The quality of the virtuous models of agriculture developed near the slopes of the Vulture volcano, now extinct, has for centuries been considered of the highest level, especially with regard to viticulture. In these lands the Aglianico grape finds one of its most suitable habitats, giving life to true enoic masterpieces, as several wineries, for a long time, have been able to show the audience of the most demanding wine lovers. Among these wineries, Elena Fucci’s winery deserves a special mention as she was born only in 2000, while Elena herself was still conducting her university studies in enology.
Generoso Fucci in fact (Elena’s grandfather) had acquired, in the 60s, some of the most renowned plots of the district, in the highest part of the Contrada Solagna del Titolo at the foot of Monte Vulture. These were six hectares of Aglianico grape, made up of plants that today are 70 years old, whose grapes were sold to larger bottlers, reserving a small part for personal use, to obtain wine for daily family consumption. The years went by and Generoso felt increasingly tiring the work in the vineyard so the family decided to put on sale such a valuable lands that potential buyers put up less than a flash to knock on the doors of the Fucci house.
It is here that our story takes a different turn because the young Elena feels the spleen of baudelairian memory and understands that you can’t let go of her hands, albeit for a lot of money, souch a precious ampelographic treasure. After finishing his studies in viticulture, and assisted by his eighty-year-old grandfather Generoso, and his father Salvatore, she decided to dedicate herself to the family vineyards, investing everything on a single wine that takes the name of the district of origin: Titolo! The awards are not long in coming and so, slowly, the production line widens to include, today, even a version refined in amphora for 18 months, and a rosé version: the Titolo By Anphora and the Titolo Pink Edition.
Having had the opportunity to taste all the three wines at a tasting I must say that I sincerely appreciated them, even if, for my very personal taste, the “original” Titolo is the one that continues to convince me the most. It is, of course, an Aglianico del Vulture doc produced according to a philosophy that rejects chemical interventions, respects the normal cycles of nature, all with the intention of enhancing to the maximum this particular strong mineral terroir, dark and rich in pozzolan. At the end of October the harvest takes place, strictly by hand, in small wooden boxes, followed by destemming, soft pressing and fermentating and macerating at controlled temperature. The obtained wine matures for 12 months in new barriques and, after bottling, ages for another 12 months in bottle, before marketing.
The 2019 vintage shows an intense and material ruby color, accompanied by an olfactory range that opens on notes of black cherry, red orange, red currant and eucalyptus, followed by pot pourri, green branch of cinchona, rhubarb and star anise, with final echoes of aromatic pipe tobacco and carpentry. The palate is endowed with a subtlety such as to put in the background the natural softness, together with a delicate tannin and a thirst-quenching freshness; all united by the return of the freshest red fruit that accompanies the sip to a remarkable length closure.
Rating: 93/100
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