The Terre del Principe 2016 Pallagrello Nero Ambruco opens to dark fruit and black cherry, and the wine also has a strong earthy or savory side with saddle leather and cured tobacco. Those savory notes are on the musky side, and this won't appeal to everyone. The wine is front-loaded in terms of aromas and enters the palate with mid-weight intensity and texture. It accurately delivers the slightly wild and rustic side of the native Pallagrello Nero grape in this release of 3,000 bottles.

The 2015 Pallagrello Nero Ambruco represents a perfect visitor's card for those who are unfamiliar with the Pallagrello Nero grape. This warm and sunny vintage has shaped a generous and fruit-forward expression of the Campania variety with bright aromas of dried blackberry, candied cherry, plum, spice and grilled herb. The wine finishes with bright acidity and sharp berry flavors. You get lots of authentic and rustic personality with this cheerful wine. Pair it with your favorite Italian pasta dishes. It ages in barrique for one year. Only 5,000 bottles were made.

Made with one of Campania's up-and-coming red grape varieties, the 2012 Pallagrello Nero Ambruco is a dark, savory and spicy red wine. It shows dark color saturation with bold fruit aromas of black currant and dried plum. Tobacco, Spanish cedar and beet root fill in the rear. This is distinctive red wine with a unique personality that is both rustic and genuine.

The 2011 Terre del Volturno Pallagrello Nero Ambruco shows rich concentration and is loaded tight with oak tones, dark chocolate and exotic spice. Those dark fruit tones of Morello cherry and plum have a hard time coming through in this warm vintage. In fact, the cherry flavors come off as cherry liqueur or the cherry filling inside chocolate Mon Chéri candies. The effect is a little over the top and takes away from the natural complexity of the Pallagrello grape grown in volcanic soils.

Terre del Principe’s 2010 Pallagrello Nero Ambruco is striking in its beauty. A large-scaled big wine, the Ambruco bursts from the glass with sweet, succulent black cherries, violets, mint and sage. Aging in French oak gives the wine much of its textural richness and volume. Sweet floral notes add lift on the silky, expressive finish. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020. Terre del Principe is one of the most intriguing properties in Campania. The estate is among the wineries that are focusing on a handful of once-forgotten, ancient varieties that are today being rediscovered. This particular set of new releases is a bit uneven across the board, but when Terra del Principe gets it right, the wines are among the best in Campania, and Italy, for that matter. Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 629-0200