Aglianico 'Zi Filicella' Ciro Picariello 2021
"Zi Filicella" is an Aglianico from Irpinia with a clean Mediterranean profile, matured for at least 24 months in steel. A floral opening of violet and roses leads to a fruity bouquet of blueberry, raspberry, and currant, with spicy and peppery notes in the background. On the palate, it flows balanced and sleek, highlighted by a beautiful tannic structure and a pleasant development on fresh and savory notes.
The Aglianico "Zi Filicella" by Ciro Picariello is a version of great expressive purity, allowing appreciation of the work of one of the most faithful Irpinian vignerons to the characteristics of the territory. It is an artisanal reality committed to enhancing local indigenous grape varieties, cultivated in some of the best areas of the region. The estate's high hill position, the old Aglianico vines managed with great care and an attentive vinification, exclusively in steel, allows for a full appreciation of the richness of a great red, in its best varietal expression.
"Zi Filicella" is an Aglianico produced by one of the most interesting wineries in Irpinia. Ciro Picariello manages a splendid estate with vineyards in different areas of the Avellino territory: 4 hectares in Summonte, 3 hectares in Montefredane, as well as a plot cultivated near Montemarano, at an altitude of about 650 meters above sea level, from which the Aglianico grapes come. The vines are about 80 years old and are raised with a traditional Avellinese fan-shaped training system, a cultivation method used before modern trellising systems became widespread. The grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and initiated into fermentation, which takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, with skin maceration and periodic pump-overs. Before bottling, the wine ages for at least 24 months in steel tanks.
The Aglianico "Zi Filicella" from Ciro Picariello's winery is a deep red, made with grapes of great richness and aromatic concentration, which allow for highlighting and enhancing the most typical varietal characteristics of Aglianico cultivated in Irpinia. In appearance, it presents a rather dark ruby red color. Rich and elegant, it captivates with aromas of blackcurrant, wild blackberry, blueberry, floral nuances, herbal and balsamic notes, delicate sensations of soft spices, and slight mineral hints of graphite. The palate is broad and decisive, with a dense tannic structure well integrated with a dense and ripe fruit, which accompanies a very persistent finish characterized by pleasant freshness.