Warm and spicy in aroma, with background notes of sundried tomato and coffee, Mastroberadino’s interpretation of the style aims at maximum expression of the terroir. Sweet and sour cherries spread across the tongue in a warm embrace of smooth-textured, spicy fruit streaked with the fresh acidity of ripe red berries and dried herbs, underpinned by a saline hint of dry minerality. Drinking well now but with a good seven years ahead of it.

I love the shape of the bottles in this line of wines from Mastroberardino. The 2015 Taurasi Stiléma is a balanced and softly textured expression of Aglianico with ripe cherry, tobacco and grilled herb. Despite the warmth of the 2015 vintage, this wine shows some uncharacteristic elements of herb and rosemary that give the wine a more tangy and nervous personality. Try it alongside a spicy puttanesca.