2017 Elena Fucci, Titolo - Basilicata - 3 Flasker (0,75 L)

96/100 - Vinous (Eric Guido), maj 2026

The 2017 Aglianico des Vulture Titolo is impossible to ignore. A vibrant burst of blood orange and sweet sage gives way to crushed black cherries and ground cloves. Cooling acidity and seamless textures elevate ripe red berry fruits. Though it’s decadent in feel, the Titolo expertly maintains its balance through the dramatically long and staining finish. This is just starting to mellow, but has a long and fruitful evolution in store for patient collectors.

There is no greater spokesperson for Vulture and Basilicata than Elena Fucci. After returning to her family’s farm as a young woman in the early 2000s, Fucci complemented her hands-on education in the vineyards and cellar with a degree in oenology and viticulture. Within a decade, Fucci’s established success and emphasis on terroir became the perfect vehicle for her to travel the world and advocate for Vulture. I came across Fucci’s wines in 2014 at a tasting with several others from the region, and her wines stood head and shoulders above the rest. Another winemaker in her position might have decided to rest on her laurels and leave the region behind. Instead, Fucci decided to champion Aglianico del Vulture as a whole. Vulture’s current rise in quality and worldwide success owe much to Fucci’s efforts.

Fucci’s wines have continued to improve as she fine-tunes her approach. She remains wholly committed to Titolo, her family’s vineyard. The Titolo is Fucci’s most consistent wine and offers relative value compared to the Riserva. Don’t sleep on this portfolio, because the day will come when the world catches on to just how far Elena Fucci and Vulture have come.