only paid a little over $50 for this bottle.

I'm happy to score this bottle 95 points. This bottle was sourced from: Grapes: The Wine Company