Stilèma Taurasi Riserva DOCG

The Mastroberardino family, leaders in Italian viticulture, are largely responsible for the revival and elevation of Irpinian and Campanian winemaking post WWII. Much of this work was initiated by Antonio Mastroberardino, the 9th generation, who’s efforts ignited a resurgence in quality red and white wine production in all of Southern Italy. Working primarily with Campania’s ancient, the family has resuscitated would-be extinct grapes into world-class varieties. Increasingly important to Antonio over the course of his career was to preserve and catalogue the traditional viticulture he fought so hard to revive. To remember a pre-war viticulture in Irpinia, when climate, agriculture and industry were less influential and varietal wines displayed stronger provenance and varietal characterization. To realize this dream, Piero, Antonio’s son, and current owner, commenced the Stilèma project in honor of his father. Stilèma, meaning stylistic choice, interprets a style of winemaking that took place in Irpinia from the late 1950s through early 1970s for Aglianico wines and from the 1970s through 1980s for Fiano and Greco wines. In the early 2000s, Piero began a series of planting experiments, using selected clones grown in multiple pre-phylloxera vineyards across Mastroberardino’s estates in Irpinia, as historically done, to ensure nuanced complexity, elegance and finesse. The goal with Stilèma wines is to express the greater Irpinian terroir, rather than specific vineyard sites.

Aglianico vines for Stilèma Taurasi are selected from four estates: Pietradefusi (350 masl) with clayey soils, Montemarano (600 masl) with clayey-limestone soils, Paternopoli (540 masl), with medium-textured soils with a good balance between clay, silt, and sand; and Mirabella Eclano (400 masl), with medium-textured soils including some sandy sandstones and clay. The vines are 20-years-old. Average planting density is 5,000 plants / ha.

Manual harvest from end of October through the first 10 days of November. Following a short maceration of 7-8 days at low temperatures, the wine is aged for about 24 months in Slavonian oak barrels (50 hl) and French oak barriques (not first passage). Refinement in bottle for 30 months.

Complex fruity and floral aromas, in harmony with spicy nuances, featuring cherry, plum, blackberry, caramel, tobacco, vanilla, leather, and cloves. Fresh, savory, and agile palate with a silky tannic texture that is well-balanced.