#7 on Hi-Time's Top Italian Wines of 2024
Just inland from the chaos of Naples, Taurasi is one of the most idyllic and historic wine regions in Italy. Winemaking has been a popular thing to do since at least 800 B.C. in this elevated hill-country formed by ancient volcanos. Today, this is prime territory for Aglianico, an ancient red variety known for making some of the finest, quintessentially Italian wines with bold structures, wild and savory aromas and an appetizingly dry finish. It might have been a different story if not for the heroic efforts of Antonio Mastroberardino, who championed traditional grape varieties, and helped to lift his home region out of obscurity.
The 2017 Mastroberardino "Radici" Taurasi is an expressive mix of ripely-toned red and black fruits, dark spices like licorice root, pepper and incense, barrel notes of cedar, clove and dark cocoa, along with wild herbal and savory notes of camphor, tobacco leaf, olive and musk. The moderately firm structure of grainy tannins and core of acidity are enrobed in the fruit, giving the wine an inner liveliness and flow, and a finish that balances a dry richness with a lifted tangy berry and citrus vibrancy. Some great dishes for this marry flavor-rich meats, legumes, herbs and some acidity, like lamb shank with lemony lentils or a rich Neapolitan ragú!
ERIC GUIDO, VINOUS 94 POINTS - "The 2017 Taurasi Radici is a force to be reckoned with, as it bursts from the glass with masses of raspberries, currants and plums, complemented by an array of autumnal spices and crushed violets. Its textural depth and density is something to behold, silky, almost creamy, yet contrasted perfectly by a core of mineral-laced black fruits and brisk acids, as an air of inner rose and cloves forms toward the close. The 2017 is persistent and structured yet also unbelievably fresh, as fine tannins frame its smoky mineral tones, along with lasting hints of blackberry and olive. This is a gorgeous rendition of Radici that should provide readers with a slightly earlier drinking window than normally expected. That said, we are talking in terms of Taurasi here, and this wine has a very bright future ahead of it."
Just inland from the chaos of Naples, Taurasi is one of the most idyllic and historic wine regions in Italy. Winemaking has been a popular thing to do since at least 800 B.C. in this elevated hill-country formed by ancient volcanos. Today, this is prime territory for Aglianico, an ancient red variety known for making some of the finest, quintessentially Italian wines with bold structures, wild and savory aromas and an appetizingly dry finish. It might have been a different story if not for the heroic efforts of Antonio Mastroberardino, who championed traditional grape varieties, and helped to lift his home region out of obscurity.
The 2017 Mastroberardino "Radici" Taurasi is an expressive mix of ripely-toned red and black fruits, dark spices like licorice root, pepper and incense, barrel notes of cedar, clove and dark cocoa, along with wild herbal and savory notes of camphor, tobacco leaf, olive and musk. The moderately firm structure of grainy tannins and core of acidity are enrobed in the fruit, giving the wine an inner liveliness and flow, and a finish that balances a dry richness with a lifted tangy berry and citrus vibrancy. Some great dishes for this marry flavor-rich meats, legumes, herbs and some acidity, like lamb shank with lemony lentils or a rich Neapolitan ragú!
ERIC GUIDO, VINOUS 94 POINTS - "The 2017 Taurasi Radici is a force to be reckoned with, as it bursts from the glass with masses of raspberries, currants and plums, complemented by an array of autumnal spices and crushed violets. Its textural depth and density is something to behold, silky, almost creamy, yet contrasted perfectly by a core of mineral-laced black fruits and brisk acids, as an air of inner rose and cloves forms toward the close. The 2017 is persistent and structured yet also unbelievably fresh, as fine tannins frame its smoky mineral tones, along with lasting hints of blackberry and olive. This is a gorgeous rendition of Radici that should provide readers with a slightly earlier drinking window than normally expected. That said, we are talking in terms of Taurasi here, and this wine has a very bright future ahead of it."
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