Masciarelli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re like me and seek out good, bargain-priced wines. Finding those hidden gems is sometimes about knowing a specific brand to seek out, sometimes it’s about knowing a certain region that delivers good QPR (quality-to-price ratio) and sometimes it’s knowing the right grapes to seek out. In this case, all three of those three criteria come into play.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo refers to both a region and a grape, but it’s one that can cause some confusion. Montepulciano is the grape used in this wine and it was grown and produced in the Abruzzo region of Italy. The reason I say there can be some confusion is that Montepulciano is also a region in Italy, but ironically the Montepulciano grape isn’t grown in the vineyards of the town bearing the same name. So if you see a wine called, “Vino Nobile di Montepulciano,” don’t confuse it with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, they are made with different grapes in different regions of Italy.

In my opinion, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is a great example of an old world style, red Italian wine. It tends to have a good balance between earthy, fruity and spicy characteristics, and, like many great Italian wines, it pairs well with food. And the name is fun to say! You pronounce it like MOHN-teh-pool-CHEE’AH-noh dah-BRUT-so, and roll the R in Abruzzo, if you can.

Tenute Agricole Masciarelli

This particular bottle comes from Tenute Agricole Masciarelli, or Masciarelli for short, established by Gianni Masciarelli in 1981 with just 5 acres of vineyards in the Chieti province of Abruzzo. Today Masciarelli has 741 acres of vineyards, across 60 plots in 13 municipalities. They are the only producer in Abruzzo to own land in all four provinces (Chieti, Pescara, Teramo and l’Aquila).

Masciarelli had a vision to transform the Abruzzo region from one of cheap, low-quality wines into a world class wine region. He began with reducing yields, employing sustainable farming practices, gentle handling of fruit in the winery and efforts to tame tannins in the wine — which can be strong in Montepulciano. He also introduced the Guyot vine training system to the region, which helps reduce yields. The success of realizing his vision resulted in the expansion of Masciarelli across the region.

Gianni Masciarelli passed away suddenly in 2008 and the winery continues operations under the guidance of his wife and business partner Marina Cvetić and the couple’s eldest daughter, Miriam Lee Masciarelli. They continue to evolve the winery with several initiatives, such as an ongoing transition to organic viticulture across their vineyards and the introduction of new grape varieties, suited for rising temperatures.

This wine comes from their classic line, which I think is a good place to start with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Masciarelli produces a number of different lines, offering opportunities to explore the different expressions Montepulciano d’Abruzzo can have from different terroirs within the region and with varied production techniques.

Tasting Notes

The aromas are really nice, offering fragrances like allspice, sage, wild cherry and blackberry. Dark fruit flavors, like wild cherry and blackberry dominate the palate, but there are also some spice notes and some Earl Grey tea-like tannins. This wine is a bit on the tart side. The mouthfeel is pleasant and there’s plenty of acidity. It finishes medium long, with cherry flavors. This would be an excellent pizza wine.

Wine: Masciarelli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC
Varieties: 100% Montepulciano
Vintage: 2020
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 86
Average price: $15
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.