The 2009 Greco di Tufo Giallo d'Arles flows effortlessly from the glass with succulent yellow peaches, apricots and flowers. As always, this is an especially voluptuous, creamy Fiano that emphasizes the house style more than varietal character, but the wine is nevertheless beautiful in its own way. The finish turns more delicate and sublime. Today the French oak is a bit intrusive, but bottle age will help the wine come together even more so than it is at this stage. It is a high class white, but readers should not expect a standard Greco di Tufo. A recent bottle at New York City's Marea was nothing short of breathtaking. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019.
Luigi Moio continues to set a very high bar. His are some of the most fascinating wines to emerge from Campania, or Italy for that matter. Moio favors a rich, textured style that places his wines in more of a modernist vein, but make no mistake about it, these remain incredibly food-friendly wines that push the limits of what can be achieved with Campania's native varieties, but without losing sight of their roots. I am always thrilled when I see the wines pop up on restaurant wine lists.
Importer: Omniwines Distributing Co. Llc., Linden Hill, NY; tel. (718) 353-8700