Galardi
Terra di Lavoro:
[gah-lah(l)r-dee]
Despite Campania’s relatively brief presence on the contemporary wine
scene, it operates a niche cult portfolio headlined by two producers—Fattoria
Galardi and Silvia Imparato—who share not only a similar story, but inspire
a commensurate degree of fanatic devotion on the part of collectors. Both constitute
one-wine portfolios and involve famed consultant Riccardo Cotarella’s
conceptual and viticultural guidance (in Umbria: Falesco, Lamborghini, and
Villa Fidelia; in Sicilia, Morgante; and in Emilia-Romagna, San Patrignano).
Moreover, each enjoyed recognition early in its respective career, generating
the kind of reception that wines of their initial class—the "garage"
model—usually do not merit until getting a few vintages under
their belts. Their ascendancy has been prodigious, positioning both in the
foremost echelon of Italian wine, where they share company with some of Italy’s
signature classics.
The distinguished accolades merited by Fattoria Galardi’s sole bottling—Terra
di Lavoro (“the land of labor”)—present a compelling
argument for exclusivity. Its original raison d’être, as the
hobby of three cousins, certainly belies its status as a collector’s
gem. Galardi also brings credit to the blend in question—Aglianico
and Piedirosso (80 and 20 percent, respectively): Frequent partners in a
few of Campania’s DOCs, the two used to work together in Taurasi—prior
to the establishment of DOC regulations requiring Taurasi to be pure Aglianico. Piedirosso (“red
feet”), which virtually disappeared after phylloxera devastated Campania
in the early 20th century, is similar in character to Aglianico—indeed,
many producers craft the grape in single-varietal versions. Softer in tannins
than the Aglianico grape, Piedirosso heightens the wine’s acidity and
imparts a savory quality as well as wild berry fruit.
Crafted by Cotarella since its inception in 1994, Terra di Lavoro is aged for
one year in new French oak; thereafter, it is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
A “textbook” Terra di Lavoro generally affords compelling accessibility
upon release, yet this is but a preface to a slow revelation of an extremely
complex character of multiple layers. Thus, while the serious structure is
not altogether imposing, it nonetheless requires several years of maturation
in order to permit a close and thorough reading.
|
Buy Terra di Lavoro
Wine: Red Blend
Producer: Fattoria Galardi
Varietal(s): Aglianico, Piedirosso
Region: Campania
Province: Caserta
Commune: Roccamonfina
Classification: Roccamonfina IGT
First Year: 1994
|
