2013 Caparone Aglianico Paso Robles
Community Tasting Note
Loren Sonkin wrote:
Monday, January 23, 2017 - Mostly Paso but some other interesting stuff (Scott & Jo's): My first time hearing of or trying this winery. I am told this cost about $15 at the winery which is a great value. A very interesting take. I love Aglianico but most (from Italy) are way too tart and need to be drunk immediately or need a very long time in the cellar - twenty years is not a lot even for a $20 wine. This was a bit different. To start with, the color is ruby and transparent. Not the purple of Agianico del Vulture for example. Then the nose is very dusty. It comes across not too unlike a good but inexpensive Bordeaux. There is also a nice cherry component and hints of cigar. On the palate, this is not super ripe. Nice cherries and bit of black currants. Good balance. Great with a Squash soup with crystallized ginger. Is it an awesome wine? No. But it is really good and just a perfect wine for how it was used. And at $15, I could drink this anytime.
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Comment posted by wilypod:
1/25/2017 3:17:00 PM - Giornata's French Camp Aglianico is one of the more successful and approachable Aglianico's from East Paso, or CA for that matter. Fresh, blue fruited in between a Beaujolais and a PS. Giornata also makes a more serious Aglianico from Luna Matta in West Paso which is structured and tannic all right. This is a fickle variety to farm but Giornata is really getting the hang of it. Their Nebbiolo and Barbera are even more successful in rivaling the Piemonte.
Comment posted by Loren Sonkin:
1/26/2017 5:09:00 AM - Are those two above and beyond this one? How many does he make?
Comment posted by wilypod:
1/26/2017 6:12:00 AM - I've not tried the Caparone wines so can't compare. Caparone sells at roughly half the cost. Not sure of production volume at Giornata. Been to the winery -- seems about 1000 cases max currently for all varieties (Aglianico, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese Grosso, Vermentino, Fiano, and some Merlot). They do everything meticulously. Check in with Giornata directly: Brian Terrizzi is the talented owner-winemaker and Stephanie his wife, the viticulturist. They have been working with these varieties for a decade plus.
I shared some Giornata 2013 Nebbiolo with two people (whose wines you have frequently praised on CT). Both are associated with preserving historic, heritage vineyards and readily guessed it was Nebbiolo. Both really liked it, one adding he thought it the best CA Nebbiolo he had ever had, same as my opinion. The two Aglianico wines are also promising. As a generalization the French camp approaches the beguiling aromatics (Amarena cherry, violets, PN fruit de bois) of Taurasi clones, and the Luna Matta has the power, structure, and age-worthiness of Basilicata's Vulture. (I lived three years in S. Italy) Both have a fruit forward CA character, too, but Brian is consciously striving for and achieving elegance and balance (larger barrels, modest new oak). His Vermentino is the equal of Tablas Creek's. Unlike most US grown Italian varietals, Brian's wines taste of their Italian heritage. I was recently blown away by the 2013 Sangiovese Grosso.