Thursday, March 20, 2008

An Everyday Wine for Under $10.00

We had great success with the Castello Di Salle Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. I was so inspired that I grabbed another Montepulciano d’Abruzzo at a packie in just outside of Boston. This Montepulciano d’Abruzzo has appeared at all of our favorite wine shops for under $10.

Click to enlarge.(c)2008 SmellsLikeGrape
The label is set up for the American market so our readers will find this easy to understand. Masciarelli is the wine producer, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo in the wine made under the control of that D.O.C. We have a great write up for Montepluciano d’Abruzzo and is a quick read if you are not familiar with this wine.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo D.O.C.
Masciarelli

Vintage: 2004
Alcohol: 13%
Price: $8.99

Color: Ruby Red
Intensity: Medium
Aromas: Cherry, plum, currant, bell pepper, earth, rosemary, sage, smoky
Flavors: Strawberry, cherry, pomegranate, cranberry, pencil lead, anise, cedar, leather
Body: Full
Sweetness: Dry
Tannins: Leather
Finish: Long


Summary: Kaboom! This explodes in your mouth, good balance between fruit, tannins and acidity. A real rustic/austere wine. Goes spicy on the long finish. This is a good wine for less than $10.


This wine is just good stuff for an “everyday wine”. By everyday, I mean it is not expensive and you can have this any day you want. I’ve seen this in at least four wine shops and they all say the same thing. It is a great value. I enjoyed this wine, it is surprisingly complex for the price point. It is a young wine and therefore can be very bold. One would think that the four years since harvest would tame this wine, but no. If you’re into young wines and want to try something different, this is a good candidate.

Horizontally tasting Montepulciano d’Abruzzo D.O.C. wines.
Masciarelli is less expensive than the Castello di Salle and a little more impetuous. If you want something less explosive, spend the extra bucks for the Castello di Salle. If you want something young and flirtatious with some wowie-zowie, the Masciarelli will be great. Montepulciano D’ Abruzzo can also be a high end wine too, and I suggest you do a horizontal tasting that includes wines from three price points so you can see for yourself. Cantina Zacagnini Montepulciano D'Abruzzo ($17.99) is another good suggestion for a special occasion wine.

0 comments: