Italian Nights

So the other day your favorite winemonkey and his wine tasting companion tasted to through some high end Feudi di San Gregorio wines. Amazing stuff from stem to stern. Many of you are familar with their flagship Serpico made from 100% Aglianico di Taurasi and harvested in part from century-old pre-phylloxera vines with a price tag to match. It was amazing juice as was some of its pricey siblings, but that is for another publication. Here I must confess that I have fell in love with a simple little wine they make that I in fact did not taste on that fine day.

No fellow wine lovers, your winemonkey was hot footing it out on the town with some very fine ladies who unfortunately do not share my enthusiasm for fantastic wine and damn the price point. So given the task to find an interesting and reasoably priced italian red was laid on me and focused all my wine powers to bear down on the right bottle. Thankfully, we were at a nifty little wine bar on the Lower East Side of New York called 'inoteca that carries a wide range of excellent stuff from 2005 quaffers to 1966 Barolo.

Enter the Feudi di San Gregorio "Rubrato" Aglianico. This 100% Aglianico di Taurasi is a masterpiece of an uncomplicated wine at an uncomplicated price. Tons of interest, superior balance, bright fruit and wine that made everyone happy from yours truly (as I am now writing about it) to my wine drinking companions who throughly enjoyed the wine.

How did I come to such a decision in the face of the multitude of choices presented? An easy task when you understand wine. I always (and should as well) look for solid producers that I may have tasted and enjoyed and most likely at a higher price point. These producers tend to care about their wines all the way down the line. The "Rubrato" Aglianico is an excellent example. I had not had it, yet I enjoyed a full range of ultra premium and iconic Feudi di San Gregorio recently and from the same vintage. It was a no brainer.

For the wine geeks, here is the company line:

"Grapes are hand-harvested during the last two weeks of October. After de-stemming and pressing, maceration lasts 20 days at a temperature of 79ºF. The resulting wine is aged for 12 months in barriques prior to bottling and release."

If you are interested in what else they produce take a gander below and start exploring. (P.S. I bought a case.)

Feudi di San Gregorio Portfolio
Aglianico del Vulture “Efesto” DOC Vigne di Mezzo
Campanaro
Cutizzi
Falanghina Sannio DOC
Fiano di Avellino DOCG
Greco di Tufo DOCG
Patrimo
Pietra Calda
Primitivo di Manduria di Ognissole
Privilegio
Rubrato Aglianico
Serpico
Serro Cielo
Taurasi
Taurasi Riserva DOCG Piano di Montevergine