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Costiera Amalfitana

Tasted May 16, 2016 - May 25, 2016 by Giggs with 361 views

Flight 1 (1 note)

White
2014 Casa D'Ambra Biancolella Ischia Tenuta Frassitelli Italy, Campania, Ischia
91 points
Stylish and authentic, like tasting the Tyrrhenian Sea. Saline, citrus, white peach, crushed coral. Very good. Drink now-2020

Flight 2 (2 notes)

White
2014 Cantine Antonio Caggiano Fiano di Avellino Bechar Italy, Campania, Fiano di Avellino DOCG
88 points
Weighty white with creamy lemon curd and peach, but the alcohol is out of balance and hijacks the experience. Drink now-2020
Red
2010 Terre del Principe Casavecchia Centomoggia Italy, Campania, Terre del Volturno IGT
93 points
This is the real deal but frustratingly young at the moment. Obvious quality on nose and palate, intense black plum, black cherry, crushed flowers, herbal tea and spice. Very tight and tons of acidity, needs at least another year in the bottle. Drink 2017-2021

Flight 3 (3 notes)

Red
2004 Tenuta San Leonardo San Leonardo Italy, Trentino Alto-Adige / Veneto, Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT
95 points
Not much else need be said after KR66's note. This is a great wine, unique enough from the international style to make it worth seeking out. No rush to drink, but it's sitting in a good place right now. Drink now-2023
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2006 Petilia Taurasi 450V Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG
91 points
Nice surprise here, an unknown 10-year-old Taurasi drinking perfectly. Medium-bodied, elegant mouthfeel, soft with enough acidity, hallmark Taurasi black fruits, tar, pipe tobacco, herbal edges. Drink now-2018
Red
2007 Terre del Principe Casavecchia Centomoggia Italy, Campania, Terre del Volturno IGT
89 points
Quite evolved compared to the 2010; mixed dark red fruits, clay and graphite mineral, fresh and dried wild flowers. Lacking tension at this stage. Drink now.

Flight 4 (2 notes)

Red
2010 Planeta Noto Santa Cecilia Italy, Sicily, Noto
90 points
Not decanted. Lovely wine, a Nero d'Avola with finesse. Nose and palate give notes of stewed cherries and red plum, nougat, sweet pipe tobacco, and rusty/salty mineral. A medium-bodied wine with strong acidity, older vintages suggest it will pick up a little bit of heft with more bottle age. Drink now-2021
Red
2012 Azienda Agricola Montevetrano Montevetrano Colli di Salerno IGT Italy, Campania, Colli di Salerno IGT
93 points
Not decanted. Expressive, perfumed nose of crushed red raspberry, fresh flowers, pastille candy, and black licorice. Palate has tons of fruit extract, mouthfeel like watercolor paint, more crushed raspberry, licorice, muddled mint and herbs, and smoky/exotic wood edging the finish. This was drinking nicely with tannins in-check, but I suspect it will soon shut down for a couple years. Drink 2019-2029

Flight 5 (2 notes)

Red
2008 Guastaferro Taurasi Primum Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG
90 points
Soft, immediately approachable, seems to be right at peak. Medium-bodied with cool, juicy dark plum and mixed berry fruit highlighted by tar and slightly medicinal edges, subtle mineral character near the finish, tannins in the background, manages to finish with a sweet red fruit note. Drink now-2018
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2004 Terre del Principe Pallagrello Nero Ambruco Italy, Campania, Terre del Volturno IGT
80 points
Way past peak and overrun with sediment. There are, however, signs of quality in the form of mouthfeel, but it's an orange, rusted out version of what it might have one day been. Drink six years ago.

Flight 6 (1 note)

Red
2001 Maculan Fratta Italy, Veneto, Breganze
95 points
No decant. Mature yet still aggressive, big brawny deep red fruit, tons of chocolate, dried mushroom on the nose weaves into the palate, where the alcohol sticks out a bit (a flaw but also a Maculan trademark). This is great wine. It could last a few years, but I will drink my remaining bottles in 2016 and suggest others do the same.

Flight 7 (4 notes)

White
2006 Benanti Etna Bianco Superiore Pietramarina Italy, Sicily, Etna Bianco Superiore
91 points
Lemon, golden apple, quince, parrafin, white chalk, sea foam, crushed clam, soaked grass. Really nerdy. Answers the question: "What if Sauvignon Blanc grew some balls?" Plenty of acidity; still time left. Drink now-2018
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2004 Feudi di San Gregorio Pàtrimo Campania IGT Italy, Campania, Campania IGT
92 points
A giant wine, huge black raspberry fruit extract, graphite/topsoil minerals. Mature and high quality but lacking the counterbalance of acidity I hope it would have had in its youth. Thus, the experience is one-dimensional like one long blaring foghorn. Drink now-2021
Red
2005 Perillo Taurasi Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG
88 points
Decanted 30 minutes. Initially hollow, gradually opens up to be a medium-bodied Taurasi, picks up some sweet pruney fruit, roasted herbs, and typical sweet/tarry/tea Taurasi notes. Ready to drink (don't wait).
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2007 Cantine Antonio Caggiano Taurasi Macchia dei Goti Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG
72 points
Carbonation (also mentioned in dbay's note), a major flaw. Otherwise, tilted toward the medicinal side of Taurasi, cough drops, tangy grape moving to plum, steeped tea leaves. I drank it, so you don't have to.

Flight 8 (3 notes)

Red
2008 Antico Castello Taurasi Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG
89 points
Soft, mature, medium-bodied at this stage. Nose of black cherry, cinnamon, permanent marker, salami, leather. Tart palate, fresh cherry and cranberry picking up tarry, mineral, tobacco leaf character on the finish. Drink now-2018
Red
2005 Fontanavecchia Orazio Beneventano IGT Italy, Campania, Beneventano IGT
85 points
60% Aglianico, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose is initially Aglianico dominant, tarry, medicinal cherry and herbs, but with air the Cabernet moves to the forefront, sweet currant moving to plum, graphite, dried herbs. The palate has less complexity: tangy cherry water and rawhide. Authentic. Drink now.
Red
2010 Re Manfredi - Terre degli Svevi Aglianico del Vulture Italy, Basilicata, Aglianico del Vulture
87 points
Straightforward and enjoyable, pleasantly tannic, typical Aglianico notes of medicinal cherry, tar, and tobacco leaf. I'd be curious to try it again when the tannins chill out in a couple years. Drink 2017-2020
1 person found this helpful Comment

Flight 9 (3 notes)

Red
2006 Fontanavecchia Aglianico del Taburno Riserva Grave Mora Italy, Campania, Aglianico del Taburno
89 points
Not decanted. Similarly powerful but less structured than your typical Taurasi, this plays to the sweeter, juicier side of Aglianico, with purple fruits, incense, and dried herbs. There's plenty of acidity and good extract in midpalate, but an overwhelmingly fierce tannic finish. With more air the alcohol becomes increasingly out of balance. Despite its flaws, a good drink. Drink now-2019
Red
2010 Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG
92 points
Not decanted. A full-bodied, dark, masculine expression of Taurasi. Nose of blackberry pie, melted licorice, asphalt, charred briar, exotic spices. Palate delivers the blackberry as extract rather than juice, tons of power through midpalate, then fine, weedy, green tannins through the finish. Drink 2018-2025
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2009 Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi Piano di Montevergine Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG
91 points
Tightly wound and ratcheted down by tannins, this Taurasi has extreme concentration of blackberry and plum fruit with licorice, asphalt, and burning incense. The nose was slightly barrel-marked (corky); fortunately it didn't carry over to the palate. Good wine, but I prefer the 2010 normale. Drink 2017-2025
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