I got tearsheets of the June issue of Wine & Spirits magazine today, specifically of the pages where two Domenico Selections wines are given good thumbnail reviews. The roundup is of Southern Italians, so not surprisingly our two featured wines are both from Campania Felix. The labels will be there so even if you're blasting through the pages, chances are they'll register with you.
We're very pleased that our coastal Aglianico from Terra di Vento, "Petrale," scored a 92. The review states, in part, "Grown in clay and chalk soils in the foothills south of Salerno, it has the structure and definition of wines from mountain regions like Avellino or Monte Vulture, yet there's a sweet warmth and brightness to its core of fresh fruit (red plum, green figs)."
I appreciate this description though I take exception to it. To my mind this is clearly a coastal wine, far softer and less fierce than the mountain wines. It's ready to drink a lot earlier, its tannins are tamer -- and, yes, the "sweet warmth and brightness" are very evident in the "core of fresh fruit." That and a reasonable price point (around $22) have helped make this a very good seller for us.
*****
The other wine, rated a 88 and a Best Buy, is the Greco di Tufo from Angelarosa. The review mentions golden delicious apples, a "sandy" minerality and an herbal aspect. Also about $22 retail.
I'm still processing "sandy"...
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