Bisceglia Aglianico Aglianico del Vulture 2007

Winemaker's Notes:

A relative newcomer to the Italian wine scene, Bisceglia is quickly gaining a reputation as a name to watch, quickly picking up two prestigious Tri Biccheri awards from the Gambero Rosso and having another of their wines labelled as Italy's best Syrah by the same organisation. The winery is located in the beautiful hill town of Lavello (birthplace of Horace, he of "Nunc est Bibendum fame") in the sparse, wild region of Basilicata. Visiting it is like stepping back in time. You can drive for hours and not see another car. The food is rustic and regional. The people are open and honest. The only modern building you'll see is Bisceglia's state of the art winery. Biscgelia's 35ha of estate vines are all farmed organically and the grapes in the immaculate vineyards are only harvested when fully ripe. The key grape is Aglianico - sometimes called the Nebbiolo of the South - for its power, longevity and elegance. Until recently the potential of this grape has been largely untapped. Poorly tended vineyards and overlong oak ageing producing muddy wines plagued with volatile acidity. Bisceglia's modern approach is changing all that. The Terre di Vulcano is open and fruity, seeing no new oak and it is made from younger, higher yielding vines. It is fruity and approachable and a wonderful introduction to a grape that can sometimes be tannic and a little austere. This will make a perfect accompanyment to rich red meats like duck and lamb.