Vintage Character Marco Tinessa Aglianico 'Ognostro Rosso' 2022 is an Irpinia red from Campania built around Aglianico, a grape that reaches particular tension and depth in this inland, elevated part of southern Italy. The 2022 vintage was shaped by warm conditions, but Irpinia’s altitude and strong day-night shifts helped preserve acidity and aromatic lift, giving the wine ripeness without losing its nerve. Its origin is especially distinctive because fruit comes from Montemarano, one of Aglianico’s most respected zones, where volcanic-influenced soils and a cooler, hillier climate favor structure, savory detail, and long aging potential.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairing True to its name—derived from dialect for “ink”—Ognostro Rosso shows a deep, saturated profile with aromas of black cherry, damson, violet, cracked pepper, and a faint ferrous, smoky note. The palate is full-bodied yet energetic, driven by high acidity and firm Aglianico tannins, with dark fruit, balsamic herbs, mineral grip, and a long, stony finish. Its youthful structure suggests real reward from decanting or cellaring, especially in a warm vintage that still carries impressive freshness. Pair it with rosemary lamb chops, pappardelle with wild boar ragù, or charcoal-grilled eggplant.
Winery Background Marco Tinessa founded Ognostro as a deeply personal project to express Montemarano Aglianico with minimal artifice, and his work has become a reference point in Italy’s artisanal wine scene. Fruit is handled with great care, and the estate is known for low-intervention choices that emphasize transparency over polish. Tinessa has been associated with a natural-wine philosophy and is noted for transporting grapes under refrigerated conditions before vinification, an unusual decision intended to protect fruit integrity. The result is a wine that stands out not for gloss, but for authenticity: powerful, raw-edged, site-driven, and unmistakably Irpinian.