Galardi, Terra di Lavoro, Roccamonfina IGT 2020 - 75cl

This is Galardi's Terra di Lavoro in the standard bottle and the 2020 vintage — the same single wine this estate has staked its reputation on since Riccardo Cotarella first grafted Aglianico and Piedirosso onto Roccamonfina's volcanic slopes in 1991. Galardi makes essentially one red, and pours everything into getting it right.

The vineyards sit among chestnut woods on the extinct Roccamonfina volcano in northern Campania, on lean volcanic soil that keeps yields low. The blend is roughly 80% Aglianico for backbone and darkness, 20% Piedirosso for scent and lift, cooled by sea breezes off the Tyrrhenian. It's one of the wines that first proved southern Italy could stand alongside Tuscany and Piedmont.

The 2020 came from a hot, dry year, and it shows a slightly charred, smoky edge over dark berry, tobacco and graphite. On the palate it's mid-weight rather than blockbuster — good momentum and natural concentration without heaviness, chalky tannins and a faint welcome bitterness on the close that keeps it savoury. It's approachable earlier than some Galardi vintages, but still has the structure to hold five to ten years. Drink now with a decant, or tuck a few away.

How to Serve

Serve at 16-18°C. Decant an hour ahead to soften the tannin and blow off the smoky top notes. A Bordeaux glass suits its frame.

Where to Drink It

Bocca di Lupo, for southern Italian cooking that meets it on its own terms. Trivet, whose list runs deep in serious Campanian reds. Sager+Wilde for an unfussy bottle with dinner.

Food Pairings

Braised beef cheek or a slow lamb shoulder handle the Aglianico tannin. For a lighter match, aged provolone with a drizzle of good oil.