2015 Core di Montevetrano Aglianico IGT Campania

This is the more accessible, second- tier wine from the formidable Silvia Imparato, owner of Montevetrano in Salerno province. The 2015 Aglianico Core is a rich and exuberant red wine that is characterized by dark, succulent fruit. The bouquet shows background tones of exotic spice, camphor ash, Indian furniture wax or resin. The wine ages in French oak for ten months. Some 40,000 bottles were made.

Fully saturated purple-ruby; this is a very deep color for Aglianico. Very grapey, expressive fruit aromas on the opulent nose. Then more refined on the palate, where herbal, sweet spice and blueberry nectar flavors are supported by a solid tannic spine and lively peppery acidity. Finishes long and juicy. I think a couple of years in the cellar will help this develop further and blossom into something more. My score would have been even higher if this Aglianico's color had not been so dark.