Cantine del Notaio - "Il Rogito" Aglianico Rosato, 2017
Even though the family has a long-standing winemaking tradition, Cantine del Notaio didn’t become a commercial business until 1998. In that year, owner, Gerardo Giuratrabocchetti, was a celebrated 40 year-old professor with a degree in Agricultural Science. Eager to reconnect with his family heritage, he decided to leave his former profession and become a winemaker.
The estate is named after Gerardo’s father, a well-respected notary. Cantine del Notaio in Italian means “Notary’s Cellars”. Most of the wines are named after official nomenclature of legal deeds in the Italian bureaucracy. For example, the “rogito” (that lends its name to this rosé wine) is a legal document produced by a notary and is typically used to formalise the change of ownership of a house or another property.
The versatility of aglianico is such that it can achieve excellent results even when vinified as a rosé – such as the wine in this case. Aglianico rosé wines are not a recent phenomenon. There is evidence to show that both Adrea Bacci, in this “Natural History of Wines” of 1596 and the historian Lancerio (who was also at the service of Pope Paul III) in the XVI century, praised rosé versions made from aglianico.
Cantine del Notaio harvests the grapes for this rosé in the first week of October, much earlier than the picking for red wines (which can take place as late as the end of November). Before fermentation, the must is macerated for one or two days in temperature-controlled stainless steel. After fermentation, the wine is matured in french oak for 12 months.
This wine has an intense colour. In the glass it appears brilliant and transparent with hues of light ruby and strawberry. To the nose, the wine has a concentrated, deep red fruit character (with a perfect ripeness). Notes of red cherry, strawberry and red plums chase each other, layered with nuances of earth, undergrowth and musky wood. A great spiciness comes through, revealing accents of juniper, pepper, and red spices. A beautiful floral note also emerges – lilies, lavender, rose. An attractive and harmonised nose, intense, balanced, complex and spicy.
On the palate, this rosé unveils a magnificent structure. It’s medium to full in body, with a spiky and extra-lively acidity. It is dense and kinematic in the mouth. The rich and focussed red fruit notes combine with a remarkable spiciness. Aromas of juniper, liquorice, pepper, sage and mediterranean shrubs mingle with violet, rose and a delicate toastiness around the edges. A lovely earthy character reveals its presence everywhere! The flavours are precise, concentrated and refined. A touch of tannic presence, subtle and elegant. This is a bomb of a rosé. A stunning marriage of power and refinement. “Il Rogito” by Cantine del Notaio makes you forget everything you thought you knew about rosé!