Tre Pietre, the Evocative Aglianico Normanno

Corte Normanna, a family-run agricultural estate, cultivates a total area of twenty hectares, eighteen of which are planted with vineyards and the rest with olive groves.
The winery is based in Guardia Sanfromondi, in the province of Benevento, and produces seven types of wine with particular attention to the native grape varieties of the area; Aglianico and Falanghina are the cornerstones of Corte Normanna;

Lombards, Samnites, or Romans – the origins of this settlement have yet to be clearly established.
After the Lombards, the Normans arrived in the area and, in the second half of the 1100s, gave the town its name. It remained under their dominion until the arrival of the Swabians, and then the Angevins, who were subsequently driven out by the Aragonese.

The name of the place derives from the Sanfromondo family, apparently of probable Norman origin and the promoters of the construction of the ancient local castle.

Since 1997, the estate has been producing labeled bottles that seem to have captured a ray of sunshine!

On a spring day, though with distinctly wintry weather, I had the chance to drink Tre Pietre 2001, an Aglianico awarded 4 bunches by the "Duemilavini 2006" guide published by the AIS.
I decided to buy it precisely because of its origins – Guardia Sanfromondi is indeed a rather famous place on account of the procession of the battenti. Do you know what that is?
Every seven years this rare rite takes place, beginning on the Monday after Ferragosto, during which, in honor of the Assumption, certain devotees – the battenti – march hooded, holding a crucifix in their left hand and a small image of the Assumption.
The white habit, open at the front, is the traditional garment, which takes on a red color due to the severe penance; the battenti are so called because they "beat" their chests with the "spugna," a circular piece of cork filled with pins whose tips protrude to cause pain.
The disinfectant? White wine, of course!

And since we are talking about wine, let us return to our Tre Pietre – a very pleasant nectar, defined by its intense red color and a full, persistent nose of dark fruit and licorice aromas.
Dried plum and blackberry are easily identifiable; the nose bodes well!
Tannins that are well present and defined yet at the same time refined, with typical notes of oak aging (though this is by no means a "carpenter's wine"), make it the ideal companion for a barbecue or a selection of aged cheeses.

A wine of character, destined to age well! Born thanks to the passion of the Falluto brothers, who brought this interesting and significant Campanian estate to life – one that has fortunately not compromised itself with purely commercial logic.
Drunk among the Abruzzese mountains, I confess I have no regrets about making it travel a few kilometers! It has nothing to envy of a Montepulciano (even though the style of wine is substantially different!)
The value for money is quite good: around 10–15 euros for a wine that can bring pleasure even to less experienced palates.

"Our goal has been and always will be to let the local grape varieties express themselves at their best."