Molise: A land to discover
If you are a curious traveler, you must put Molise on your bucket list. The area under vines is small, as is the number of inhabitants (just over 300,000), but there's a world to discover here. This isn't some advertising slogan, but a fact, as confirmed by our tastings, which took us to unknown, wild places, off the beaten track. It's a region dominated by pristine nature, authentic cuisine, and a rich archaeological patrimony.
Not just Aglianico: from the future of Tintilia, to the great white wines
Concerning the issue closest to home (wine), production focuses on plateaus between the Adriatic Sea and Campobasso, even if in the last decade several producers have pushed upwards, cultivating closer to the green mountain ranges. We are firmly convinced that tintilia (a native varietal whose name derives from "tint", due to its intense hue and rich endowment of anthocyanins) is increasingly the key to the region's success. It gives rise to wines with signature Mediterranean aromas, both in its mineral profile and in its fragrances of Mediterranean herbs. And it's also a versatile grape—the rosés being made are increasingly interesting and well defined, revealing a fine spiciness that brings their flavor to light. Aglianico also plays an important role. Here the grape is interpreted through a modern lens, with slightly shorter maceration times and the same for aging in small barrels. These changes have a lot to do with current tastes, but it's also a response to climate changes (the grapes arriving in the cellar are gradually more mature and don't need additional oxygen). On the white side, we tasted interesting versions of Falanghina, Fiano and Greco: fragrant wines and ideal companions at dinner.
As for our highest award, Di Majo Norante wins Tre Bicchieri with their Molise Aglianico Sassius from the excellent 2016 vintage: a rich, deep, Mediterranean red.
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