Aglianico Donnaluna 2019, De Conciliis

Originally this wine was named "Donna Lee," after the famous Charlie Parker song, but “Donnaluna” just sounds more Italian... There are beautiful aromas of crushed violet, a little cigar box, and ripe brambly fruits. The palate is medium-full, with velvety tannins and a super long finish. There's even a touch of iodine on the wine thanks to the winery's location in Cilento, very close to the sea in southern Campania.

About the Winery

De Conciliis is located in the relatively uncharted Cilento zone on the Campania coast. The vineyards are situated atop high-altitude cliffs looking out on the Mediterranean, De Conciliis specializes in full-bodied, fruit-forward wines from Aglianico, which, in the relatively hot climate of the Cilento, makes wines that are a little more accessible than young wines from Taurasi. The signature red is the 100% Aglianico ‘Naima’ (named for the famous John Coltrane song).

De Conciliis's philosophy is that the first thing is to respect nature; respect the land. This means the lowest possible use of chemicals and a move to organic and then biodynamic viticulture. The second thing is to respect the culture of the area. Every area expresses its own material culture – not only what people eat and drink, but the local relationship of humans to the earth. The third thing is to respect the people who do the work. De Conciliis is located in one of the poorest areas of Campania. Part of their effort is to re-hire workers, pay them a real wage, and guarantee them year-round work.