#Tasting Taurasi #Taurasi Vendemmia 2013 Edition-The 2003 Vintage

Taurasi Vendemmia Edizione 2013 was held 8-9 March in Serino (Av) as part of Miriade & Partners Campania Stories. This is part 1 of my weekend 'tasting taurasi'....

According to the program, we 'journalist/bloggers etc etc' were supposed to arrive at Grand Hotel Serino between 10 am and 4 pm.  I arrived at 3:45.   Enough time to check in, throw my luggage into my room, and race to the 'registration desk' for my  Vendemmia Taurasi Kit (name tag, pen, book with crucial background information).
When I, finally made it to the tasting room, I looked around to find the perfect place to sit...to absorb...to taste Taurasi. I found it.  A spot next to Roberto, Massimo, and Antonio...top Campania wine makers who would be there for me in case I had questions, comments.  We were about to taste 14 Taurasis from vintage year 2003.  Pratically a tradition...beginning the weekend by taking a look/taste at Taurasi 10 years after its harvest year.   Fourteen wines, poured by request by familiar faces from AIS Avellino .
As they poured the first set, I skimmed my booklet, then turned to Roberto.
 How was the harvest year?
Hot,  was his answer. 

Ok...that meant an anticpated harvest.  My booklet confirmed that.  In some cases, up to a week earlier.   Grapes arrived in the winery mature and sweet.According to the booklet...a good, no, great harvest year which would produce some of the best red wines of 2003. I glanced at the first five glasses, swirled, raised to my nose and set down maybe just a little too quickly. I needed to get out of my rush mode and wait for the wines.  Wines that had been bottled up for several years.  They needed time to breathe...time to open up...time to express themsleves like a good aglianco knows how to do....


After tasting fourteen I found a few that I wouldn't mind having in my personal cantina....here there are in no particular order...

Macchia dei Goti 2003
Cantine Antonio Caggiano

I was unable to 'forget' that one of the first winery tours that I ever led was to Sig. Caggiano's winery in Taurasi.   Una bocca bellisima...rich flavor...a nose that contnued to evolve as time passed...mature cherries...light spices....

Campo Re 2003
Terredora

I'm familiar with Terredora...but not with Campo Re.  Interesting fusion of mature cherries...full flavors.  Subito my mind went to possible pairing options-Fusilli Avellinese with a rich ragu tomato sauce...or maybe a nice steak...




Vigna Cinque Querce 2003 Riserva
Salvatore Molettiere

Montemarano in a glass... grapes harvested from Molettiere's beautiful vineyard  Cinque Querce.  A Taurasi aged in grande botte...big oak barrels.  Powerful.

Powerful is a word that I could use to describe Guastaferro, Di Meo, Pietracupa,Mastroberardino  and Di Prisco...

Taurasi Vendemmia Edizione 2013...so far so good....


Italian Version