Fattoria Le Terrazze Praeludium Rosso Conero 2009

Regardless of the vintage, Fattoria Le Terrazze seems to shine, due in no small part to the Ternis’ strict crop selection and low yields. Nonetheless, we think the Ternis have outdone themselves in 2009. Their 2009 Praeludium is one juicy, delectable, downright delicious wine, and even if you never put this perfumed potion into your mouth the wine’s magical bouquet is worth the price of admission. It reveals a stunningly rich nose redolent with the scents of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, and rose. Wedded to the wine’s seductive floral components are soft plush flavors and subtle spice tones that have enormous sensual appeal. Warm and velvety on the palate, the 2009 Fattoria Le Terrazze Praeludium offers up copious quantities of ripe red fruits that melt in the mouth. With plenty of polished fruit, soft spice tones, and enough tannic backbone to let you know this is serious wine, the 2009 Praeludium is nothing short of irresistible. Although made for near term drinking with a heady bouquet that flows readily from the moment it is poured, the 2009 Praeludium handsomely repays 20-30 minutes of aeration. We suggest serving this seductive beauty at cool room temperature (no more than 66° F). Due to the Ternis natural methods of production and the nature of the Montepulciano varietal, Praeludium may precipitate some harmless, tasteless sediment.

A clean glass and a few minutes of aeration are all the gracious, huggable 2009 Fattoria Le Terrazze Praeludium needs to shine. Nonetheless, Praeludium will enhance the culinary delights of any table. Classic Italian American specialties such as Eggplant Parmigiana, Lasagne, and Veal Scallopine provide excellent accompaniments to the 2009 Fattoria Le Terrazze Praeludium, but that’s not all. The traditional cuisine of the Marches offers the ultimate accompaniment. Although simple in comparison to the heavy, rich fare of Piemonte, Marchesan cooking is immensely flavorful, rich, and varied. Brodetto, the highly charged local rendition of bouillabaisse, smoked meats such as salami and prosciutto, or just about any type of game all provide fine complements to Praeludium. Porchetta, the Marches’ version of a whole roasted suckling pig, which is stuffed with onion, herbs, garlic and wild fennel, remains one of our favorite accompaniments to the Ternis’ Rosso Conero. Chicken, paella, and flavorful vegetable entrées all do justice to this wine, too. Enjoy!

Rosso Conero is the Adriatic’s most illustrious wine and Fattoria Le Terrazze is the region’s leading producer, so when the crowds leave the area’s pretty beach resorts and the tourists take leave of the countless seafood restaurants that anchor the breathtaking Marchesan coastline, rife with cliffs that plummet hundreds of feet straight into the gleaming Adriatic Sea, the local cognescenti put aside the region’s Verdicchio and break out the Marches’ most delectable red wine – Rosso Conero from Fattoria Le Terrazze. Fattoria Le Terrazze fashions two delicious Rosso Conero: Praeludium, a delectable, downright irresistible red for drinking in the first five years of its life, and the estate’s traditional Rosso Conero, a more robust red that possesses flavor and charm as well as the ability to age. Both wines are delicious and equally fit for drinking on a warm summer evening or a cold winter night. They draw their strength and vigor from the flavorful Montepulciano grape, and when blended with up to 15% Sangiovese (the great Tuscan varietal) Rosso Conero combines strength and finesse, resulting in a plush wine of subtle complexity. Antonio and Georgina Terni are the dedicated proprietors of Le Terrazze, where they produce meager amounts of wine from their well-situated 15 acre vineyard. Their sole aim is to produce the Marches’ finest Rosso Conero, a goal many critics and consumers alike believe Antonio and Georgina have already achieved. In order to produce their beautifully wrought wine, they must drop a sizeable portion of each vintage’s purple grape clusters onto the meticulously tended vineyard, thereby radically reducing their yield but heightening the flavor and intensity of the resulting wine. Once one of Italy’s best-kept secrets, the word is now out; Fattoria Le Terrazze produces compelling Rosso Conero and its wines are increasingly difficult to find.