Terredora has produced one of the biggest, most muscular wines of the vintage with their 2000 Taurasi Fatica Contadina. This rich, enveloping Taurasi saturates the palate with bacon fat, cracked black pepper, cloves, black olives and wild cherries. There is a wild, unrestrained spirit to the 2000 I find irresistible. The sheer depth and density of the fruit carries through to the masculine finish. The 2000 is approachable today, but it also has the tannic heft to age gracefully for many years. This is another fabulous Taurasi from Terredora. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025. Terredora is a relatively new property that was created through the split of the Mastroberardino family in 1994. As part of the division, Terredora kept the family’s vineyards but gave up the ability to use the Mastroberardino name. Terredora releases three Taurasis. The Fatica Contadina is made from a variety of vineyards. It sees 14-20 days of contact on the skins, followed by malolactic fermentation in steel. The Fatica Contadina spends close to two years in French oak barrels, of which roughly 50% are new. A small portion of the wine (about 10%) is aged in 35-hectoliter casks. In recent vintages the oak seems to be better integrated than was the case in the past. The single-vineyard Taurasi Campore is made from an old parcel in Lapio that was previously used for Mastroberardino’s Taurasi Radici. The estate’s newest Taurasi, Pago dei Fusi, is from a younger vineyard planted in 1996. Terredora remains a relatively recent success story. The wines from the 1990s are uneven and at times excessively oaky. The first truly important wine is the 2001 Fatica Contadina, while the 2004s represent a new level of elegance and finesse across all three Taurasis.

Good red with plenty of plum, pepper and berry character. Full, soft and velvety. Drink now. 6,000 cases made, 500 cases imported.??–JS??Region: Italy / South / Taurasi Select to Add

This is an intriguing and complex red with loads of minerality, black pepper, charred meat, earth and charcoal. But the fruit notes are in there, too: prunes and red, ripe cherry. The tannins are a bit nervous still and the wine should be cellared a few more years.——M.L.(10/1/2006)—— 91