DONNACHIARA

 

CAMPANIA, ITALY

 

Opulent, complex, highly rated, long-lived Italian wine—are you thinking of Brunello or Barolo? While we love these regions as much as you do, today we’re featuring an Italian region that should be on your radar for amazing price-to-quality ratio (if it isn’t already). Campania offers a glorious treasure trove of indigenous grapes and age-worthy wines and has become more recognized over the past few years thanks to wineries like Donnachiara receiving press in top publications; Wine Advocate recently named three of their wines as top values. Donnachiara has been producing wines from Irpinia, located in the heart of Campania in the Apennine foothills, since the early 2000s, though the region itself has been producing wines since Etruscan times. In a blind tasting, today’s featured wines tricked us and we called them all significantly more expensive than reality: the lineup overdelivers, offering up powerful layers of flavor and complexity at price points that seem almost too good to be true! With our mix and match Concierge pricing, you too can experience the best of Campania at a super-sharp price. 

 

Taurasi DOCG is widely known as the “Barolo of the South,” but local winemakers claim the region’s winemaking history long surpasses Barolo’s. I wish I had time to take a deep dive into why the Nebbiolo of Barolo has achieved international fame and the Aglianico of Taurasi is only slowly entering the world stage, but the important takeaway is that Taurasi wines are incredibly powerful and built to age. The 2015 vintage has matured beautifully since bottling, and delivers silky tannins and evolved flavors of dark berry, plum, leather, and toasty spice. The flagship 2017 Irpinia Aglianico is not to be overlooked: it’s equally concentrated, if more youthful, but is easy to enjoy now with decanting. Aglianico wines are praised for boldness that is balanced by finesse and lively acidity, and Donnachiara seems to have perfected this dance. The wines are big, but incredibly vibrant and full of life. 

 

Though the reds of Irpinia often command more attention, its whites deserve praise as well. Greco di Tufo is a difficult grape to grow and winemaking requires meticulous management; wines can range from crisp and fruit driven to fleshy, rich, and mineral driven with notable aging potential. The 2018 Donnachiara Greco di Tufo is intensely smooth and elegant, offering bold aromatics and notes of pear, white apricot, and pineapple. This wine is so immediately delicious and easy to drink, you’ll want a few bottles on hand because we predict the first one will disappear quickly. And with our one-week-only Concierge prices, best to stock up on all these “hidden gems” (that probably won’t stay hidden for long).

 

 

*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in 8-12 weeks. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in CT, IL, LA, NY, TN, or WI. This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Tuesday, December 10, 2019.