2015 Madonna delle Grazie "Drogone d'Altavilla" Aglianico del Vulture

Cantine Madonna delle Grazie is a small family owned winery in the Vulture region of Basilicata that makes some of my favorite wines in the south of Italy.  They work 8.5 hectares of Aglianico planted in volcanic soil on the slope of Mount Vulture. The Latoracca Family has deep roots here, farming the property since the early 1900's, now with organic practices, but they have only been estate bottling wine since 2003.  Aglianico is a grape capable of making stupendous wine but it can be unwieldy and fiercely tannic. The watch word in the production of Aglianico is "Tannin Management" and frankly there are few producers better at tannin management than Cantine Madonna delle Grazie. One of the most useful tools they employ is a simple one: patience. They often hold their wines for the better part of a decade to let the structure soften and allow the wine to slowly open up over the years.

The Drogone cuvee is the top wine from this great estate, sourced entirely from a plot of vines planted in 1964 in their Liscone vineyard. The grapes see an extended maceration in an open top stainless tank and 2 years of aging in 500 liter French oak barrels, mostly neutral.  This is a big, soulful, sun-soaked Italian red that is routinely one of my favorite each year.  Expect black fruit with lifted floral accents, a good dose of earth and spice. Rich tannins, full body, and remarkable freshness round out a sensational wine that will continue to age for decades. - Andy Paynter