Masciarelli Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva San Martino Rosso 2016

The 2016 Marina Cvetic Riserva is a remarkable wine and the scion of a great vintage, having been awarded 93 points from Wine Advocate and 93+ from Jeb Dunnuck. It also exemplifies Masciarelli’s break with the historical, commercially minded wines of the region as it receives maceration and fermentation in stainless steel, before being transferred to French barriques for up to 18 months of aging before bottling, a practice almost unknown in Abruzzo. The result is a full-bodied Montepulciano with a silky texture and round tannins to complement the wine’s gorgeously ripe fruit. Deep and powerful, but also seductively aromatic with savory notes of black cherry, blackberry, chocolate, herbs, and spices, the youthful 2016 Marina Cvetic Riserva is hard to resist. On the palate, the wine is dense, extra rich, and fully concentrated. It fills the mouth with luscious red and black fruits along with an infusion of all of the savory notes found in the wine’s heady aroma. Bold flavored but opulent in texture, exuberant yet tailored with a handsome framework of ripe, measured tannins, the young 2016 Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva already drinks well and finishes long and deep. This is a truly outstanding Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and, in the classic 2016 vintage, a wine destined for greatness. Enjoy this wine now and into the next decade. For optimal enjoyment, we suggest decanting the superlative 2016 Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo’s Riserva for at least an hour before serving at cool room temperature (58°-62° F). Enjoy!

The 2016 Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva provides the ideal companion to classic Italian specialties and the finest meals from anywhere one can bring to table. The wine’s extroverted personality, bold flavors, and sturdy structure allow it to complement all kinds of hearty dishes, without worrying about garlic, onion, spice, or herbs overpowering the wine. Pasta Bolognese, Tagliatelle with Wild Boar Ragu, Braised Short Ribs served with pearl onions and garlic mashed potatoes, and almost anything from the grill or brick oven make fulfilling mouthwatering accompaniments to the Marina Cvetic Riserva. Lasagna made with the finest cheeses or meats also makes a splendid accompaniment, as does Pasta Primavera, a tasty classic laden with fresh vegetables and graced with the finest Parmesan cheese. In fact, almost any tomato or cream based pasta will shine in the company of the 2016 Marina Cvetic Riserva. Moreover, exceptional cheeses and the finest Montepulciano d’Abruzzo are foods to ponder and linger over, so why not complete a meal with one of Italy’s exceptional cheeses in the company of a glass of 2016 Marina Cvetic Riserva? What could be more civilized and gratifying? Buon Appetito!

Masciarelli wines stand at the pinnacle of quality in Italy’s rugged Abruzzo region. Founded in 1981 by Gianni Masciarelli, this estate fashions an enviable portfolio of outstanding wines, including the much lauded 2016 Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva San Martino Rosso (this month’s feature). Named for Gianni Masciarelli’s wife, Marina Cvetic, the 2016 Marina Cvetic Riserva is one of the winery’s two flagship offerings. It ranks with Masciarelli’s much celebrated Villa Gemma Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, the only Italian wine to win the coveted Tre Bicchieri award 14 times, which places it unequivocally among the greatest red wines produced in Italy. Masciarelli also fashions a number of other impressive wines, including Villa Gemma Colline Teatine Bianco, a delicious rosato, and many other oenological gems.

Gianni Masciarelli founded this estate after spending time in Champagne where he became convinced that his native Abruzzo, with its climate and long tradition of wine production from indigenous old vines, could fashion world-class wines. Instead of being content to produce only oceans of acceptable, pleasant red and white wines suitable to serve as inexpensive house pours, Masciarelli set about creating a wine estate using the Abruzzo’s indigenous vines to craft wines that compete with the best from France and elsewhere, wines such as his Marina Cvetic Riserva.

Masciarelli’s Marina Cvetic Riserva represents an intense and remarkable expression of the deeply colored Montepulciano grape, the Abruzzo’s finest and most historical grape variety. Marina Cvetic Riserva is made from 100% Montepulciano from 8 of Masciarelli’s top parcels. This special selection enjoys the benefit of a range of altitudes and soils from the choicest grapes from the finest vineyards. The 8 vineyards range in altitude from 480 to 1,200 feet with soils of calcareous clay and lime, all of which are farmed sustainably. In these vineyards, Masciarelli uses traditional Abruzzo pergola vine training as well as the Simple Guyot and Spur Cordon training, which Gianni Masciarelli pioneered in the region. From its inception, Marina Cvetic was conceived as a very limited production Montepulciano d’Abruzzo to truly represent the summit of what Montepulciano can achieve.