The Italy Wine Project

Regions / Abruzzo

DOCStill huntingEasy

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC

Italy's great value red and one of its biggest DOCs by volume. At the low end it is soft, purple and juicy: black plum, blackberry, a hint of cocoa and gentle tannin. From serious estates it turns dense and savory, with tar, leather, black olive, dried herbs and tannins that need a decade. Valentini and Emidio Pepe make bottles that stand with Italy's greatest reds; Masciarelli and Tiberio show what 15 to 25 dollars can buy.

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Bottles I'm chasing

ProducerWinePriceBuy
Masciarelli
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
The default everyday bottle, unoaked, black plum and cherry with soft tannin; drink young.
$12 to $15Wine-Searcher
Tiberio
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Winebow import; pure, unoaked, blackberry, violet and a savory earthy edge.
$18 to $24Wine-Searcher
Emidio Pepe
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Biodynamic, foot trodden, decanted by hand; wild, oxidative, dried cherry, leather and iron; buy older vintages if you can.
$100 to $150Wine-Searcher