2017 Terra di Lavoro

The 2017 Terra di Lavoro is wonderfully seductive in its youthful state, wafting up from the glass effortlessly, with a bouquet that mixes wild blueberries and black raspberries with sweet lavender, violet florals, and smoky spiced citrus. The 2017 takes hold of the palate with salty minerality, but not before coating everything it touches with luxurious, velvety textures, cascading ripe black fruits across the senses, and leaving a purple floral tinge. Grippy tannins frame the long and dramatic finish, resonating on dark fruits, savory spice, and lingering florals. There is really so much going on here that it’s hard to focus on just one thing; but if nothing else, it’s the salty grip of the 2017 Terra di Lavoro that boggles the mind, brimming up over the wine's intense dark fruit. Lose this for a decade in the cellar and marvel once it’s unearthed.

There’s a unique floral and herbal edge to this, in the form of peppercorns, aniseed, licorice and five spice; wait for this to open up in the glass (decanting suggested), and along comes a cohort of dark fruit in the form of dark plums, mulberries and blackcurrants. Dense and flavorful, yet wild and pretty tannins envelop the mouth, coating layers of dark fruit and painting them in colorful hues. It’s full-bodied and full-throttle, but its beauty is understated and the acidity and fruit are playful and subtle. Drink from 2026.