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Tasting Notes
Full-bodied with plus acidity and pronounced tannin, yet all in balance. The wine has complex blackberry, eucalyptus, herbs de Provence, and leather, as well as a spiced and asphalt-tinged minerality.
Body is the impression of a wines weight, density, or its ‘mouth-feel’. Some wines feel weighty, or full bodied, while others feel light bodied. Wine runs the gamut from light to full, with most falling somewhere in between.
TANNIN
Low
Subtle
Balanced
Pronounced
High
Tannin can range greatly in wine, but it is necessary to some degree, and a necessary constituent for red wines to age well. In high amounts, it can cause a drying affect, which is sensed mostly on the gums and tongue. Tannin is a natural preservative extracted from grape skins, otherwise known as polyphenols that are micronutrients and antioxidants with potential health benefits.
ACIDITY
Soft
Subtle
Balanced
Pronounced
High
Acidity is a foundational component in wine. In fact, low acidity, or ‘flabby’ wine (as the term suggests) is a negative. You can sense acidity mainly on the sides of your tongue. Acidity generally ranges from balanced to high. Crisp acidity adds freshness, making your mouth water. Acidity is a necessary element and helps to balance other components.
SWEETNESS
Dry
Off Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Very Sweet
Most wines are characterized as dry to off-dry, but there are some grape varietals, like Riesling, that run the gamut from dry to sweet. The tip of the tongue mainly detects sweetness, which is why it is often the primary characteristic detected. Sweetness is derived from residual sugar that did not ferment into alcohol.
ALCOHOL
14.5%
Alcohol is the by-product of fermentation. Differing grape varieties have differing potential alcohol levels, but regardless warmer areas result in riper grapes resulting in higher alcohol. Alcohol level is an objective number, but its affect on its palate impression is largely determined with how well integrated and balanced it is with other components.
Powerful yet elegant and complex - not an easy feat.
GRAPE VARIETAL(S)
Aglianico
100%A-LYA-nee-co
While Aglianico has Greek origins, it is now exclusively found in Southern Italy. It produces a dark, intense, tannic wine with crisp acidity in its youth. The flavors and aromas display dark fruit with earthy and tarry nuances often indicative of the volcanic soils of Campania and Basilicata.
Giusseppe Pagano’s San Salvatore is a winery and working farm 100% powered by solar panels located in Cilento National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Campania, Italy.
San Salvatore is not just a biodynamic winery; Pagano also grows vegetables and makes bufala mozzarella from the 450 Italian buffalo that roam the estate and organically fertilize the land. They even use the dung as organic fertilizer.
The mountainous region is perfect for growing grapes—it has mineral-rich soil and the cooling effects of the Tyrrhenian Sea offset the warmth of the beautiful Campanian sun. Both red and white wines balance dense fruit with minerality, offering attractive clarity and cut on the palate.
Blackberry
Eucalyptus
Asphalt
Biodynamic
