“Wine lovers owe it to themselves to hunt down Fucci’s knockout Aglianico del Vulture Titolo, as it ranks with the best that Italy has to offer.” – Vinous

On Monday, during our Cyber Monday Marathon, you may have caught a glimpse of the Superiore Riserva bottling from this famed producer. Our guest and friend Robert Hunt (winemaker for Anderson Conn Valley among others) remarked that he had a ten-year vertical of THIS wine and raved about it.

He’s not alone. 96 POINTS from Vinous for this “luxuriously smooth” thoroughbred. Plus, our fawning adoration, if that counts for anything.

While the Superiore clocked in near $70, you can get the “normale” bottling for half that. Yet there’s nothing “normal” about this. It’s more “animale” with its wild complexity. And our “radicale” price puts this within reach of everybody who wants to experience something TOTALLY different from the norm.

Per Vinous, “There are moments in life when you immediately realize you have stumbled upon something or someone special… I have followed Elena Fucci from the very beginning, and I find them to be powerful yet remarkably refined, with deep aromas and flavors of red cherry, minerals, and botanical herbs obvious in most vintages. The oak is always marvelously integrated. While the wines undoubtedly reflect each vintage’s unique conditions, they also always display a suave mouthfeel that is Titolo’s true signature… Wine lovers owe it to themselves to hunt down Fucci’s knockout Aglianico del Vulture Titolo, as it ranks with the best that Italy has to offer.”

At our $37 price it should be declared THE best value of the best from Italy.

Feeling intimidated or wary of Aglianico?

If you like your wines deep, rugged, tongue-staining with meaty savoriness, wild roasted herbs and dense, dark fruit, you will absolutely love it.

In an ode to this unique volcanic-bred variety, Eric Asimov of The New York Times assures that “Among its many charms, Aglianico is versatile, able to make wines that are delicious when young as well as those that can benefit from years, even decades, in the cellar.”

Ian d’Agata of Vinous, in his Native Wine Grapes of Italy book, praises Aglianico; “Along with Nebbiolo and Sangiovese, it is generally believed to be one of Italy’s three best wine grapes, but in my opinion, it is far more: At the very least, it’s one of the world’s dozen or so best wine grapes.”

And Fucci is one of the handful who does it right. You must experience at least one, if not more!

96 Points – Vinous “The Titolo Classico is quite literally classic. A collage of sweet herbs, crushed rocks, underbrush, black olives, and wild berries greets the senses with a tilt of the glass. This is luxuriously smooth, with a balanced inner sweetness and a cascade of mineral tones giving way to balsamic-infused blackberries and tart cherries. It leaves a tinge of sour citrus and rosemary to offset cheek-puckering tension and edgy tannins, finishing incredibly long yet with a welcoming structure that should permit pleasurable drinking after only a few years of cellaring. Drink 2027-2038.”