The 2001 is an extreme Montevetrano bursting with masses of super-ripe fruit that walks the tight rope of ripeness stopping just short of going overboard. This is by far the most opulent, full-throttle vintage of Montevetrano ever made. Chocolate, spices and new leather lead to jammy dark fruit. Despite the wine’s overt richness the firm tannins confer elements of classicism that act as a foil. In 2001 Aglianico comes through in spades. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2026. Proprietor Silvia Imparato is one of the early pioneers in the world of Campanian oenology. Originally trained as a photographer, Imparato came to winemaking accidentally when one of her clients invited her to join a wine tasting group in Rome in the 1980s. Over the course of the following years, Imparato had the opportunity to taste many of the world’s great bottles on a regular basis. On a lark, she thought she would try to make wine at her family’s small estate in Salerno. She enlisted the help of consulting oenologist Riccardo Cotarella, and together they created Montevetrano, the wine that launched Campania in a big way around the world. This was the first complete vertical Imparato had ever hosted on this scale, and she was clearly moved by the occasion. All of the wines were shipped directly from the estate, guaranteeing perfect provenance. The wines were opened a few hours before being served. It was a warm, humid summer day in New York and the wines were particularly radiant and expressive. Montevetrano is approximately 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Aglianico (the international varieties were planted on the existing Aglianico rootstocks) although the exact blend changes from year to year depending on vintage conditions. Imparato makes it clear she isn’t a big fan of giving the exact breakdown in each vintage, so readers should take the varietal blend as a rough guideline. Clearly there are a number of vintages where the Aglianico seems to come through with a much more assertive voice than 10% would lead one to believe. The harvest times vary greatly from Merlot to Aglianico, so the different grape varieties are harvested and vinified separately. Consulting oenologist Riccardo Cotarella fashions the final blend before the wines undergo malolactic fermentation. As opposed to Terra di Lavoro, which mostly sees malo in steel, here Cotarella feels more at ease doing the malos in oak as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are clearly more suited to this approach than Aglianico. Montevetrano was aged in 100% new oak until 1995, when the percentage of new barrels was dropped to 50%.

(cabernet sauvignon with merlot and a bit of aglianico) Saturated ruby-red. Initially tight blackberry, cassis and oak nose showed deeper notes of smoke, tobacco, currant and mocha as it opened in the glass. Suave, lush, dense and sweet; shows the pliant texture, concentrated berry fruit and smoothness of a high-end California red. Wonderfully ripe yet decidedly dry. Finishes very long and strong, with suave, sweet tannins.

Silvia Imparato’s path breaking blend of Cabernet, Merlot, and Aglianico seems to do best in odd-numbered years – 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and now this beautiful 2001 – even though I continue to have a soft spot for the 1992, a shot across the bow which seems to have helped wake up a then slumbering region with an enormous potential. Blackish ruby in color, warm, spicy, and penetrating in aroma with expansive notes of black currants, graphite, mint, and licorice, it is both concentrated and lush on the palate with a solid structure and swelling volume which promise fifteen years of life ahead. Importer: Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620