Aglianico ripe for the picking from Musto Carmelitano . . .

Aglianico grapes ripe for the picking.

The picture above is from Musto Carmelitano.  Looks like harvest of the Aglianico from their vineyards in Vulture is just starting!

"Musto Carmelitano ranks high among my most pleasant discoveries of 2012. The estate makes three Aglianicos, all from organically farmed vineyards. The Aglianicos range from a younger- vines bottling all the way to the top-of-the-line Pian del Moro, which emerges from a parcel of 80 year-old vines. All of the reds are bottled unfined and unfiltered. I found the best of these wines transparent and just plain gorgeous. Readers should do what they can to taste these soulful, utterly intriguing reds." - Antonio Galloni - The Wine Advocate

The 2010 is tasting ready to go but of course has those big tannins associated with Aglianico but they are silky and the black pepper in the nose is almost overwhelming but then just pulled back enough to make it spicy and fun.

Aglianico Rosato you say? Why not?!

Musto Carmelitano Maschitano Rosato 2012.  New in California.  Never seen on these shores.  Get some before it is gone.

Feeling the air of the 95 year old Pian del Moro vineyard owned by Musto Carmelitano

@ Musto Carmelitano in Basilicata

Walking in the vineyards you can feel the lives these people lived before . . .

Around Italy in 6 days . . . can I make it?

Harvest Update - Musto Carmelitano - Pian del Moro Vineyard . . .

Aglianico del Vulture grapes from Pian del Moro

from Elisabetta Musto Carmelitano

in allegato troverai le foto della vendemmia di pian del moro

(attached you will find some photos of the pian del moro)

il vigneto più vecchio

(the oldest vineyard)

qui oltre la raccolta a mano tutti i lavori vengono fatti manualmente perchè il sesto di impianto è vecchio 

(here, in addition to harvesting by hand, all the other work is also done by hand because the layout of the vineyard is old)

  quindi le file sono molto strette

(so the rows are very tight.)

annata stupenda le uve erano sane...

(Stupendous harvest as the grapes were very healthy . . . )

See how close the vineyards are?

Looking over the "Plain of the Blackberries".

Musto Carmelitano - Aglianico di Vulture in purezza!

Francesco - Elisabetta - Luigi

Let me introduce you to the fantastic wines from Musto Carmelitano.

Elisabetta Musto Carmelitano’s family has been making wine for four generations in the DOCG of Aglianico del Vulture. For much of that time the production had been mainly selling grapes but also wine in demi-johns. Elisabetta began in this way as well, though in 2006 she began building the current winery and created Azienda Agricola Musto Carmelitano. She directs the winery with help from her father and brother. She gives great thanks to her father and uncle who each believed in her and continue to give her great support.

Aglianico

They have 14 hectares of land – both vineyards and olive groves. The total production of wine, however, is a miniscule 1700 cases! Part of the land is from her father, part is from her uncle – also a small part from her great-grandmother. They have vines that are as old as 100 years. The vines of their top cru – Pian del Moro have an average age of 90 years. Their other cru Serra del Prete has vines with an average age of 45 years. They have been farming organically since the beginning and have been certified organic since 2010.

Aglianico thrives on volcanic soil. The winery is in Maschito, just south of Monte Vulture, the extinct volcano that provides mineral-rich, volcanic soil for the great wines of Basilicata. For a grape that can have such power and structure, these wines have tremendous grace and finesse as well as a refreshing underlying minerality from the volcanic soils. The two cru’s are vinified in stainless with 20 day macerations, after which the Pian del Moro spends a year in used tonneaux and the Serra del Prete spends six months in stainless steel and six months in cement. The fresher, younger Maschitano rosso is vinified in stainless with a short maceration and then spends just six months in stainless steel. We also receive small quantities of their Maschitano Bianco, a dry Moscato which is vinified in stainless followed by six months in cement. It shows a striking minerality as well as refreshing acidity.

While relatively new as a winery, they are producing classic, traditionally-made wines that showcase the best of what Basilicata has to offer!