2023 Aglianico Sannio DOC, Cantina La Guardiense, Campania, Italy

Deep red in appearance with garnet hints. Full of cherry and sweet vanilla notes from ageing in wood. This is a powerful and intense wine, with a soft tannic structure and a good finish.

The winery is situated in the Santa Lucia area of Guardia Sanframondi in the very heart of the southern Italian province of Benevento. Geographically this is part of Campania, but to understand the real identity of this land you have to fully appreciate the particular historical background of the area. This is the homeland of the ancient Samnite people, and is a land of undulating hills and plains which even has its own particular micro-climate that protects it from the excesses of heat and cold. In fact it is well protected both by the Matese mountain chain that separates it from the Molise region, and by the Taburno massif that cuts it off from the coast.

The Aglianico Sannio is aged mainly in steel tanks, with 20% aged in French oak.