2006 Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici

The 2006 Taurasi Radici hits the palate with masses of blueberries, black berries, flowers and spices. The 2006 is a big, explosive wine in need of considerable cellaring. That said, it is remarkably accessible for a young Taurasi from this historic property. Layers of fruit continue to build towards the exotic, concentrated finish. This is a marvelous wine in the making. The 2006 spent two years in a combination of casks and smaller French oak barrels. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2046. Mastroberardino is one of Italy's most historic properties. My vertical tasting of the estate's Taurasi (published in Issue 190), with vintages back to 1928, was a revelation. A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

The 2006 Taurasi Radici offers up red berries, flowers and spices in a pretty, open expression of Taurasi. There is a lovely roundness that develops in the glass, leading to a long, caressing finish. Despite the challenging vintage, this is a very classy, pure and vibrant Taurasi that should develop nicely along the lines of the estate's other mid-weight vintages. It will be approachable fairly early, but readers seeking a fully developed wine will need to wait at least a decade.

The 2006 Taurasi Radici hits the palate with masses of blueberries, black berries, flowers and spices. The 2006 is a big, explosive wine in need of considerable cellaring. That said, it is remarkably accessible for a young Taurasi from this historic property. Layers of fruit continue to build towards the exotic, concentrated finish. This is a marvelous wine in the making. The 2006 spent two years in a combination of casks and smaller French oak barrels. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2046. ||Mastroberardino is one of Italy's most historic properties. My vertical tasting of the estate's Taurasi (published in Issue 190), with vintages back to 1928, was a revelation.||A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620 Wine Advocate.June, 2011