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Dario D'Angelo
Dario D'Angelo heads the largest privately owned winery in Abruzzo, located in the hills surrounding Giulianova on Italy’s Adriatic coast. Although the winery has been in existence for three generations, it is in recent years that quality has really improved. This mantra of quality has been aided by a significant expansion at the winery, including new temperature control facilities for cool maceration and fermentation.
The wines produced are led by a
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Trebbiano
d'Abruzzo. The Montepulciano sees temperature controlled maceration and
traditional fermentation, before up to ten months oak maturation and
some time in bottle before release. The Trebbiano is fermented in French
oak tonneau, temperature controlled, before seeing three months on the
less with batonnage performed every two or three days. This treatment of
the wine goes some way to explaining the characterful example produced
by Dario D'Angelo, Trebbiano having a reputation for producing dull,
neutral wines. In addition there is a rosé Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, and a
vino da tavola range which includes Santa Felicita, a
barrique-influenced wine. There are also sparkling wines and like some
of the best Italian estates there is even olive oil to be had. (11/6/03)
Contact details:
Address: Via Paduni 36, 64021 Giulianova
Telephone: +39 085 800 2550
Fax: +39 085 800 2687
Internet:
www.dariodangelo.com
Dario D'Angelo - Tasting Notes
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Dario D'Angelo 'Daris' Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2002: A lovely, mid-gold
hue. Really very open and vibrant on the nose, with delicious creamy peach,
mango, tangerine and lime. A floral edge. Fresh and balanced on the palate, with
a welcome, slightly bitter, quinine-like grip. Simply delicious. I had no idea
this much maligned variety was capable of such quality. A credit to the
winemaker. 17/20 (August 2004)
Dario D'Angelo Trebbiano d'Abbruzzo 'Daris' 2001:
Quite an impressive, rich golden wine. The nose has a bit of class, and is
full of intrigue. Hints of honeydew melon and white fruits, overlaid with notes
of dry, flinty minerals, thyme, lanolin and smoking fat, betraying the barrel
fermentation and batonnage. The palate has less
interest than the nose, but there is a goodly amount of acidity, a slight
fatness to the texture, and an array of clean crisp white fruits. This cries out
for food - some pan-fried tuna, perhaps? Surprisingly good for the cépage.
15.5/20 (June 2003)
Dario D'Angelo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2001: Fairly dark hue showing a
little maturity. An oak-influenced nose, with smoky-nutty character on top of
some earthy fruit. Medium body, somewhat astringent, overly prominent acidity,
lacking balanced. Burnt, wood-smoke flavour with a sweet, fruit-gum fruit note
behind. Simple stuff. 12/20 (August 2004)
Dario D'Angelo Trebbiano d'Abbruzzo 'Daris' 2000:
Nice rich-looking golden
hue, and there's a hint of fatness together with some subdued white fruit aromas
on the nose to continue this impression. The palate has a good mouthfeel but is
fairly neutral in flavour, and has incongruous acidity. 14/20 (August 2002)
Dario D'Angelo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 'Daris' 2000:
Fairly dark hue, showing some early maturity. Earthy, decaying, roasted
berry fruit on the nose - development of some welcome complexity here. A good
texture with a creamy note on entry, although this flattens out on the
midpalate, which has lost the puppy fat of youth, but this is compensated for by
a burst of black liquorice flavour at this point. This leads into a somewhat
lean, woody finish. It has its good points, but sadly the palate doesn't live up
to the interest found on the nose. Drink up. 13.5/20 (August 2004)
Dario D'Angelo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 'Daris' 2000:
Good colour here, similar intensity to the more mature wine, but still
showing more of the blue-purple tinge of youth at the rim. Dark fruits on the
nose, with nuances of smoke, leather and beef extract. Again full, creamy, sweet
on the palate, but with plenty of acidity and quite a bit of tannin as well.
Smoke, raspberry and blueberry fruit. Approachable now with food, but otherwise
those tannins deserve a year or two more in the cellar.
14/20 (June 2003)
Dario D'Angelo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 'Daris' 1999:
A richer colour here,
again with good fruit on the nose. A little richer and more rounded on the
palate, with better integration of acidity, although this is still quite
noticeable in an Italian style. Good fruit, some floral, aromatic notes, and
soft, rounded tannins. It needs food - perhaps it would make a good bistro wine?
14.5/20 (August 2002)
Dario D'Angelo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 'Daris' 1996:
The first bottle was corked. The second showed moderate intensity of colour,
red with a pink tinge at the rim. A sweet, slightly hot, black fruit and leather
nose. Good freshness, with medium body and again a creamy edge to the fruit.
Kept sharp by some bright acidity, however, so it feels quite light and elegant on the
palate. Balanced. There's still a bite of tannin here alongside the fruit here,
particularly on the finish which is otherwise rounded and fluid. A good, easy drinking wine which like
the Trebbiano needs some food. 15.5/20 (June 2003)
Tasting notes are ordered by date of tasting, most recent first.
Dario D'Angelo Santa Felicita Rosso VdT NV (L104 02 00):
Moderate intensity of colour at best. Plenty of burnt-toffee oak on the nose, with some
maturing berry fruits. Quite full on the palate, and a touch creamy, with more
than sufficient acidity. Simple, rustic character. Fairly spicy, masculine
wood-tannins through the mid and endpalate, which shows more oak, and I don't think it has the fruit
to match. Only for oak-lovers. 13/20 (June 2003)
Dario D'Angelo Santa Felicita Rosso VdT NV:
Nice vibrant colour. Plenty
of summer berry fruit on the aromatic nose, with suggestions of tar and
liquorice. Raspberry fruit on the palate, which has prominent, very green
acidity. 13.5/20 (August 2002)
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