… our cup of Tea-tolo!

.. well, the great Basilicatian Aglianico ”Titolo”, yes! and as part of our 40th anniversary of being in the fine wine business, we have & will host this year various lunches, dinners & some wine tastings of the wines that have been enjoyed & imported by us over the years, for friends, suppliers & customers. Last night´s tasting was for friends and was a great success thanks to Elena Fucci´s Aglianico del Vulture ´´Titolo´´ from Basilicata. Eight of us worked our way through the impressive last eight vintages, backwards from the 2021 Titolo to the 2014 Titolo.

2021 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo
The 2021 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo is impossible to ignore with a classic bouquet that blends tart black fruits and citrus tones with exotic spices, incense and crushed ashen stone. Seamless and silky in feel, this is elegant to the core. Crisp red and black berries cascade across a mix of tactile mineral tones and zesty acidity. It’s only through the finish where its tannins make themselves known, crunchy and edgy, yet somehow perfect freshness is maintained. The 2021 tapers off with licorice and sage nuances.

2020 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo
It’s almost impossible to pull away from the darkly alluring and utterly radiant aromatics of the 2020 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo. With each swirl, tobacco, ash and forest floor give way to crushed violets, black currants and mint candies. It washes across the palate like pure silk, at first pliant and soothing, yet quickly gains a more tactile crunch, as mineral-tinged fruits saturate, and savory herbal tones resonate throughout. The 2020 finishes structured and incredibly long with notes of salted licorice, balsamic spice and cocoa that never seem to quit; and yet, through it all, residual acids keep the mouth-watering.

2019 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo
The 2019 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo is stunning. It opens with a bit of an exotic flair, mixing smoky plum and lavender with animal musk, crushed ashen stone and a whiff of sour citrus that lights up the senses. Then it enters the palate silky and pliant, quickly gaining in youthful tannic tension, but not before providing a preview of mentholated herbal tones and depths of mineral-laden dark fruits that will take center stage after a few years of cellaring. This finishes incredibly long yet structured, leaving a staining of primary concentration to linger under an air of pretty inner florals and savory spice.

2018 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo
There’s no mistaking the masses of pure, mineral-laden, musky Aglianico del Vulture fruit that wafts up from the 2018 Titolo. It’s dark, with violet florals and smoke smoldering in the glass. The silky and pliant textures within wash a polished wave of mineral-tinged black fruits and savory exotic spices across the palate with ease, propelled by zesty acidity. Grippy tannins emerge, yet the mouth waters as a salty flourish lingers, along with hints of licorice and lavender.

2017 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo
It’s hard to pull away from the 2017 Titolo, as it comes in waves with balsam herbs, menthol and cloves up front, giving way to plum skins, dried cherries and dusty rose. This rushes the palate with full-bodied weight and velvety textures, contrasted by masses of tart red and black berries, minerals and exotic spice. There’s so much density and complexity within which only time will fully reveal, yet still there’s so much to take in already today. Cheek-puckering tannins and licorice-tinged black currants that mingle throughout.

2016 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo
Smoky black fruits, crushed stone, animal musk, mint leaf, dried flowers and a hint of clove create a thrilling display as the 2016 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo opens in the glass. Its silky textures flood the palate, motivated by stimulating acidity, giving way to polished black fruits, inner herbal tones and peppery spice. The 2016 is persistent and savory with lingering minerality and remnants of fine tannin. My personal favourate of the evening if one had to choose just one wine.

2015 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo
The 2015 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo is gorgeous and geared toward the lover of all things earth and mineral. Here I’m finding a blend of ripe cherry, violets, crushed stone and ash, giving way to hints of dried orange peel and animal musk. The silky textures are contrasted by balsamic tinged red berries, inner florals and marine-inspired minerality. The 2015 is energetic and spicy to the core, more like food than wine. This tapers off long, zesty and vibrant, with saturating black fruits and tannins that come in late but linger for over a minute. This wine is a happy beast.

2014 Aglianico del Vulture Titolo
Bright purple-ruby. A strong balsamic note complements the dark plum, black cherry and sweet spice aromas and flavors. Lively and juicy; a fresh mineral tang lifts and focuses the steely, mineral fruit flavors and extends them on the bright, floral-accented finish. Outstanding wine that showcases just how wrong it is to extrapolate about vintages in too general a manner. Yes, the 2014 vintage was a very rainy one in Italy, and many red wines are forgettable. However, the rainy weather was not as much of a problem on the Vulture.

In stock today lying ex London City Bond VT, we have these wines to offer you:

2016 Aglianico del Vulture ‘Titolo’ Elena Fucci
17 Bottles @ £29 per bottle, 12 Magnums @ £150 per magnum, 2 Double Magnums  @ £335 per magnum

2013 Aglianico del Vulture ‘Titolo’ Elena Fucci
2 magnums @ £195 per magnum

– Prices are quoted here in GB£ ‘Under Bond’ ex local taxes & shipping/delivery –