The 2009 Aglianico is a flashy, overt wine packed with fruit. It is perhaps slightly less complex and varietally nuanced than the Lacryma Christi but nearly as pleasing. The estate's Aglianico is a good introduction to this grape. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2017. Mastroberardino is one of Italy's most historic properties. My vertical tasting of the estate's Taurasi (published in Issue 190), with vintages back to 1928, was a revelation.A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

The 2008 Aglianico emerges from the glass with lovely inner sweetness. Juicy super ripe cherries, earthiness, dried herbs and tobacco come together in a dark, sensual wine that fully captures the pedigree of this great southern variety. Readers who want to discover the essence of Aglianico without spending a fortune may want to start here. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2013. Mastroberardino is one of the historically significant names in Italian wine. These entry-level selections offer plenty of insight into the unique qualities of Campania’s myriad indigenous red and white grape varieties.A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

The 2007 Aglianico is a rich, hearty red bursting with dark fruit, herbs and spices. Sweet herbs, mint and licorice come to life on the finish. Today the wine is a little rough around the edges, and ideally another year or so in bottle should do the trick. The score could go up here if the wine comes together in the bottle. Given the purity of the fruit, the likelihood for that to happen seems pretty high. This unoaked Aglianico from Mastroberardino is a terrific effort at this price point. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2014. This is an impressive set of entry-level wines from Mastroberardino, an estate that in recent years has begun to recapture some of its past glory.A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620