Gran Sasso Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Colline Teramane DOCG 2005

Valentino Sciotti is involved with a number of wineries in Puglia, Campania (he is the man behind Vesevo) and his native Abruzzi. The Gran Sasso wines are made by young winemaker Marco Flacco and display a freshness and directness of fruit that is seldom found in this region. Although the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo variety is grown all over Abruzzo, it is in the hilly territory of Colline Teramane, in the province of Teramo in the northern part of the Abruzzi, that it bears its best fruit. It was made DOCG from the 2003 vintage. The grapes for this wine are grown in 40 year old, south-facing vineyards read more...situated at 250m above sea level. This wine has all the characteristics of really good Montepulciano - incredibly deep coloured with perfumes of chocolatey and coffee on the nose. Warm, rich and spicy wine on the palate, it has great balance between robust chunky fruit and soft tannins and is similar in style to a good Australian shiraz.    (hide)