2014 Cantine Marisa Cuomo Furore Rosso Costa d'Amalfi 750 ml

A “Drop-Dead Gorgeous” Red from the Stunning Amalfi Coast

Rarely do you find a wine region where the beauty of the area is equaled to the quality of its wines. Santorini in Greece is one of them. Another is Stellenbosch in South Africa. But if we had to choose, the region that hits the highest mark for beauty AND quality is the Amalfi Coast in the DOCG dense wine region of Campania.

South of Italy’s pizza epicenter, Naples, in the region of Campania, the Costa d’Amalfi is its own appellation, with three distinct subzones: Furore, Ravello, and Tramonti. Its beauty will catch your breath: near-vertical, vertigo-inducing vineyards and lemon groves that come crashing down sheer cliffs toward the Mediterranean sea. The coastal soils are rich in limestone deposits, and cool Mediterranean nights help to stabilize both color and aromas of the Aglianico and Piedirosso grapes.

The origins of the Aglianico grape date back at least to ancient Greece, and it’s considered the wine grape whose roots stretch back the furthest into our prehistory. Its vines have been spidering through the limestone soils on the warm slopes of the Amalfi Coast for at least 28 centuries.

In the last decade, critics have acknowledged that it is not only among the oldest but the greatest of Italian grapes, rightfully deserving a place alongside Nebbiolo and Sangiovese. In great vintages, the most powerful expressions of Aglianico provide a depth and structure that rival the finest reds of Italy. Along the Amalfi Coast, Aglianico is blended with the local variety, Piedirosso, a grape deep ruby in color with soft tannins. This blend creates an expression truly unique to the Amalfi Coast. You could call this a “Bordeaux blend” of southern Italy, if Aglianico is Cabernet to Piedirosso’s Merlot.

Marisa Cuomo is the finest producer in the region, loved by wine lovers and journalists alike. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate says she’s “making drop-dead gorgeous wines” and we couldn’t agree more.

Italy’s 2014 vintage was difficult in many areas but not Campania, where the late-ripening grapes of Aglianico and Piedirosso benefited from the long growing season. The high-elevation coastal vineyards of Marisa Cuomo’s estate are perfectly arranged on the stone-walled terraces at 980 to 1,300 feet above sea level. The combination of elevation, ocean currents, and high-pressure systems protected the grapes from the rot and mildew we’ve found in many southern Italian wines in 2014.

91 points from Antonio Galloni's Vinous for this "lovely midweight red." Piercing aromas of red cherry, blackberry, and crushed black pepper. Fleshy and silky palate with sweet flavors of blackcurrant, red cherry, dried herbs, and licorice fan out like a peacock’s tail on the finish. This is delicious and will drink over the next 15 years.  

Marisa Cuomo is without a doubt the greatest winegrower along the breathtaking Amalfi Coast. The lion’s share of the American allocation of her wines is set aside for the likes of NYC’s Del Posto, Marea, and the Four Seasons. Just 360 bottles have been earmarked for WineAccess. At $23/bottle, this is A STEAL — one of the most soulful southern Italian reds we tasted this year. Shipping included on 6.