THE AGLIANICO “CLOWN” FROM CANTINA GIARDINO 2009 IS THE MOST EXCITING WINE THAT WE CARRY AT THE MOMENT IN OUR SMALL PORTFOLIO. ONCE AGAIN, ANTONIO DI GRUTTOLA SHOWS ITS GENIUS.I RECENTLY OPENED A BOTTLE AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY HOW GREAT IT WAS.

80 YEAR OLD VINES CULTIVATED ORGANICALLY

THE GRAPES ARE NOT DE-STEMMED (WHOLE CLUSTER) AND THEY ARE FOOT PRESSED. NATIVE YEAST STARTS FEEDING.

THE MACERATION IS FOR 1 YEAR IN ANFORA (THE ANFORA IS HAND MADE BY DANIELA, ANTONIO’S WIFE)

AFTER 1 YEAR IN ANFORA THERE IS 1 MORE YEAR IN LARGE CHESTNUT BARRELS (THE CHESTNUT BARRELS ARE MADE IN CAMPANIA WITH LOCAL CHESTNUT…..JUST LIKE BACK IN THE DAYS)

AFTER THE YEAR IN BARREL THE WINE IS BOTTLED WITHOUT FILTRATION

NO SULPHUR IS USED DURING WINE-MAKING AND AT BOTTLING. NATURAL WINE ALL THE WAY….

THIS WINE IS FRESH, INTENSE, PURE, COMPLEX, WITH JUMPING OUT OF THE GLASS AROMAS OF DARK AND RED FRUIT, FERMENTED CHEESE, AND SMOKE.THE 1 YEAR MACERATION IN ANFORA HAS PAID BACK ON THE FRESHNESS AND PURITY AND SINCE THE WINE HAS BEEN DELICATELY  FOOT PRESSED, THERE IS NO ASTRINGENCY AND BITTERNESS. IT KEEPS GOING ON THE PALATE ALMOST EXOTICALLY AND EVERYTHING IS IN CHECK THANKS TO THE EXCELLENT ACIDITY.IT IS GREAT AND HARD TO RESIST NOW BUT IT CAN PROBABLY AGE FOR ANOTHER 10 YEARS.

IT IS A TRUE MONUMENT OF AGLIANICO D’IRPINIA THANKS AGAIN TO CLEVERNESS OF THIS NATURAL WINE-MAKING MAESTRO.