MCF Rare Wine

Luigi's 'Little' Wines 

The lunch I had with Luigi Tecce in the Fall of 2019 was a lot of things.

It was special.

It was fun. 

It was delicious.

Most of all, though, it was educational. 

When you get to taste every wine that a producer has made so far, I suppose it's hard for it not to be. 

His earliest wines were delicious and aging nicely, but there was a clear progression up the quality ladder as we went and, right around the 2009 vintage, you could see things had really kicked into gear. 

The short of it is that Tecce is continuing to further his mastery, and these today's two gorgeous wines from the 2018 vintage only further my assertion. 

The Rosato Le Cyclope, his first rosato to make it stateside, is about as serious as rosé gets.  This is a brawny, spicy/volcanic and highly structured pink wine...probably as structured as you'll find. 

It's plenty refreshing, and can still fit your traditional rosé role, but man, can I not wait to see how it evolves over the next year or two.  I genuinely think this is destined to be one of those rarefied pinks, such as Valentini's Cerasuolo, that people really clamor for.  Given how I feel about everything he does, I suppose such a statement is not a surprise. 

Then we have his 2018 Campi Taurasini Satyricon, Tecce's little 'drink now' red, a wine that perfectly weaves together the forward nature of the warm 2018 vintage, the fierce structure of Aglianico, and Tecce's signature, unleashed style. 

Having tasted every previous vintage of Satyricon that he's ever made (in one sitting, too), I can say pretty clearly that this is one of, if not the, the best versions he's made.  It's certainly the most friendly, but it's not just a wine of fruit, underneath all that dark, dense fruit, the stony, spicy, smoky, feral bestia lurks. 

So, you know, light some wood on fire and cook something over it...either of these beautiful savages will do just fine alongside. 

And, should you want to re-up (or initiate yourself) on either of Tecce's masterful Taurasi, I have some more of the wonderfully drinkable 2014 Taurasi Riserva Puro Sangue and the fierce, yet approachable Taurasi Poliphemo 2014, as well...and with some very special pricing, to boot. 

So, go 'little', or go 'big'...

...or go both...

...just go. 

You may order by emailing info@mcf-rarewine.com or calling 212.255.8870.

Matt Franco

MCF Rare Wine, Ltd