MCF Rare Wine

Clean, Pure Montepulciano

Back over the Summer, I offered the Trebbiano and Pecorino (the two whites) from Contesa - a fabulous, totally hands-off, producer in Abruzzo - and they were definitely some of the favorites of the Summer.

Now, the reds have landed, and I'm just as excited about them!

There are two different wines, the Montepulicano d'Abruzzo 2015 and the Montepulicano d'Abruzzo Riserva 2011 and they're both pure, clean and delicious Montepulciano that kind of serve two different purposes.

The bright, fresh, lively and juicy 2015 normale (funny to use the term normale for a Md'A, but I suppose it's correct here) is a fantastic little wine that, do to its light and friendly nature, makes for a perfectly versatile casual drinker.

I tend to refrain from using the term 'Pizza Wine' because it both knocks Pizza, one of the world's greatest food items, and kind of pigeonholes the wine, but I think you know what I mean.  The fruit is red and vibrant, with playful, almost Dolcetto-like spice.  The earthy streak underneath speaks to the grape.

The 2011 Riserva, on the other hand, is more of a burly, serious wine.  The fruit is darker and there is a lot more structure, thanks to the 20 months spent in Slavonian barrel.  The dark, muscular Montepulciano fruit is packed with deep leathery/mineral notes, and everything is held together by solid, burly backbone.

Steak wine from Abruzzo...

Every time I drink Montepucliano like these, I realize that I don't drink enough Montepulciano like these.


Matt Franco

MCF Rare Wine, Ltd
249 West 13th Street
New York 10011
mcf@mcf-rarewine.com
212.255.8870
www.mcf-rarewine.com