A bit above my usual budget, but on sale at $23, this top wine from Taurino, the maker of some of my favorite qprs, Salice Salento and Notarpanaro, was irresistable. The bottle notes state the grapes are picked after they've dried on the vine, and that the consultant wine maker was Severino Garofano.
The cork was hardly pinked, and the wine a deep garnet, only slightly transparent. The nose did have some mild flowery aged esters I'm not experienced enough to describe. Plenty of tannin, acidity and sugar left; but the wine is quite drinkable now. It would probably profit from a number of more years.
Extremely dense blackberry and cherry, with tobacco, pepper, allspice and an odd cumin note. There was a mild wet wood like taste that I would consider a taint. Nevertheless, a real treat. If you're familiar with the Notarpanaro, this is the very much more concentrated version. In terms of concentrated flavor, a bargain when compared to most Northern Italian, French or Californian reds at this price point.