This particular southern Italian red wine comes from Campania. This region is known for the aglianico grape, which, though harsh when young, evolves with some aging to become complex and elegant. Within Campania, Colli di Salerno is one of several IGT titles and encompasses primarily the hilly areas of that province, producing both red, white, and rosé wines.

The Montevetrano winery is relatively new; it was started in 1983 by a group of friends who loved wine and wanted to experiment! Among them were Silvia Imparato and Riccardo Cotarella, who remain the current owner and winemaker, respectively, to this day.

The Montevetrano Colli di Salerno Rosso 2009 is a blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, and 10% aglianico. (Despite the fact that it originates in Greece, aglianico is considered to be one of the three greatest Italian varietals, along with nebbiolo and sangiovese.) It was fermented in stainless steel and then aged fourteen months in new and second usage barrels. To the eye, it is a dark, rich red. This vintage has matured extremely well and truly come into its own. On the nose, this particular Colli di Salerno comes across with scents of dark chocolate, tobacco, licorice, and fig. It is fairly bold and very dry, yet surprisingly soft, tasting of plum, with notes of chocolate and tobacco. Well worth the wait!