Michele Perillo

It was not until 1999 that Michele Perillo started to make his own wines. Before then, he had been selling the fruits of his labour to other wineries. His change in direction is something to be grateful for, as his vineyards in Castelfranci, in the corner of the Taurasi appellation, produce grapes of an excellent standard. And in turn, the wines that Michele produces are of such a standard that he deserves to be recognised for. 

As befitting the Taurasi appellation, the majority Perillo’s vineyards are dedicated to Aglianico. The majority of the vines were planted in 1930 – the remainder in 1980 – and trained in a pergola known as a ‘raggiera’. Interspersed within these are Coda di Volpe vines: an ancient white grape variety indigenous to Campania. Carefully tended to, the vines flourish at altitudes of around 500 metres above sea level on volcanic soil. 

Michele Perillo is not seeking to do anything radical with his wines. Instead, his wines are simply produced to the highest standard. For his Aglianico grapes he uses a combination of barrique and large barrels for ageing; for the Coda di Volpe, stainless steel tanks are the method. On account of the altitude of the vineyards combined with low temperature maceration means that Peillo’s wines have a fresh acidity that distinguishes them from what might be considered typical of the appellation.