Of the world’s noble grape varieties, Aglianico is probably the least known. Oenologist Denis Dubourdieu identifies it with the famous Falerno wine, which was praised by the Roman author Pliny. He comes to the conclusion that ‘Aglianico is probably the grape with the longest consumer history of all’. For a long time, it was assumed that Aglianico had Greek origins (as a corruption of ‘vitis hellenica’), but DNA tests have proven this to be a legend. Instead, according to research by Professor Attilio Scienza, the name derives from the Spanish ‘llano’ (for ‘plain’). A ‘wine from the plain’, so to speak, from ‘on the doorstep’ for the Spanish lords in Naples, who conquered Campania in the 15th century. Italy specialist Ian D’Agatha ranks the ‘Barolo of the south’, as Aglianico is sometimes called, alongside Nebbiolo and Sangiovese as one of the three greatest Italian varieties.
The Paterico from Gian Luca Mazzella
In view of these conditions, it is surprising that no Aglianico has yet managed to establish itself permanently among the international wine elite. After all, there have been wines from the DOC Taurasi in particular that have already made headlines. In August 2010, Antonio Galloni awarded the 1982 Taurasi Riserva from the Mastroberardino winery 97 points on ‘Robert Parker՚s Wine Advocate’. He also mentioned it in the same breath as the 1982 Barolos from Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa and the Brunellos from Gianfranco Soldera and Pertimali. My colleagues from ‘FINE – Das Weinmagazin’ had also organised legendary Taurasi tastings. Gian Luca Mazzella, a former wine journalist, wine consultant and with family roots in Campania, then became very familiar with the region. He eventually bought 3.5 hectares of old Aglianico vineyards (he later leased another 2.5 hectares) and built a small winery. He then bottled his first wine, Paterico, from the 2019 harvest in September 2023.
Gian Luca Mazzella, a former theology student, has staged his project very eloquently. There is a ‘manifesto’ from him, his ‘credo’ so to speak, which talks extensively about his personal passion. And it might have been even more convincing if the visionary gesture had been presented in a less pathetic way. And it would have contained less marketing bling of the ‘Wine making is a journey’ variety. Because Mazzella actually has a couple of arguments on his side. Firstly, Aglianico is the latest ripening grape variety in Italy, with harvests lasting well into November, which greatly supports the formation of aromas and phenols. In addition, its grapes grow in the Irpinia sub-zone at an altitude of over 500 metres in relative coolness. The vines are old. In one parcel there stand even 111-year-old ungrafted vines from the pre-phylloxera period. The cellar is non-interventionist and Mazzella does not use new barriques.
The tasting of the 2019s
Mazzella’s German importer WeinArt had now invited winemaker and wine to Germany. The aim was to show how Paterico, as the first modern fine wine from southern Italy, can compete with the top wines of Europe. To get straight to the point: It failed. For various reasons. Firstly, WeinArt had put together a very impressive phalanx of wines from France, Italy and Spain from the same 2019 vintage. In their own way, they all embodied the oenological state of the art. This began with a very strong Bordeaux pairing. Montrose was already quite a statement, very defined, yet dense and powerful, but warm and seamless. Haut-Brion was then less powerful, almost light-footed, but delicate and wonderfully complex. Ornellaia conveyed an idea of the ‘New World’ with its luxurious texture. Solaia was then even warmer, with softer acidity and more strongly characterised by new wood. After some aeration, the Pingus followed spectacularly. An elixir of the purest velvet, with tannins out of this world.
And the Paterico? Dense, powerful and complex in its own way. But a wine from another era: with phenolics and acidity to the max. And without balance and elegance. The winemaker himself proudly refers to the ultra-low yields of 9 to 11 hectolitres per hectare. And he mentions the enormously long maceration of four months, with the several pumping over and punching down several times a day. The result is impressively concentrated wines that are, however, out of balance. This was once a trend in the nineties – whereas today finesse and a perfect texture thanks to sophisticated phenol management are the top priorities. The wine also showed traces of volatile acidity and even a slight acetone note, which is also a no-go today. A Vosne-Romanée Aux Brulées from Méo Camuzet, one of the most beautiful wines at the tasting, presented itself as a real counterpoint. A Burgundy full of freshness, which combined multi-layered complexity with enormous drinking pleasure.
The following 2020 vintage
The menu was accompanied by a barrel sample of the second Paterico 2020 vintage. Like its predecessor, it is a classic Taurasi Riserva DOCG and actually needs to mature for four years – it had not yet had time to do so. The wine is a clear step forward for the winery, more tamed in its tannins and acidity, more fleshy and at the same time more ‘relaxed’ in its flavour. The direct comparison was also easier: the spicy Clos de la Roche from the same year from Felettig in the magnum did not shine with its somewhat rough tannins to the same extent as the Méo-Camuzet. The well-aged double magnum (!) Château Cheval-Blanc from 1999 finally reminded us that the ‘proof of time’ is one of the indispensable conditions of fine wine.
The tasting left (not only) me somewhat perplexed. There exist 3,151 bottles from the 2019 vintage. The price in Germany for end customers is already around 350 euros for the premiere vintage. Reaching the price level of some of Europe’s top wines from a standing start is a relatively new pricing strategy. In the past, winemakers of ‘exotic potential grape varieties’ such as Sagrantino or Tannat had to fight for years or even decades before their top cuvées could cross the 100 euro threshold. In addition, the luxury segment is currently struggling, as the Liv-ex analyses of the last few quarters show. Not an easy time for newcomers.
On the other hand, it is certainly too early to write off the Paterico too soon. When Moët Hennessy presented the first 2013 vintage of Ao Yun from Yunnan, China, nobody could have guessed how well the wine would develop in later vintages. Of course, there is no corporation with deep pockets behind Paterico, but there are people with expertise who believe in it. It is to be hoped that Gian Luca Mazzella has the stamina to continue working on his wine for many years to come. I would love to see a vertical in ten years’ time!
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Stefan Pegatzky / Time tunnel Images
