(2023) Biancolella is an indigenous variety, here on the island of Ischia. Made in steel, with fine lees. Nutty apple with bold Amalfi lemon flavours. A fine and delicate wine, broadly in the spctrum of other Campanian varieties - Falanghina, Fiano - with a gentle and finesseful lemon finish.
(2022) On organic certified wine, fermented and aged in large, old wooden vats. The grapes are grown on soils of clay and limestone. There's a stony, mineral cool on the nose, hints of a burgeoning peachiness beneath. In the mouth this is intense and substantial stuff - 14.5% alcohol contributes to that, but so too does the fruit concentration and mouth-filling texture, before a pithy, waxy land lemony acidity extends the finish.
(2020) One of a number of excellent white grape varieties from Campania in southern Italy, just inland from Napes, this Falanghina has the lightest touch of honey, a hint of almond, but otherwise its herby and apple fruited. The palate is crisp but textured, more ripe apple and a hint of peach, and a very nicely balanced, dry and citrussy finish. Part of Lidl's 'Wine Tour', May 2020.
(2019) Coming from the volcanic 'tufo' soils of Campania, Greco has found popularity recently along with southern vine siblings Fiano and Falenghina. This is a modest but pleasing example as part of Lidl's Spring 2019 'wine tour' which kicked off on 29th March, nicely concentrated aromatically with pear and lemon, a hint of grippy citrus peel and melon skins too. In the mouth it is fresh and quite weighty, and if lacking an ounce of fruit perhaps, it makes up for it with concentration and good peppery length. A bit of personality here.
(2018) Aged only in stainless steel tanks, in contact with the lees, there's a bold, assertive creamy pear fruitiness on the nose here, with a little exotic undertow. In the mouth that succulent, ripe orchard fruit has weight and texture, a little guava or mango gives both sweetness and a welcome sour edge, the rounded, custardy, generous acidity adding to the succulence.
(2018) The vinification is similar to the Greco, with four to five months on the lees in tank. It seems a little firmer, more strict on the nose than the Greco, with citrus and herbs and a steely green apple character. In the mouth a similar limpid texture, but indeed the acidity is higher and the whole picture more sharply chiselled, some fat around the mid-palate swept up in a mineral salts and lemony acidity.
(2018) This 100% Aglianico cuvée is from a single vineyard and is aged for 18 months in medium-toast new French barriques, with a minimum of an extra 24 months in bottle before release. It's an extremely dense and powerful wine, with massive concentration, yet there is light and shade. Briar, liquorice and dark, vinous plummy fruit on the nose is just starting to allow some delicate rose and cherry character to emerge. In the mouth it is strapping stuff, an onslaught of sweet fruit that is cloaked in tannin and bright acidity, a touch of charry coffeeish oak, and just loads of extract and substance. Hugely serious, muscular and impressive, this is worth tucking away for at least five more years before broaching, but if opening now, decant for a couple.
(2018) 100% Aglianico, this spends approximately 18 months in medium-toasted French oak, then nine more months in bottle before release. Creamy and fragrant, this is at once more open and rather softer than the single-vineyard Piano di Montevergine. Lovely graphite and bay leaf nuances over ripe black berries, touches of something more floral. In the mouth it is firm, but nowhere near the muscular extraction of the Piano di Montevergine, rather a more juicy and open fruitiness, edged by cherry-ish acidity, but then a twist of endive and liquorice shows the structure that lies within. This is long, taut, but fruity and spicy, and will have staying power too.
(2018) From Campania in southern Italy, land of Vesuvius and Naples, this is Fiano, a grape that has become synonymous with the DOCG of Avellino, but this from the IGT of Beneventano. A touch of herbs and stone-fruit (apricot, peach) on the nose, but fairly subdued aromatically. In the mouth it is quite full and has some richness, more dry stone- and apple fruitiness, a nice lick of salty mineral acidity and a moderate finish. A nicely flexible food-friendly style given the bit of textural richness and freshness.
(2015) 150,000 bottles from an estate formed 20 years ago. One of the first private wineries. Feels rich and full, though there is a nice hint of Aglianico's herbal side too. Lots of bittersweet structural acidity and tannin, and a rich, lightly raisiny wine with obvious ripeness again. Powerful and sweet in the finish. 88/200.
