Terra di Lavoro 2011 75cl

From a hot vintage, the 2011 Roccamonfina Terra di Lavoro is a soft, round wine with a large presence of dark cherry fruit and blackberry. This wine has broader shoulders compared to 2010 and 2012. Dark fruit, prune, plum and dried cherry lift heavily from the bouquet. Those more obvious aromas are followed by ethereal touches of ash, licorice and plenty of balsam herb. The wine's volcanic personality shines through, although with slightly less intensity. This edition of Terra di Lavoro shows soft tannins and a long finish. It's a beautiful wine that reflects the warm year. <br/><br/>Terra di Lavoro is a wine that helped to put Campania on the enological fast track it enjoys today. This was Campania's first great cult wine since its first year of production in 1994. It has since become a banner for the region. Thanks to this wine and his other projects, consulting winemaker Riccardo Cotarella is an important presence in the region and has done much to cement a style of winemaking that is heavily associated with Campania. Owners Arturo and Dora Celentano tell me that Riccardo helped them set the blend twenty years ago in order to prioritize indigenous grapes (at a time when international grapes were in high fashion). They also wanted to highlight the unique traits of their volcanic soils. Over the years, Campania's wines have changed and evolved. But, Terra di Lavoro has remained true to it origins. This blend of 80% Aglianico and 20% Piedirosso has seen a few problematic vintages over the course of time. The 2009 vintage tasted here shows some distant Band Aid like notes. Yet, the 2001 that I also revisited is absolutely breathtaking.

There's drive to this well-meshed, sanguine red, offering flavors of herbs, dried currant, iron and black olive that are deftly layered with sinewy tannins and balancing acidity. Drink now through 2021. 5,000 cases made. –AN