2007 Guastaferro, Taurasi Riserva, Primum (RT96) At age 18 the 2007 Primum Riserva is a beastly heavy weight, crafted from some of the oldest vines in Italy: a 1.5 hectare plot of pre-phylloxera stock grown with pergola-training of 150-220 years old. To behold this vineyard is simply amazing! Thunderous notes of black cherry liqueur, spiced dark plum, damp forest floor, used saddle leather, pan iron, black olive and volcanic ash burst from the glass. The palate is supple and deceptively ripe, with delicious fruit and ample acidity that’s masked by its massive wall of fruit. The tannins are succulent and deliciously ripe as the finish goes on forever. This is a magnificent example of the powerful depth that Aglianico can reach and should continue to cellar extremely well for the next couple of decades. Sadly, just 2,600 bottles are produced, so this is a buy it while you can wine. Drink now-2042+ Tasted November 2025
Note: this wine predates the son Raffaele’s (who runs the winery today) appearance at the winery and was crafted by the father who was mainly working to grow and sell grapes at the time. When he was unable to sell all of this grapes from the 2007 vintage he ended up keeping the pre-phylloxera grapes and crafted this wine from them. The rest is history.
Located just outside of the village of Taurasi in Piano d’Angelo, the vineyards of Guastaferro lie at 350m above sea level. This cantina has about seven hectares of volcanic vineyards cultivated with Aglianico along with a small amount of a rare white variety called Grecomusc’. Most of the vines are old, by all standards, ranging between 40 and 80 years old, but the most impressive plot, covering 1.5 hectares, contain some of the oldest pre-phylloxera vines in the world ranging between 150 and 220 years old. From this vineyard, the winery produces the legendary Primum Riserva. Fast forward to 2013, when after the son Raffaele’s university studies in Agricultural Sciences and a brief stint in the corporate world, driven by ambition and inspired by a special encounter with Campania’s legendary winemaker Antoine Gaeta of Villa Diamante, Raff decided to join the family winery with a clear objective: to elevate Taurasi to the Olympus of Italian wines.
In the cellar today, Raffaele is supported by enologist Fortunato Sebastiano, well known for his deep knowledge of Campania’s local varieties and extensive vineyard management. They produce a limited quantity of top tier Aglianico wines, specifically Memini and Primum, along with a Primum Riserva). Fermented in stainless, they are then aged in used, 25hl Slavonian oak for surprisingly short periods. Memini gets a mere 6 to 8 months while Primum receives 14 months. My research did not reveal how much additional aging (if any) the Primum Riserva gets, but I suspect from the mouth texture at least a few additional months. These are hard to find bottlings, so keep an eye peeled for them, they are worth your effort to seek out and experience their magnificence.
