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.

Can you find the geese in this photo at Agricola Cirelli?

A great review for the Monte Santoccio Valpolicella Ripasso 2009 from Jamie Goode @ www.wineanorak.com . . .

http://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/italy/a-profound-valpolicella-ripasso

Giuseppe Vaira of G.D. Vajra Winery in San Francisco next week . . .

Giuseppe Vaira of G.D. Vajra winery will be pouring the 2008 G.D. Vajra Bricco delle Viole Barolo and the 2009 G.D. Vajra Barbera Superiore at the Slow Wine 2013 tasting in San Francisco  Monday, February 4th

12 - 4 pm

Terra Gallery 511 Harrison Street

Members of the trade can register here but there is no public tasting.  :-(

G.D. Vajra review from the Wine Advocate from 1994 . . . .

I was reading through some old reviews on the Robert Parker website for G.D. Vajra and I found this one.

The first line is classic.

"Twenty years from now, long after this review has been forgotten, somebody will discover a bottle of this wine languishing in the corner of a dark, damp cellar and will be blown away by its quality."

and I like the last line, too.  I guess that has changed . . . . and here we are 20 years on (almost) and I would love to taste that wine . . . but there is none to be found.




1990 G D Vajra Barbera d'Alba Riserva Bricco Delle Viole
A Barbera Dry Red Table wine from
Barolo, Barbera d'Alba, Piedmont, Italy
Wine Advocate #95
Oct 1994 Robert Parker 94 Drink: 1999 - 2014
Twenty years from now, long after this review has been forgotten, somebody will discover a bottle of this wine languishing in the corner of a dark, damp cellar and will be blown away by its quality. This tiny producer has turned out a majestically rich, full-bodied, blockbuster Barbera that requires five more years of cellaring. It displays an opaque purple color, and intense, awesomely-concentrated flavors that need to be tasted to be believed. Clearly made from what must have been late-harvested grapes, it is remarkably rich, with low acidity, and sensational extract. With spectacular purity, richness, and full-bodied intensity, it should be a profound wine provided its purchasers have patience.

No known American importer.