The 2019 Contado Riserva is Di Majo Norante’s more structured, cellar-worthy take on Aglianico from Molise, made from 100 percent Aglianico grown in the Camarda vineyard. The wine is fermented slowly with extended maceration in small steel tanks, then aged for about three years, including one year in barriques and tonneaux.

In the glass, it feels like proper southern Italian red wine doing what it is supposed to do: dark, savory, and built with some muscle, but not clumsy about it. Expect black cherry, blackberry, dried herbs, tobacco, bitter chocolate, and a little toast, with a core of ripe fruit wrapped in firm but polished tannin. We would describe it as velvety and harmonious despite its structure, which tracks for a wine that wants food and a little air before it really opens up.

This is the bottle for braised beef, lamb ragù, grilled sausages, roast game, aged cheeses, or any dinner that could use a red with backbone and actual personality.

About the Winery

Few estates capture the soul of Molise like Di Majo Norante. Founded in the early 1800s, the family’s winemaking roots stretch back generations, but it was the late Alessandro di Majo Norante who transformed the estate into a beacon of modern southern Italian viticulture. Today, under the guidance of his son Luigi, the winery continues to honor that legacy—crafting expressive, organic wines that balance power with precision.

Located near the Adriatic coast in Campomarino, Di Majo Norante farms over 200 hectares of vineyards surrounding the family’s 17th-century cellar, once part of a Benedictine abbey. The philosophy is simple but steadfast: respect the land, celebrate native varieties, and let each grape speak in its own dialect. With consulting enologist Riccardo Cotarella, the estate has redefined what Molise can achieve, producing wines that are both approachable and profound.

From crisp Falanghina to bold Aglianico, and the iconic Ramitello Molise Rosso, every bottle tells the story of a region once overlooked but now confidently standing among Italy’s greats—a place where ancient soil and modern craft meet under the southern sun.