March 12, 2024
20-Buck Bottle: An assertive “poor man’s Nebbiolo”
Well-balanced wine grown in the volcanic soils of Campania
by Anita Skogland
2019 Vicus Irpinia Aglianico DOC, Tenuta Cavalier Pepe, Campania, Italy
Available at: Assorted Table Wine & Shop, Uptown
Price: $22.99
On the Nose: Clove, cocoa, black pepper, dried rose petals, rich intensity
On the Palate: Assertive tannins, spice, fresh cherry, tobacco, rustic
On the Plate: Burgers, steak, roast pork, pasta with red sauce, roasted eggplant
Our Take: Aglianico is one of the main red grapes of southern Italy. It is a food friendly and balanced wine that is sometimes called a poor man’s Nebbiolo.
Fun Facts: 85% Aglianico, 15% Merlot. The ancient Greeks cultivated grapes in the Irpinia region of southern Italy before the Roman Empire was formed. The Pepe family has been growing grapes and making wine for centuries in the volcanic soils of Campania. Angelo Pepe was knighted for his efforts to bring more attention to the Campania region’s natural beauty, food, and wine. His daughter Milena studied oenology in France and is now the estate’s winemaker.
