Angelo Muto is a Greco di Tufo assassin. Like a superhero from a Marvel comic, he is crafting some of the best Greco di Tufos in Italy at his Cantine dell'Angelo. Maybe it's the centuries of experience handed down through his family, maybe it's that his grapes grow on vines of some of the oldest and most historic areas of Tufo, maybe it's the stunning views of rolling hillsides from his mountain-top vineyards. I know one thing for sure, it's definitely a result of his insane attention to detail paid to his grapes, vines, and wines every single day.
Want to know more? I thought you might.
Tell me about Angelo Angelo is a third-generation winemaker producing all natural wines, without chemicals, additives, or temperature controls, working all 6.5 acres of his two diverse growing areas by hand. He is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met with a sly sense of humor and an infectious smile. Oh, and an ever present sweet smelling cigar. He's a founding member of the new “old guard” of winemakers who 10-20 years ago decided to stop selling their grapes to other larger winemakers at a price that didn’t appropriately value the quality of the grapes, and started bottling their wine under a family label. He wins awards year in and year out from all the major players in Italy for his natural wines. But that’s really not important to him, he's just focused on crafting incredible wines.
Terroir is Everything Angelo Muto took me on a 4x4 Jeep tour of his vines that more resembles a Disney ride with steep climbs, narrow hairpin turns and precarious descents to see how literally one row of vines had a visually different soil than the vines in the adjacent row. I was shocked, I’d never seen anything like it. I wasn’t an expert, but the differences in the clay soil ranging from a dirty white to a light muddy brown were abundantly clear even to a great wine drinker, but non-winemaker like me.
Angelo's Vineyards Angelo's Greco di Tufos are named for the “particellas”, Torrefavale and Miniere, where his grapes grow on vines hundreds of meters atop the ancient sulfur mines that were once the economic lifeblood of this village. The land has been in his family for generations, and Torrefavale is one of, if not the oldest growing area in Tufo. There’s so much limestone in the soil, these wines can often be nearly green in color. These wines feature big acidity, perfectly balanced with bright notes of fresh citrus and a minerality you can't miss.
Wait, Did Someone Say Coda di Volpe? Yup! Angelo has gone back to his family roots once again, crafting a Coda di Volpe from the vines that surrounded his grandfather's home when he was a child. Hence the name of the wine, Nonno (grandpa in Italian). This wine has a pleasing warmth followed by green apples, and then this wine opens and you want more. A lot more. After sitting open for 30 minutes, this wine is going to change and round out in a big way, turning from a spring day into a Monet. If you can wait to drink, or sip that first glass slowly, your future self will thank your past self. This wine pairs amazingly well with fried anchovies and should be served at about 60-64F.
How to Drink Greco di Tufo Wines When you open a bottle of Cantine dell'Angelo Greco di Tufo, you'll want to serve the wine chilled, but not too cold, about 60-64F. High in acidity, minerality and sapidity, this wine is perfect with oysters, your favorite fish, or pasta with truffles. These wines can easily be aged an additional 5 years (or more) in your cellar to great results. One of my favorite bottles of Angelo's Greco is 7 years old and I've had delicious bottles that have aged 14 years and more as well.
Want to try?
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