Agricole Vallone Salice Salentino Rosso Riserva Vereto, 2000

This wine has reached its 10th birthday in fine shape. It's a dark, deep ruby with a mature nose of dark cherries, licorice and floral perfume. On the tongue, the wine has good fruit sweetness with strong well defined flavors. It's full bodied but not at all heavy; plenty of tannic structure but nothing to get in the way of the ripe fruit and cascade of flavors and textures. There is a special touch of mature complexity on the finish. As far as I am concerned the estate (Agricole Vallone) and the appellation (Salice Salentino) rate strong buys.