From: Abruzzo, Italy
Varietal: Montepulciano
Taste and Critical Acclaim: “This wine draws fruit from the estate’s Vigna Storica del 1952. With more smoke and savory notes that recall leather and spice, this might be your go-to for marinated tri-tip and a baked potato. The Valle Reale 2015 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo San Calisto is a complete, classic wine with generous soft tannins. It offers a medium-term drinking window: not too long and not too short. Grapes come from the San Calisto vineyard, which has a traditional overhead trellising system, or pergola. The wine is fermented and aged in large oak casks.” —Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, 93 points (April 2020)
“Lots of slate, oyster shell, brambleberries, asphalt and hints of herbs and lavender. Full body, grippy tannins, a fine thread of acidity and a round, succulent finish…” —James Suckling, 93 points
“Moderately saturated bright ruby. Aromas and flavors of flint, black currant and musk. Juicy and lively in the mouth, where more musky and peppery nuances complicate the blue fruit flavors. Finishes long with rising, youthfully chewy tannins. This will be released for sale in late fall 2019, and is the last vintage made of San Calisto, as the vineyard was uprooted in 2017 and 2018 because of esca disease. Aged in old 700-liter tonneaux for 12 months.” —Vinous, 92 points (July 2019)
Pairing: This wine is an excellent companion to hearty and savory foods, cutting through the richness of fatty meats and complementing the flavors with its own earthy and herbal tones. Ideal pairings include robust meat dishes like beef brisket, hamburgers, beef bolognese (see recipe below), tomato-based pasta dishes, and high-protein pizzas. The wine's characteristics also make it a fantastic choice for barbecue enthusiasts, enhancing the taste of smoked or grilled meats seasoned with herbs such as sage, basil, rosemary, or thyme.
In addition to meat dishes, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo pairs well with rich, roasted vegetables like baked potatoes, mushrooms, beetroot, and tomatoes, offering a comforting option for colder-weather dining. For cheese, aged cheddar, asiago, or authentic parmigiano reggiano will complement the wine's profile.
For those who enjoy Asian cuisine, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo can also be a delightful match for dishes seasoned with garlic, sesame, ginger, or soy sauce, including Korean barbecue and Peking duck, thanks to its ability to complement savory flavors.
However, it's best to avoid pairing Montepulciano d'Abruzzo with light and simple dishes such as salads, raw fish, and spicy foods, which can overwhelm the wine's flavors or accentuate its bitterness and alcoholic taste.
Marcella Hazan’s Bolognese Sauce
Recipe from Marcella Hazan, adapted by The New York Times
About.
Valle Reale was founded in 2000 with the goal of producing world-class wines. Working primarily with the Montepulciano varietal, the Pizzolo family strives to make wines that highlight the grape’s intrinsic qualities: strength, exuberance, vitality, color, elegance, balance and depth. The process begins with the careful selection of clones that are best suited to Valle Reale’s soil and climate, and therefore best express the distinct characteristics of the varietal. Their success is evident in Valle Reale's young, vibrant DOC base wine, and even more so in the cru, a new benchmark for Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.
Located in the green heart of Abruzzo, Valle Reale’s 130 acres of vineyards are situated inside one of Italy’s most beautiful national parks. This is a wild paradise, with deep gorges carved by glaciers, crystal-clear springs and a diverse array of flora and fauna. Valle Reale is one of the few wine-producing estates in this area of pristine beauty. The topography and climate of this part of Abruzzo is completely different from the rest of the region and unique within central Italy. The vineyards have thin soils rich in limestone, with a light base of clay and sand. The proximity to the Gran Sasso mountain range, and the altitude of the estate itself, create wide fluctuations in temperature between day and night.
