Radici del Sud – 200+ tasting notes

Malvasia Nera. Just mid ruby with broad orange tinged rim. Round but with white pepper notes, red fruit orange. Typical. Supple fruit with just enough acidity. Tannic structure. A little warm on the finish, but has real personality. (WS) 14%

48% Nero di Troia, 52% Montepulciano. Purplish ruby. Soft, sweet blueberry fruit but in the grip of some pretty hefty tannins, turning it a little dry on the finish. (WS) 13.5%

Montepulciano. Mid-deep ruby with orange rim. Already mature on the nose. Savoury palate with the first hints of tobacco. Soft fruit with a good dose of acidity but a little stalky on the finish. (WS) 13.5%

Susumaniello. Quite deep ruby youthful looking. Seductive oak and sweet but fresh fruit nose. A little international. Much more oaky on the palate. The fruit handles it well, but at the cost of originality. Grainy tannic finish. (WS) 13.5%

Nero di Troia. Mid ruby with violet tinge. Sweet and beguiling raspberry and a little chalky. Almost intense raspberry and blueberry fruit with a load of stalky tannin on the finish, but that is Nero di Troia for you. Good length and grip. And certainly has the potential to age. Internationally moulded. (WS) 12.5%

Nero di Troia. Youthful violet tinged ruby. Interesting nose, and a little old fashioned, iron and orange. Full sweet attack and richness on the mid palate. Then quite tannic. Round and supple fruit framed by quite a mouthful of tannin. Ends just a little dry. (WS) 13.5%

Nero di Troia. Just mid ruby with violet tinges. Intense and sweet and just at the right side of overripeness. Rather obvious vanilla notes. Quite sweet vanilla and dark fruit but there is acidity too. A little too popularly moulded for my taste. (WS) 12.5%

Nero di Troia. Impenetrable deep crimson. Interesting but reluctant to open up. Genuinely different from the rest. Highish acidity cutting through a blueberry palate. Quite tannic but not dry. This will need a little age to really shine. (WS) 13%

Nero di Troia. Mid ruby with violet tinges. Not hugely expressive on the nose. Soft fruit which struggles a little with the big tannic charge. (WS) 13.5%

Nero di Troia. Impenetrable ruby. Formulaic vanilla and dark fruit nose. Soft vanilla drenched fruit on the palate. (WS) 14%

Nero di Troia. Mid crimson. Malt and iron, red fruit and a streak of greenness. There is some nice fruit here, but it seems a tad underripe and a little astringent on the finish. (WS) 13%

Nero di Troia. Mid ruby with orange rim. Delightfully rustic and old fashioned with a big load of tannins. Ripe fruit that already is ageing. Long but tannic. Rustic! (WS) 13.5%

Consultant is Luigi Moio. Mid ruby showing the first orange tinges. Red fruit and liquorice and just a touch of oak. Quite young and a little closed but there is depth. Compact muscular tannins, and complex fruit on the finish. Well made. (WS) 13.5%

Nero di Troia. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Quite balsamic with a hint of camphor. Supple fruit palate without enormous depth. Quite dry tannins, that are a bit of a chore. (WS) 13%

Nero di Troia. Mid ruby, just beginning to show some orange tinges. A little sweet and just at the right side of overripeness on the palate. Red fruit with lifted acidity and a little oak on the finish. Quite tannic, but otherwise not too demanding. (WS) 13%

Nero di Troia. Quite deep ruby with orange tinges. Pretty nose of soft fruit with a leafy edge and vanilla. The palate is slightly dominated by that sweet vanilla and the fruit seems just a little overripe. (WS) 14%

Nero di Troia. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Rustic leathery nose. Fruit is sweet but suppressed. Dry tannins. (WS) 14%

Nero di Troia. Almost impenetrable ruby with orange tinges. The international mould of superripe fruit and oak. Opulence soaked in vanilla, and the oak adds drying tannins to the finish. Old new school. (WS) 14.5%

Negroamaro. Youthful mid ruby. Quite intensely sweet on the nose and a little leathery. Supple fruit at first, then rather stalky tannins. (WS) 13%

Negroamaro. Deep ruby with the beginning of orange on the nose. Distinct iron and orange peel and balsamic cherry. Beginning of tobacco leaf. Sweet vanilla and red fruit with a lively spurt of acidity. Nose more original than the palate, but undeniably attractive and well balanced and juicy. (WS) 13%

Negroamaro. Palish ruby. Sweet fragrant, playful strawberry nose. Quite light palate, like the wine was only very briefly fermented on the skins. Easy glugging. (WS) 12.5%

Negroamaro. Concentrated ruby with the beginning of orange tinges. Full throttle posh oak nose, and already maturing with the first signs of tobacco leaf. A little overripe too. Very soft vanilla fruit. (WS) 13.5%

Negroamaro. Deep crimson. Waxy vanilla fruit, and the oak adds dryness to the tannins. A shame really, as the fruit is supple, but the finish is all oak aromas. (WS) 13.5%

Negroamaro. Mid ruby with the beginning of orange. Balsamic and a little green on the nose with quite rustic acidity and tannins on the palate. (WS) 14%

Negroamaro. Almost impenetrable ruby. Modern but well grafted sweet fruit and oak. Perhaps a little too ripe, but the palate is supple enough. (WS) 14.5%

Negroamaro. Concentrated mid ruby. A little vegetal on the nose at the beginning. Beef stock. Locked-in sweet fruit and a little astringent on the finish. (WS) 14%

Deep ruby with orange tinges. Oak spice and a hint of fennel seed. Fruit is a little tarted up by the oak. But the palate is easy and accessible, with a dollop of stalky tannin on the finish. I am curious to know what this costs. (WS) 14.5%

Negroamaro. Impenetrable blackish purple. Rich, sweet dense vanilla pod fruit. Superripe fruit and vanilla cream. When ‘overoaked’ is a clear wine fault. (WS) 14.5%

Negroamaro. Mid ruby with the beginning of orange on the rim. A little old fashioned with balsamic notes and hint of bell pepper and tobacco leaf, and not really fruity. Touch of oak too. The fruit is a little underripe and it all ends quite dry. (WS) 15%

Negroamaro. Deep, youthful ruby. A little recipe-like with very ripe fruit and hints of oak but it is not too dividing.  Palate shows ripe strawberry fruit and there is real unity between fruit, acidity and a wave of grainy tannins. Very easy to like and well made. Modern. (WS) 15%

80% Negroamaro, 20% Malvasia Nera. Deep ruby with orange tinges. A little subdued and understated on the nose and with oak notes and iron. Tightly woven fruit with acidity building up on the finish. Succulence and with tannic grip on the finish. (WS) 13.5%

90% Negroamaro, 10% Malvasia Nera. Impenetrable, almost blackish ruby. Compact and a little herbal, notes of capsicum and oak. Rich fruit impact and soft oak notes, and that sweet oak determines the finish. Consumer friendly, but on the verge of being overoaked. (WS) 14%

50% Negroamaro, 50% Primitivo. Primitivo used as softening agent for the tough Negroamaro tannins? Pretty much impenetrable dark ruby. Sweet rich fruit and just a little overripe. Quite dense and ripe with just enough acidity. Very forthcoming, and no surprises here. (WS) 14%

80% Negroamaro, 20% Malvasia Nera. Dark ruby with orange tinges. A little candied on the nose but not really open fruit. Dangerously ripe and tannic. (WS) 14.5%

Negroamaro. Mid ruby and beginning to mature. Pronounced iron and very peppery on the nose, then huge oak impact. Rather dense on the palate, with the oak notes only interrupted by stalky tannins. Perhaps this may come round? Clumsy oak management. (WS)

15%

80% Negroamaro. 20% Montepulciano. Mature looking mid ruby with orange rim. Clearly mature tobacco leaf nose, but there are notes of cherry and herbs too. Leather. Succulent palate but could be a little more concentrated. (WS) 13%

Negroamaro. Just mid ruby with orange rim. Developed nose with hints of oak but with some depth and a  mid bodied feel on the palate. Would have benefited from an earlier release when there was still a little more fruit. (WS) 13.5%

80% Negroamaro, 20% Malvasia Nera. Deep ruby with the beginning of orange. Just little candied and with notes of oak and a touch of shoe polish. Much more depth on the palate with supple and succulent fruit with grip. (WS) 13.5%

70% Negroamaro, 15% Sangiovese, 15% Malvasia Nera. Impenetrable dark ruby. Pronounced and quite rich on the nose. A mouthful of dense, sweet fruit underlined by oak. Not really original, but sure to make some friends. (WS) 14%

Negroamaro. Mid ruby with orange rim. Overpoweringly malty and with little space for anything else on the nose. Meaty and bretty. Very sweet and without any depth. Spiky acidity and then a bag of coffee beans. Goodness … (WS) 14.5%

Negroamaro. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Raisiny nose and stewed on the palate, but surprisingly there is still acidity …(WS) 14.5%

90% Negroamaro, 10% Malvasia Nera. Maturing ruby with orange rim. Leathery/bretty and hints of iron. Not very precise on the palate either, with the acidity sticking out. Too long in cask? (WS) 13%

Negroamaro. Mid ruby with orange rim. Nutty and malty and a little stewed. Dense, sweet fruit that seems much more youthful on the palate than on the nose. (WS) 14.5%

Magliocco. Mid crimson. Leafy sweet raspberry and cherry fruit, almost a little like Friuli Cabernet but without the herbaceousness, followed by a load of crunchy tannins. Quite classy. Am very curious to see this age. (WS) 13.5%

Magliocco. Deep ruby with the beginning of orange on the nose. Pretty nose of oak and leafy fruit and already a little mature. Still a bit closed on the fruit on the palate and the tannins and acidity make it a little austere. Long perfumed finish with hints of oak. (WS) 12.5%

Magliocco, Greco Nero. Deep crimson. A little bit balsamic from the wood and a touch leathery. Succulent on the palate and with oak on the finish. Tannic but long. (WS) 13%

Magliocco. Youthful mid ruby. Vanilla, leather, spicy fruit. Just a touch of overripeness? Concentrated sweet strawberry fruit and almost a little jammy. The obvious oak makes it just a tiny bit banal on the finish, as well as a little dry. (WS) 13.5%

Magliocco. Mid ruby with the first orange tinges turning up. Balsamic spice and vanilla nose, but otherwise closed. Richly fruity and hugely concentrated. Jammy finish. There is something herbal on the finish. (WS) 14%

Magliocco Canino. Just mid ruby with watery orange tinged rim. Grubby and a little green on the nose. Sweet then piercing acidity and dry tannin. Fragrant finish and quite light bodied. Potential, but still some work to be done. (WS) 13%

Mid ruby. Spicy with notes of damson. Succulent and quite light and with tannic grip on the finish. (WS) 13%

Mid crimson. A little stalky and reductive at first. Concentrated spicy fruit with a big dollop of tannins. Good length of sweet fruit but ends a little dry. (WS) 13.5%

Mid ruby, youthful looking. Sweetly perfumed on the nose with a hint of liquorice. Juicy fruit with grainy tannin. Supple with good length. Well made. Elegant but for some it just may mean ‘light’. (WS) 13%

Nero d’Avola. Mid crimson. Pronounced leafy strawberry and damson nose. Rich fruit but with a leafy undertone and with a rustic tannic structure. Perhaps just a little underripe? (WS) 13.5%

Nero d’Avola. Violet crimson. Pronounced, lifted nose of raspberry and softly spicy. Quite bold tannin – could be the oak, and lifted fresh acidity framing a perfumed finish. Elegant. (WS) 13.5%

Mid to deep ruby with orange tinges. Quite oxidised and with notes of oak (two samples tasted). Stewed fruit and dry tannins on the finish. Clumsy. (WS) 13.5%

Salvo Foti is Castellaro’s consultant. Corinto, Nero d’Avola and ‘other grape varieties’. Mid crimson. Backing spice and perfumed, heady almost. Succulent fruit impact but closes up quickly behind a wall of tannins. Needs age, but shows lots of promise. (WS) 13.5%

Nero d’Avola. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Quite stalky and a little green even. Sweet fruit impact. Astringency on the finish. Might be more to come? (WS) 13.5%

Nero d’Avola. Mid crimson. Compact fruit and a little locked on the nose. Hint of tomato stalk. Generous dollop of fruit and stalky tannins on the palate. An appetising whole. (WS) 14%

Nero d’Avola. Deep crimson. Very leafy fruit with a perfumed raspberry edge. Sweet vanilla and red fruits on the palate. Popular and well made. (WS)

14%

Nero d’Avola. Mid to deep crimson. Reductive on the nose and a little sweaty. Very reluctant on the palate too with a load of drying tannins on the finish. (WS) 14%

Nero d’Avola. Impenetrable purple ruby. Clichéd oak nose. Very difficult to get past this to see the fruit. It’s all vanilla and coconut. Oak, oak, oak. Bad winemaking. (WS)

Deep ruby with orange tinges. Lifted raspberry nose and raspberry palate. Supple and not too demanding. Tannic grip and great length. (WS) 14%

Nero d’Avola. Mid ruby with orange rim. Damson and sour cherry with a hint of leather. Full sweet fruit palate with just a hint of cooked apple. Quite full bodied and should be drunk now. (WS) 14.5%

Violet crimson. Just a little leathery and a touch herbal. Hung game. Fruit in the grip of grainy tannins, but it has length. Wait. (WS)

Aglianico. Mid to deep ruby. A little herbaceous but fine. Fine Marasca cherry lifted by austere acidity. Not an easy drink. (WS) 13.5%

Aglianico. Mid crimson. Fine oak and spiced cherry nose. Generous fruit on the palate, but still very young. Tannic muscle on the finish. Good freshness too. Cilento seems very adapt for Aglianico. (WS) 14%

Aglianico, Piedirosso. Almost impenetrable crimson. The obvious sweet vanilla of oak. Quite a lot of oak on the palate too. Dry finish. (WS)

14%

Mid crimson. Just a little leathery and savoury on the nose. Quite succulent palate but the fruit has not yet come to full expression. Tannic but not rough. Has a future. (WS) 13%

Aglianico. Impenetrable violet ruby. Leafy fruit and lots of vanilla and coconut. Nothing less than a miracle that the fruit manages to rise above this on the palate. Acidity and waves of grainy tannins help to offset that huge impact of the oak a little. Shame, because the basic material looks good. (WS)

Aglianico. Just mid violet ruby. Raspberry and damson jam! Supple with a distinct mid bodied feel to it. Lots of tannin, but ends on perfumed sweet fruit. Lightweight for an Aglianico. (WS) 13%

Aglianico. Deep ruby with the beginning of orange on the rim. Just a little stewed on the nose and a hint of browning apple. Sweet impact of oak and then a little dry on the finish. All rather unbalanced. (WS) 13%

Mid ruby. A little leathery – Brett? Sweet fruit but not really coming out (yet?). Lots of chewy tannins. Brett may get in the way of ageing potential. (WS) 13%

Deep, healthy looking ruby. Pretty, lifted sour cherry nose and hints of prune and beginning to mature. Succulent and quite elegant. Big tannins but not rough. Very long, and ready now. (WS) 13.5%

Aglianico. Mid ruby with orange rim. Balsamic cherry, complex. Intense sweet fruit that seems still embryonic, and a layer of rich tannins to chew on. (WS) 13.5%

Aglianico. Impenetrable ruby. Lifted cherry nose, and with great appeal. Ripe fruit with lifted acidity and lots of grainy tannins. Drink now. (WS) 14%

Almost impenetrable ruby with orange rim. Kitchen spice, vanilla and a hint of leather. Lots of sweetly concentrated fruit well balanced by acidity and clinging tannins. (WS) 14%