Radici del Sud is the wine contest reserved, exclusively, to the wines from southern Italy! The 10^th edition has just been closed and I have been there again to discover new wines, new names, new impressions.

I wrote of the event in general (read here), for someone who wants to know more. Today, as anticipated, I like to leave notes about the wines I have really enjoyed.

The all wines of the contest are too many for 1 day: 380 in total from 180 wineries; the winners are the top two of each of the 21 categories (identified basing on the grape variety and / or territory); the lists of the winners are 2 parallel ones as there are two juries, a national and an international one, kept separate. Here is the complete list.

I have tried some of them, here are my impressions.

AMONG THE WINNERS

• FIANO DI AVELLINO 2014 by PETILIA winery (Campania region): I have immediately appreciated the potential and I intend to drink it in a few years. Mineral, floral and recognizable, a quality much appreciated in this contest.

• “QUATTRO VENTI” GRECO TUFO 2014 by PETILIA winery (Campania) again: powerful, fresh, quite soft, it requests food. With this 2 wines, I hope to have the opportunity to tour the winery soon!

• WHITE FALERNO by VILLA MATILDE winery (Campania): full-bodied, juicy. An important wine of this region, a well known company that never disappoints.

• “QUARTARA” 2012, Fiano – COLLI DI SALERNO IGP by LUNAROSSA VINI E PASSIONE winery (Campania): a company to remember! The wine ferments in amphorae. The color is intense with golden reflections, aromas of flowers and anise, very pleasant, balanced with a touch of herbs. A beautiful confirmation for a wine I tasted more than once in recent occasions.

• “BORGOMASTRO” 2009 Aglianico Campania- Colli SALERNO IGP by LUNAROSSA VINI E PASSIONE winery: still young but quite soft, pulpy and fine. You can understand everything if you try the previous vintage, the 2008 that mr. Mario Mazzitelli, the owner, has here with him! Great nose with aromas of blacks fruits and spices. In the mouth is soft but with a freshness that leaves the mouth clean!

• “SANT’ANASTASIA” 2013 – PRIMITIVO MANDURIA DOP by BEATO winery (Puglia): international style, pleasant, easy drinking, aromas of black berries and licorice, good persistence. Organic farm owned by Beat Fahrni from Switzerland.
  

  rosè by Severino Garofalo winery (Puglia)

• GRECO DI TUFO DOCG 2013 by LE ORMERE winery (Campania): a company that I did not know but that was suggested to me by some colleagues on this occasion, an elegant wine that definitely calls for food. A very intriguing wine I was happy to approach.

• “LE BRACI” 2007 Salento Negroamaro DOC by SEVERINO GAROFANO VIGNETI E CANTINE winery (Puglia): a great wine with aromas of Mediterranean herbs and iodine; soft, a wine I cannot throw away after a sip although I am being tasting. A cellar which I really appreciate thanks to the good products –of course- and among those a beautiful rosè which is very elegant, as well as for a pleasant empathy.

• “CATA” 2012, IGT CALABRIA, by I GRECO winery: the nose has a reminiscent aromas of pepper and spices more than fruit. Interesting, well-balanced. A well-spread winery of Calabria region that is contributing to the regional renaissance. Also their rosé is interesting (still from Gaglioppo grapes) with a very elegant color.
• “LALUCI” GRILLO-SICILIA DOC 2014 by BAGLIO DEL CRISTO DI CAMPOBELLO winery: a wine obtained by a light maceration with the skins, I am struck by its elegance. It offers a tropical aroma which reminds pineapple, very mineral. A wine (Grillo in general) that I love and that with this company is at its best.
  

  Baglio del Cristo di Campobello

BETWEEN THE NOT REWARDED WINES

• ASTRONI winery (Campania). It is the first company that I want to mention in this second list. The quality of their products is very high along with the charm of the estate and the effort to promote the territory. I like the all of their wines from an already superb “basic” Falanghina dei Campi Flegrei (typical grape of the area in Napoli district) with aromas of hydrocarbons typical of this volcanic area. Then there also is Falanghina called “Vigna Astroni” (I had the vintage 2013) with aromas of ripe fruit, complex, very mineral; not to mention Falanghina “Strione”, partially matured in wood, a top wine, complex, full, not to be missed. Finally the typical red of the area, Piedirosso for which I leave only one comment: in general this is a wine I do not prefer, one of the few exceptions is the one produced by this winery!

• BLANC DE NOIR “COME D’INCANTO” by CANTINE CARPENTERE winery (Puglia): Apulian company that I visited recently and which I appreciated a lot (as I wrote already in the report of their area near Bari city). All wines are clean, stylish, well-made but once again I would like to mention the wine made from a white vinification of the red Nero di Troia, absolutely unusual, it’s truly intriguing, with a certain body, fine.

• GRILLO 2012 by FERRACANE winery in Marsala (Sicily): with a good permanence on the skins which makes it more concentrated. It has floral aromas and a light aromatic touch, fruity.

• FIANO by CIRO PICARIELLO (Campania): it is always a confirmation and a pleasure to meet the owner (mr. Ciro) and his wife, their affability is reflected in their wine that I would define typical and with personality such as the territory (Irpinia, inland of Campania) they represent.

• SALVATORE MAGNONI winery (Campania): a great discover at this edition of Radici del Sud, very very interesting. We first drink “Rosso del Ciliegio”, Aglianico 2013: vinous, with lots of fruit on the nose that is confirmed while drinking, very soft. It is beautiful also the other one called “Primalaterra” still from Aglianico of Cilento grapes, vintage 2012 with aromas of red fruits on the nose; very pleasant and refreshing on the finish. Hope to meet them soon again.

• SINERGIA DEI SENSI. A beautiful project born in Puglia region that unites 3 different companies for the
  

  2 for sinergia dei sensi

  production of 2 wines (Puglia Primitivo IGP,  Red Puglia IGP) and that arise from the synergy and then from the grapes of different wineries: Antica Enotria, Agricola Pietraventosa, Vinicola Savese, Vinicola Panama. The wines are very pleasant and congratulations for such an initiative!

• ESTROSA, rosè by PIETRAVENTOSA winery (Puglia), it has been rewarded in the past by Radici del Sud itself and which is a confirmation year by year. Brava Marianna (the owner)!

• CAPASONATO by VINICOLA SAVESE winery (Puglia): a unique wine from Primitivo grapes which has waited for about 30 years in terracotta containers!! A wine born by change, a very limited production as you can easily imagine. I had the pleasure and the fortune to try it on this occasion with great surprise and excitement! Tasting it you never imagine it is 30 years old! The fruit is overripe but does not give up yet! It is very very soft, with a toasted aroma on the finish which reminds me coffee candies, it is complex and certainly persistent. Meditation wine for sure!