Luigi Tecce 'Satyricon' Irpinia Campi Taurasini 2019

Press 2 • February 2023 Direct Press Selection

Strangely enough, the “Prince of Taurasi”, wasn’t groomed to be a farmer or vignaiolo.

After university, Luigi Tecce worked in Rome as an assistant to a member of the Italian parliament. Then in 1997, his father suddenly passed away and it prompted Luigi’s return to the fourth generation farmhouse to take care of the family’s property, which included olive trees, goats, sheep, and of course vines. The nature of the circumstance left no time for any practical knowledge to be handed down to him from his father or grandfather. He didn’t know how to manage the property, let alone how to vinify grapes. He did have many memories from living there as a child, and these guided him down this new road of massive learning curves.

The family’s property is located within the Taurasi appellation (known as the “Barolo of the south”), in a subzone known as Sud-Alta Valle, distinguished for its late harvest, altitude, and unique soil mix of sand, limestone and Vesuvius’ pumice. Tecce’s 80+ year old vine “trees”, trained high to benefit from these cooler conditions, and helping retain precious acidic tension that contrasts and compliments the intense, inky fruit grown here.  

A lot has to be said for Luigi’s intuition, passion and connection to a place. There’s a reason this wine was one of the first we thought embodied this “big” theme. Very few exist with this exuberance and restraint, theatrical in their pleasure and presence.

Satyricon is pressed by hand in a small basket press and raised for at least 22 months in stainless steel (incredible to accept for a wine so deep and complex). This is followed by 6 months in bottle before release. Decant and share with friends for best results. Bruno Sant'Anna