Gianni Buonomo Vintners, El Dorado (Sierra Foothills, California) Aglianico 2015

 If a California Aglianico doesn’t grab your attention, it should.  Aglianico is a black grape from Campania Italy and is most known for producing incredibly powerful, earthy, and tannic Taurasi wines.  This California rendition by Gianni Buonomo is an excellent California tribute.  Mocha coffee, blackberry, orange peel, clove, and prune are just a start to the complexities of flavors that may be found in this wine.  Undoubtedly, you will find many more notes with each sip.  After three years in neutral oak and several years in the bottle, this wine is drinking incredibly well for an Aglianico – it is still a seriously big wine.  There is plenty of room to grow but, with sufficient air, this wine can easily be the highlight of your wine evening.  My only warning; the producer only made 22 cases!