The single-vineyard 2009 Aglianico del Vulture Riserva Caselle is a dark and brooding wine with a very direct and buoyant bouquet. In fact, there seems to be a hint of volatility that helps usher the aromas from the glass with a greater sense of lift and pungency. Dried blackberry and apple skin appear, as do more traditional aromas of crushed stone, licorice and balsam herb. The wine finishes with a hint of sourness and bitterness. This is a very likable wine with some minor flaws on the bouquet. I would suggest a shorter drinking window.

The estate’s 2004 Aglianico del Vulture Riserva Caselle is a fabulous wine that showcases the virtues of Aglianico in the Vulture district. This mid-weight wine flows effortlessly with layers of red fruit, spices, dried flowers, licorice, anise and tobacco. At six years of age, some of the more secondary aromas and flavors have begun to develop, foreshadowing the direction the wine will take in the future. As always, some of the rougher edges of Aglianico from the Vulture remain, but that notwithstanding, this is a magnificent bottle of wine. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2022. D’Angelo is one of the historic producers of Aglianico in Basilicata. Importer: Domenico Valentino, New York, NY; tel. (212) 679-0822