Author: Dirk Chan
After a week of frolicking around Rome on my own, I took the train from Rome to Salerno is an easy 2.5 hour comfortable ride. Salerno is a commune of the Campania region in southeastern Italy, homebase for the next 8 days as I travel by car to wineries in both Campania and Basilicata and then a quick visit by ferry boat to Ravello via Amalfi town to visit one of our Limoncello producers. Do check back every few days as I will write and post travel blogs as I move along.
After negotiating free-for-all out of the Salerno, it was a two hour drive to my first winery, the D’Angelo, where I was greeted warmly by Erminia D’Angelo, owner and Export Director. She along with her brother Rocco who is the winemaker are the exciting pair that run the show here. The two of them are in their early thirties, so you don’t see that very often in the wine world. Nevertheless, the family has been the face of the Aglianico grape (one of the oldest known) in the Basilicata region for a century. With 35 hectares to work with, and nicely located at the foot of the now inactive Monte Vulture volcano, the soil and land imparts its character to the wines. Erminia took me down to the old Southeast facing plots of old vine Aglianico that will be picked in mid-late October – it is one of the latest grapes picked in Italy. There is younger Merlot as well.
The total production is 300k cases of wine.
Onward to the tasting room, where I enjoyed the 2016 Sacravite, a absolutely gorgeous Aglianico del Vulture 2015, and then the Canneto and Caselle – two higher end versions that show both great fruit and long aging potential. A special treat came in an Amarone like ‘experiment’ the Vendemmia Tardiva came directly from barrel – lighter than typical Amarone, but that exquisite graphite, chalky, mineral character and only a slight hint of sweetness. The whole lineup was stellar and we’ll try to bring them in for you.
It was while tasting that I mentioned I had a 3 o’clock meeting with Quinta del Portale that this estate was also owned by these two and the the Portale wines are made at the D’Angelo facilities – dah – how is it that two wineries have two entirely different agents representing them in Alberta – go figure. Thus we proceeded to taste the Portale line – the winery is named after a now defunct Portal Wall that used to sit in amongst the vines. This line is definitely more new worldish – great ripe fruit and pop-and-pour wines for earlier/current consumption while the D’Angelo wines will gracefully age a decade or more (Erminia said they opened a 1987 that was still showing well this year!).
She spent over five hours with me (how many owners would do that) and also took me out for a late lunch (15 min drive) to the town of Lagopesole and its historic castle, the Coste Castello, where we took a picture of the Volcano and you can see their property at the foot of it. (see top photo).
A thoroughly enjoyable day – Gracie Mille Erminia!!
In the meantime, enjoy what we have in stock:
2015 d’Angelo Sacravite IGT (Basilicata, Italy) – $20.99
2015 Tenuta del Portale Starsa (Basilicata, Italy) – $20.99
2012 Tenuta del Portale Aglianico del Vulture Le Vigne a Capanno (Basilicata, Italy) – $36.99
Many thanks to Crimson Imports and Lanigan & Edwards for setting me up with the visits!