WTN: 2004 Antonio Caggiano Aglianico dell'Irpinia Tarì IGT Taurasi Italy.

WTN: 2004 Antonio Caggiano Aglianico dell'Irpinia Tarì IGT Taurasi Italy. 100% Aglianico; 13.5% alcohol. $9.00 a glass at Endless Vnes. Marc de Grazia Selections.

Intense ruby red color, medium hue, very good aroma of black fruits, chocolate, tobacco, a bit of early, restrained fruit and chocolate flavors, very good tannins, medium mouth feel, long finish with soft fruit and chocolate notes. [The distributor calls the wine "quite tannic", but there was almost no tannin in a newly opened bottle a week ago. The distributor's description was spot on today.]

I enjoy Aglianico both young and old, and this was a very good example of a powerful wine with great promise for further development. Worked wonderfully well with a rich eggplant parm where the tannins offset the sweetness of the new tomato sauce. EGA equal to the aroma of the wine. 4*.

Incidentally, Steve Tanzer had an interesting take on the variations in this wine compared with others in the stable.

Ruby-red color. Sweet nose of ripe red cherry, licorice and black pepper, with hints of violet and tar. Bright and fresh in the mouth, with high-pitched flavors of red fruits and spices. A well-made if simpler version of aglianico that shows just how versatile this grape can be. In fact, it loses none of its charm in this "Hugh Grant" rendition, as opposed to the highly successful Schwarzenegger-like behemoths it is also capable of producing.

My first glass was certainly a Hugh Grant; my second was Hugh Grant after taking steroids for a few weeks.