A pure expression of Aglianico, the 2010 Castel del Monte Bocca di Lupo is one of the standout wines of Southern Italy. Tormaresca was among the first (maybe the first) to make top shelf Aglianico in Puglia and the 2010 vintage was especially favorable to late-ripening grape varieties like this. Fruit from the Bocca di Lupo vineyard matured slowly and steadily until the end of the growing season. Vito Palumbo and his winemaking team made some small but significant tweaks in the 2010 vintage, including greater quality control on the sorting table and more delicate destemming to lessen the varietal’s natural astringency. One-quarter of the wine sees new oak (French and Hungarian) for 20 months. The rest sees second- and third-year neutral barrel. The aromas are impressive with little touches of black licorice, tar and resin that add pretty contours to darkly extracted fruit. Bold cherry and toasted almond give depth and dimension. Tight tannins and bright acidity bode well for the wine’s aging potential.

A bright, harmonious red, with grippy tannins dressed in layers of black currant, fig cake, black olive and coffee, showing accents of dried marjoram, spice, tea rose and loamy earth. The finish is long and expressive. Best from 2018 through 2029. 250 cases imported.??–AN??Region: Italy / South / Puglia / Castel del Monte Select to Add