#Tasting Taurasi #Taurasi Vendemmia 2013 Edition - The Taurasis and Taurasi Reserves

2009?  Un'annata capricciosa," Luigi (Tecce) began.  A year which was temperamental, capricious,... fickle. Wine maker Tecce was in Serino (Av) to talk about a harvest year that was a little helter skelter. Fourteen hours before the big tasting, I took notes while Tecce reminisced about his harvest year in Paternopoli.  One with much more rain when compared to the previous two harvests.  A March with sunshine, then 20 cm of snow.  A May with high temperatures, then toward the end of June a period of violent storms.  A July in which  peronospora attacked some of his grapes on the vines.   He remembered a normal September, a late October harvest.  He remembered being very selective in the vineyards, picking rich, concentrated grapes...
Nadia (Romano) shared her experiences of her family's winery in Montemarano.  A lot of rain with peronospora which attacked her grapes' leaves instead of the fruit as in Tecce's case.   A year which was faticosa, busy, in the vineyard. They harvested three times to make sure that they got the healthiest grapes.   A year of consapevolezza, awareness. Looking back, she added, maybe they pruned too long... It was a year in which her winery decided not to produce a Taurasi.  

Rainy, capricciosa...not as 'dynamic' as 2008.  I thought about that the following morning as I examined the first glass of Taurasi 2009 from a bottle which I, at the time, knew only as # 17.  Still continuing with my choice of a blind tasting, I did, however decide to taste the wines by territory as I did last year.  But unlike last year, as I tasted glass after glass (sixteen 2009s in all) I felt that it was just a little too early to 'judge'.  They had a headstrong harvest year, a little more to deal with than years such as the 2008s and the 2007s.  (A fact later confirmed by winemakers Roberto Di Meo and Massimo Di Renzo).That being said, I did find  several with noses that were interesting, flavor that had promise, glasses that piqued my curiosity...
That being said, while tasting, I did check off several that I would like to try again later.   With a little more time in the bottle to really understand what this 2009 would mean for Taurasi.

Rocca del Principe
Taurasi Master Domini 2009

Luigi Tecce 
Taurasi Poliphemo 2009

Villa Raiano
Taurasi 2009

Tenuta Cavalier Pepe
Taurasi Opera Mia 2009

Mastroberardino
Taurasi Radici 2009

Di Prisco
Taurasi 2009

Pietracupa
Taurasi 2009

After stretching my legs and a little bit of fresh air, I was ready for the harvest year 2008.  Bottles labeled # 33-55 were also divided according to territory.  These bottles were a mixture of Taurasi 2008s being presented officially to the press for the first time and the new Taurasi Reserves.  A harvest year considered balanced and harmonic.  Wines with great ageing potential.  In fact.  It was here where I really enjoyed myself going from glass to glass.  Inhaling in, tasting, savoring.  Taurasis that could be enjoyed now, though had tannins that would allow them to evolve nicely in any cantina...

I Favati
Taurasi Terzotratto Etichetta Bianca Riserva 2008

Warm, flavorful with a nose intense with deep dark fruits.  A mixture of grapes from I Favati's vineyards from S. Mango sul Calore and Venticano.

I also enjoyed two from Terredora.  One from the north quadrant-left bank of the Calore River.

Terredora
 Taurasi Pago dei Fusi 2008

A powerful glass from Terredora.  An intense rich nose... a luscious mouth.  

While this one from the west quadrant, also know as Fiano territory.  

Terredora
Fatica Contadina 2008

I enjoyed aromas here.  A nose that continued to share.  A long cleansing finish. 

Two Taurasis....two styles.   Something to investigate with a winery visit this spring...

As well as a visit to Taurasi for these wines...

Contrade di Taurasi
Taurasi Coste 2008

Cantine Antonio Caggiano
Taurasi Macchia dei Goti 2008

Urciuolo
Taurasi Riserva 2008

Feudi di San Gregorio
Taurasi Piano di Montevergine Riserva 2008

Or wines from my favorite stomping grounds in Castelfranci and Montemarano.  Wines rich in flavor, tannins...character...

Boccella
Taurasi Sant'Eustachio 2008

Colli di Castelfranci
Taurasi Alta Valle Riserva 2008

Il Cancelliere
 Taurasi Nero Ne' 2008

Perillo
Taurasi 2008

Then the 2007s ...

Guastaferro
Taurasi Primum Riserva 2007

Full bodied, caldo, with an astringency that is very evident. Excellent potential.   

A flavorful Taurasi from the vineyards in Mirabella Eclano...

Mastroberardino
Taurasi Naturalis Historia 2007

and one from Montemarano...

Masseria Murata
Taurasi Passione 2007

Just one offering from 2006....

Cantine Di Meo
Taurasi Riserva 2006

A lot going on in this glass...black pepper, mature cherries...complexity.  Full of flavor...persistent.  

There.  Tasting complete.  I walked away with more questions than comments.  Questions about a wine, questions about a territory. 
Questions that can only be answered by visiting the cantinas,  talking to the wine makers....
and vineyard hopping...

And that is what I intend to do....



Taurasi Vendemmia Edizione 2013 was held 8-9 March in Serino (Av) as part of Miriade& Partners Campania Stories. This is part 3 of my weekend 'tasting taurasi'....