Marco Tinessa 'Ognostro' Rosso 2022

About the wine: Marco Tinessa’s story is not your average Italian winemaking story: he has no family vineyards, nor centuries’ old roots. An established bank manager in Milan, where he lives with his wife and son, this project grew out of Tinessa’s obsession with natural wine and his passion for the Taurasi district in his home region of Campania. “O’gnostro” came to life in 2007. Ognostro is a local term for wine in Neapolitan dialect and literally means “ink”. Tinessa’s objective is simple: to bring to light the uniqueness of his territory by way of authentic, respective farming and the use of native clones that have historically thrived there.  The wines are extremely limited in production, and have become cult favorites over the years. 

This wine is 100% Aglianico from two vineyards: one in Montemerano (Avellino), historically known as the best site in the Taurasi appellation (Marco’s vines here average 30 years old), and the other at Castelfranci at 500 mt, southwest exposition, with vines ranging from 50-90 years in age. Both are organically farmed. The Aglianico is de-stemmed by hand and maceration lasts for a month in concrete vats. The wine goes through fermentation spontaneously in glass-lined vats and ages for 18 months in ceramic/gres amphora resulting in better oxygenation. It is neither fined nor filtered. This wine is reputable for its full, succulent and yet tenacious character. Gritty tannins beckon longevity.

Varietal: 100% Aglianico.