BAROLO OF THE SOUTH

TAURASI VIGNA CINQUE QUERCE 2013 DOCG BY SALVATORE MOLETTIERI

I’m often asked what and where my favourite wine regions are. This is nearly an impossible question to answer, as it really depends on your state of mind, but the wine regions south of Rome, and especially those in Campania, are hard to beat. The wines are awesome, the scenery is nothing short of spectacular and the food is off the hook.

In my ongoing effort to convince people that Aglianico is one of Italy’s ‘noblest’ reds—right up there with Nebbiolo and Sangiovese—I wouldn’t hesitate to put “Taurasi” forward as evidence. ​Taurasi is one of Italy’s finest reds, and often called the Barolo of the South. Full-bodied, and tannic in its youth, Taurasi provides sneaky refinement and grace.

If Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello and Chianti are northern and central Italy’s vinous odes to greatness, then the Aglianico of Taurasi is certainly Italy’s southern counterpart.

“Salvatore Molettieri is arguably the best producer of Taurasi. His wines, although not shy in tannic power, have a gracefulness and inner harmony that are rarely found in other wines from Campania. They are traditionally made, dense and deep and age magnificently well.” Ian d’Agata, Vinous Media

If Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello and Chianti are northern and central Italy’s vinous odes to greatness, then the Aglianico of Taurasi is certainly Italy’s southern counterpart.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY

94 Points
Wine Spectator, March 2021

94 Points
James Suckling, November 2020

94 Points
Raffaele Vecchione, WinesCritic, 2020

Tre Bicchieri
Gambero Rosso 2021

TAURASI VIGNA CINQUE QUERCE DOCG 2013: CHARACTERISTICS

BODY /  STYLE / OAK / Full-bodied / warm, fruity, floral, mineral / oaked

SWEETNESS / Extra Dry

CELLARING / Drink now or cellar

BEST PAIRINGS / Breads, Cured Meat, Ham, Hard Cheese, Red Meat, Roasted Vegetables, Salted or Marinated Mushrooms

TASTING NOTE / “A sleek and racy red, with sculpted tannins providing fine definition for the tightly knit flavors of cherry and black raspberry, Mediterranean scrub, star anise and graphite. It’s full-bodied and dense, with the flavor range slowly unfurling in the glass and on the palate.”

THE PRODUCER

Salvatore Molettieri, is the talented owner of the estate, who comes from an old farming family spanning four generations. The first wine was bottled with the 1988 vintage and their sustainably-farmed vineyards in Montemarano, which historically is one of the two finest crus of the appellation.

This is a flat out stellar wine from one of Campania’s old school masters. The fact that they let us have a limited allocation makes us really happy.

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