Aglianico
THE NATIVE GRAPES
AGLIANICO
…WHEN A REDSTAR MEETS A BLACKSTAR!
In search of a true reflection of AGLIANICO, that enigmatic native gem from Basilicata in Italy’s deep south, we’ve just completed our first encounter with Re Manfredi 2011 DOC Aglianico del Vulture from Terre degli Svevi.
*2 ADVANCE NOTES – firstly, hindsight has since helped us to understand the poignancy of this tasting. And secondly, just for now, let’s carefully place Taurasi (Aglianico’s other great exemplar) to one side for another day, real soon.
In Basilicata, this bloom-dusted, night blue/black grape is a true late ripener.
Indeed, it may be Italy’s latest with hang times that occasionally drift from late October into early November. Here, in the shadow of Monte Vulture (an extinct volcano), AGLIANICO seeks and finds perfect maturity in the regions volcanic soils.
And at altitudes up to 600 metres, it’s this terroir that in so many ways sets the structural platform for this vine and its tightly packed bunches to express themselves with true majesty.
The winery, Terre degli Svevi, a.k.a Cantine Re Manfredi (King Manfred), takes its name from that of the former young King of Sicily, who was by all accounts born in the regional town of Venosa.
And it’s here, some 23 km from Monte Vulture, that the winery first opened its cantina doors in 1998. With their vineyards at 420 metres above sea level, adopting the Re Manfredi title is quite a fitting one really, putting as it does their AGLIANICO on an elevated regal footing.
By the way, for those of you interested in the juicy stuff from the young Kings heady days in the mid 1200’s, our friends in wikipedia happily oblige here.
Our unquenchable thirst for 100% varietals, ones that express both the vines and the wines #PointOfOrigin, is the reason we chose to begin our journey here in Basilicata’s AGLIANICO heartland. And what an intro!
A deep intense blood red, with glints of garnet verging on the rim, Re Manfredi’s consistency and luminosity bode well.
It’s equally intense and complex on the nose with soft, mature dark fruit conserves sitting on a dusty, mineral-rich, stoney road that walks us, hand in hand, to this wines unique take on ‘thyme in a bottle’. Yes, we mean thyme. Both surprising and outstanding, it is equally delicate in its aromatic elegance.
This Aglianico is dry and full bodied with ripe, silky even creamy tannins striking a richly harmonious chord with the enduring freshness and sapidity of this vintage. Honestly it has pretty much everything in its treasure chest. With notes echoing from the nose, the palate adds appealing layers of spice, incense, pipe tobacco and liquorice. So what doesn’t it have ? You tell us.
With such Structure and Balance, Re Manfredi is Intense, Complex, Persistent and Harmonic. It’s Potent and Regal nature come with no loss of Currency or Vibrancy.
Interestingly, all throughout our encounter with Re Manfredi 2011, the traits of this bona fide ‘RED STAR’ were constantly singing to us loud of one, and only one, other Star – David Bowie and his exceptional BLACKSTAR.
Curiously we had sketched our above review between Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th January 2016 having tasted Re Manfredi over both days.
Like the rest of the world it was only early last Monday 11th January 2016 that we sadly learned of David’s untimely passing. As his new album’s title track recalls, ‘something happened on the day he died’. For us, on that day, in the deep dark reflection of Re Manfredi’s AGLIANICO del Vulture, in some crazy moment of musical and wine-making syncronicity, not only were we captured by the majesty of AGLIANICO and the creative artistry of Pietro Riccobono and his team at Re Manfredi, we were more poignantly touched by the mind-blowing artistic genius of DAVID BOWIE. Happily there is no-one who can or will take his place.
This experience makes us think.
Without great music, without great wine, without great art, without great artists, how much less rich our world would be.
‘Tis amazing what can happen ‘when a REDSTAR meets a BLACKSTAR’.
Without personally knowing any of the playmakers to whom we refer in this piece, apart from the wine itself, it behoves us to thank you all for gifting us this experience:
*So thanks again David for your eternally brilliant creative talent.
*Thanks to all at Re Manfredi for overseeing the creation of your outstanding 2011 vintage AGLIANICO.
*Moreover, in the spirit of thanksgiving for Great Art, word up also for Tony Visconti, every musician who played, Jonathan Barnbrook and his album design team, photographer Jimmy King and bless ’em too, SONY. Only David would know everyone involved in designing and presenting his last complete masterpiece. To everyone we tip our hat.
It’s now Saturday 16th January and a sad week has passed. Where the f**k did last Monday go?
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