This charming red, made of Montepulciano and a little Sangiovese (15%), is a revelation if you've drunk the supercharged, rather internationalized Còneros from Terni and so on in the Adriatic region of Marche. This recently released 2004 is balanced in its fruit and acidity, with a surprisingly long, bitterish finale that owes more to the Sangiovese than you'd expect. The "residual fruit" in the empty glass is ripe but not raisiny, a nice perfume of red berries and the usual horticultural suspects. Grapes gathered by hand, just about one by one according to the well-translated brochure.
A delicious and versatile food wine at 13.5% alcohol. It well went with last night's roast chicken and today's lunchtime kosher dogs. Now that's not just a food-friendly wine, it's a food-inclusive, Rainbow Coalition of a wine. Typical Montepulciano d'Abruzzo versatility with enough Sangiovese to class it up a bit.
Available in a few wine shops in the US. Cost about $20. A good deal, IMO.
This wine came from the Enoteca Pontevecchio, managed by the one and only Tony Sasa. For a highly enthusiastic review of the enoteca under Tony's new management, see this article in the Pitcher & Flaccomio newsletter, pages 10 and 11.
Meanwhile, Tony, we're still waiting for the new web site...
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