Italian Food and Wine: Rosso di Montepulciano
This is another bottle that was meant to be for a tasting group that never happened. We had set the theme as Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, but I had gotten the ok to go with the second tier, less-expensive level: Rosso di Montelpulciano. Both wines are made from the Sangiovese grape, to some extent, in a township with sandier soil and warmer temperatures than Chianti. I chose this particular bottle of 2004 Avignonesi Rosso di Montelpuliciano because I had read it was from a reliable producer. My research did not fail me. On first tasting I found the wine to have a wonderful nose of damp forest floor, smoked meat, cherry pie filling, and stewed figs, most of which were echoed on the palate, along with nutmeg and high acidity. It went nicely with my cheese and sopressata. And two days later, it tasted even better–extremely well balanced–and perfect with the basil pesto I made and brought to work to share with the remainder of the bottle.
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POSTED IN: Italian wine, general wine knowledge
4 opinions for Italian Food and Wine: Rosso di Montepulciano
Geoff
Oct 9, 2007 at 7:19 am
Hi,
Good to see European wines getting good coverage with this and the Vinho Verde piece. Do you ever get any Swiss wines in the States? The general theory is that the Swiss like it so much they don’t export it, but I suspect it’d just be overpriced!
Geoff
Farley
Oct 9, 2007 at 11:28 am
Geoff,
I’ve seen wines from Austria, Croatia, Greece, and others but not any from Switzerland. Then again, I can’t say I’ve been really looking. I’ll have to keep an eye out.
Karl Goldfield
Dec 30, 2007 at 5:16 am
My wife and I are starting a journey into the making of wine from the Nebbiolo grape. We will start by drinking a boutiful amount of Barolo’s and Barbaresco’s. Might you suggest some wines you have enjoyed from the Piemonte region?
Karl Goldfield
excellentwine.blogspot.com
Farley
Dec 31, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Karl,
Good luck on a wonderful adventure. Unfortunately, my budget doesn’t allow me to drink from the greats from Piemonte. I’ll have to ask my Italian wine drinking friend when I get back from my vacation.
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