Drink Like a Roman Emperor with Italy’s Mythical Antique Varietal - Under $55!

Drink Like a Roman Emperor with the Riserva Icon. The Ancient Noble Varietal of Southern Italy’s Volcanic Soils and Historic 16th Century Producer Offers a Full-Bodied Alternative to Cabernet and Syrah - with History and Indigenous Integrity. Best Price - 24 Hours Only.

"Mastroberardino is the royal family of Campania. The estate's Taurasi, first produced in 1928, is a legendary wine that can rival the best from any region. The Taurasis from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, all made in a staunchly traditional style, remain benchmarks for the entire region." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

"As for the 2019 Taurasi Radici, it’s a drop-dead classic, and I am very excited to see how the Riservas will show two years from now. It will easily continue to impress for the next two decades or more. Mastroberardino remains a reference point producer in the region, with its eyes firmly set on the future."  - Eric Guido, Vinous

How do you follow up the best-selling, #5 Wine of the Year from 2023? How 'bout the "drop-dead classic" 2019 at under $55! If you follow IWM, you have heard us say it before, there are simply few wines like Campania’s high altitude, volcanic-soil-driven Taurasi produced from the ancient Aglianico varietal. The long-lived wine has fittingly earned a reputation as the “Barolo of the South,” and if you love Taurasi, or just Italian wines for that matter, the wines of Mastroberardino need no introduction. The historic family can trace its winemaking heritage back to the early 16th century and is simply one of the legendary producers of Italy that is one of the pillars of IWM. The wines of the estate are reference points for Campania, and the wines of the sixties, seventies and eighties are well-regarded as one of the giant icons of all Italian wines.

In fact, if you love Italian wine, then you know that the 1968 Mastroberardino Taurasi is simply the stuff of folklore and are part of the legendary immortal wines of Italy – right up there with the 1978 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Collina Rionda, 1985 Sassicaia, 1990 Soldera, 1955 Biondi Santi, and 1990 Le Pergole Torte. There are simply few wines like an aged Taurasi from Mastroberardino. What you might now know, it remains one of the great age-worthy values in all of wine. Well, fast forward to the present and the estate has truly recaptured its past glory with their recent releases and we are pleased to share the highly anticipated follow-up to the best-selling 2016, the Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici 2019.

Produced from the highest part of Mastroberardino’s vineyards up to a dizzying 550 meters altitude, it is one of the highest altitudes and last grapes to be picked across all of Italy. For IWM, the 2019 is an expression that captures the old school, rustic side of the noble Aglianico, while conveying a real sense of place. It is a wine that is a true rarity in the industry; under $55 and the ability to age two decades. More importantly, this truly terroir-driven wine offers a piece of history that can be enjoyed today and is simply one of the great values in wine.

FEATURED WINE: Mastroberardino and the Ancient Wines of Taurasi

Note: Wines begin to arrive in March

If you are new to Taurasi, there is something truly special about an aged-Taurasi and the region where it was born. Campania is host to a huge treasure trove of ancient grapevines, and the antique Aglianico, the primary grape behind the wine Taurasi, is the South’s most promising varietal. In the hillside villages surrounding the historic town of Taurasi, the once nearly extinct and forgotten Aglianico flourished in the region's high altitude tufaceous volcanic soils. Known as the “Nebbiolo (or Barolo) of the South,” the centuries-old Aglianico derives its name from Ellenico, a clue that the Greeks brought the powerful grape into Italy as early as 700 B.C.. The grape's resulting wine is a masculine red that — with its weight, smokey-ash minerality, tobacco, pepper and dark fruit notes — lands characteristically somewhere between a Syrah or Cabernet Franc and a Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Bordeaux’s Pessac-Leognan, but it remains uniquely Italian!

ADDITIONAL NOTES AND REVIEWS:

“Taurasi is potentially one of Italy's greatest and most important wines, named after the small town of the same name in Campania that traces its roots back to an ancient Oscan village where wine has been made since at least since 80 B.C.” – Vinous

2019 Mastroberadino Taurasi Radici (Black Label)

Christopher Deas, Italian Wine Merchants: “For IWM, Taurasi rightfully deserves a place next to Barolo and Brunello in the cellar, and for so many, the ancient wine begins and ends with Mastroberardino. No doubt it, there is a renaissance at this fabled estate and the recent releases do capture their past glories. For the 2019, this is not a pop-and-pour polished fruit driven Aglianico, and there are two essential recommendations to enjoying this wine best– let this wine breathe and have it with food. If you follow those two rules of engagement, you will love this wine as much as we do. This is a more old-world expression than say Fucci (Vulture) and Molettieri (Taurasi), with more earthy and savory notes. However, in the warm and ripe 2019 vintage, this is a large-scaled expression with explosive juicy fruit and a chewy texture. The wine begins with its formidable structure and tannins, but with a necessary decant, and once the wine calms down a little bit there is a lot to love here from this young Taurasi. With air-time, this is a wine adventure in flavors, and you can expect nuances of dried fruit and flowers, black cherries, black berries, mulberries, plum, blood orange, violets, cinnamon, white pepper, tar, crushed stones, cigar wrapper, leather, with smokey undertones. The signature drying tannic grip of Taurasi makes its presence known and we highly recommend some grilled meats to tone them down. Mastroberardino Taurasi is a wine that can truly please fans of Pessac Leognan to the Rhone Valley – while remaining uniquely Italian. It is another must for the ardent Italian wine enthusiast.”

Eric Guido, Vinous: "The 2019 Taurasi Radici is impossible to ignore, mixing cloves with incense, crushed stones and dried black cherries. This is saturating and intense, with a silken textural wave that ushers in masses of tart wild berry fruits and spices, all carried by a stream of vibrant acidity. It finishes long and youthfully tense, with a mineral tinge that lingers along with notes of black licorice and a sour cranberry crunch. In 2019, the Taurasi Radici is back to form. The new releases from Mastroberardino demonstrate this storied estate's ability to adapt to modern-day vintages...In fact, instead of coming across as sun-kissed or in any way dried out, they are notably energetic, with a beautiful purity of fruit and tannins that promise further development. When asked about global warming, Piero Mastroberardino explains, “We can now achieve soft tannins in a big Taurasi; the world has changed." Whether or not this is a good thing for the long term remains to be seen. As for the 2019 Taurasi Radici, it’s a drop-dead classic, and I am very excited to see how the Riservas will show two years from now. It will easily continue to impress for the next two decades or more...Mastroberardino remains a reference point producer in the region, with its eyes firmly set on the future." 

James Suckling: "Vivid dark ruby color, with aromas of blueberry jelly, earth, black truffles, toasted pepper and chocolate. Velvety on the palate, with juicy acidity, a full body and very good fruit concentration. Great complexity and polish in the finish. Drink or hold..."

This is an email ONLY offer!  Should you have any questions on these exciting wines, or would like to take advantage of this offer (that is only available until 11:59pm, February 19th), we are asking that orders be emailed back to chris.deas@italianwinemerchants.com , OR connect with your Portfolio Manager AND mention receipt of this offer if calling the store. All orders are subject to confirmation. IWM is not responsible for typographical errors.

All my best,

Chris