Winemaker Notes
Montevetrano is deep garnet and shows an intense bouquet of red berries, cedar, black currant,licorice, tobacco and leather. On the palate, Montevetrano is fullbodied,yet elegant with finegrainedtannins and rich, silky texture. Pleasing hundreds of wine lovers and collectors around theworld with its distinctive character and rich spectrum of flavors, Montevetrano is one of the mostsoughtafterwines from Italy.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
Very ripe and raisiny, with tar and licorice character that turns to volcanic ash and dried flowers. Full and chewy, yet balanced and polished, with a solid core of fruit and a long, subtle, flavored finish. Best after 2009.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2005 Montevetrano is holding together very nicely. The bouquet is elegantly polished with fine aromas of pressed dark fruit, black currant and spice. Now, more than ten years after the vintage, the wine has come together with seamless evolution. There are no loose ends here. The dark fruit segues immediately to spice and later onto crushed mineral. That seamless quality also applies to the long and polished mouthfeel.
Italian Red Wine
While picturesque hillsides, endless coastlines and a favorable climate serve to unify the grape-growing culture of this country. The apparent never-ending world of indigenous grape varieties gives Italy an unexampled charm and allure for its red wines. From the steep inclines of the Alps to the sprawling, warm, coastal plains of the south, red grape varieties thrive throughout.
The kings of Italy, wines like Barolo and Barbaresco (made of Nebbiolo), and Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino (made of Sangiovese), as well as Amarone (mostly Corvina), play center stage for the most lauded, collected and cellar-worthy reds. Less popular but entirely deserving of as much praise are the wines made from Aglianico, Sagrantino and Nerello Mascalese.
For those accustomed to drinking New World reds, the south is the place to start. Grapes like Negroamaro or Primitvo from Puglia and Nero d’Avola from Sicily make soft, ammicable, full-bodied, fruit-dominant wines. Curious palates should be on the lookout for Cannonau (Grenache), Lagrein, Teroldego, Ruché, Freisa, Cesanese, Schiopettino, Rossese and Gaglioppo to name a few.