Serendipity : Settimo 2010, Fattorie Alois

Wikipedia: Serendipity means  a "happy accident" or "pleasant surprise"; specifically, the accident of finding something good or useful without looking for it.  

It was about a month or so ago ish.  Sunday, just about noon.  I had just officially opened my Sunday ragu sugo season with sauce that I was more than proud of.  A sauce that I had started the evening before.  A sauce which had slow cooked off and on for a total of 8 hours so that it had become dark, thick, tirato, incazasso... 
It was time to choose a wine.  Maybe something different than my usual favorites.  But it was a Sunday.  Not a good time to go vino hopping. Not a good time to drive out to a winery or some of the larger enoteca/wine shops in the are.  No, just enough time to stroll to a local wine shop and see what I could fine on the shelves.
From the door I headed straight to the Campania section.  My eyes browsed over familiar bottles, familiar vintages...until I saw it there on the second shelf.
Michele Alois...Settimo...
I paused, picked up the bottle... Casavecchia...Pallagrello Nero.  Instantly images of Campania's nearly forgotten/making a comeback and how grapes came to mind. In my hand a blend of two serious red grapes.
I turned the bottle around...vintage 2010.  
2010...probably the last time that I spent quality time near Ponteleone, Caserta   where the Alois family has their winery and vineyards.  I have never been, but that didn't stop me from purchasing a bottle that sunny Sunday morning and pouring a glass to have with our Sunday lunch.
It paired perfectly with my ragu. Intense aromas, deep and flavorful without  not overpowering or taking away from the meal..  Smooth, but tannic enough to stand up to the dense ragu sauce that had slow cooked off and on for a total of 8 hours so that it had become that dark, thick, tirato, incazasso.

Since that Sunday, I've been back to that enoteca on several occasions.  Back to that second shelf.

Settimo season is officially open.