Agriverde Riseis Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2023

Agriverde's vines stretch across the rolling hills of Villa Caldari, in Ortona, in the province of Chieti, at the heart of Abruzzo. The estate farms 65 hectares organically, between the Adriatic Sea, which tempers the climate, and the Majella massif, which shelters the vines and shapes their character. The plots used for this Montepulciano d'Abruzzo lie on limestone soils, at around 250 metres above sea level.

Montepulciano, a native grape variety grown here organically, experienced a hot, dry summer in 2023, punctuated by a few showers at the end of August that encouraged even ripening. After the harvest, the grapes undergo a long skin maceration designed to extract colour and structure. The wine is then aged for eight months in stainless-steel tanks, then twelve months in concrete vats, an ageing that respects the purity of the fruit.

This wine reveals notes of violet, black cherry, plum, sage, slate, liquorice, cocoa and black pepper. The dark colour is shot through with purple glints. On the palate, this Montepulciano stands out for its vivacity, its breadth and its tight-knit tannins. Generous and complex, it ends on a long, persistent and finely spiced finish.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful, hedonistic country, the land of la dolce vita, but how difficult it is to understand its wine industry! The key to understanding the appellation system in Italy is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single homogeneous nation, as each region has its own appellation system. Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavors and styles, bottles brimming with surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most commercially useful and prestigious name: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco, and many others... But let's talk a little history. Viticulture in Italy dates back to antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and modified the grape varieties, subsequently calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and certain regions already distinguished themselves by the excellence of their product. The Romans also established numerous vineyards in Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquest. Today, Italy is the world's largest wine producer, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a rather harsh mountain climate. The plains of the "central boot" are characterized by a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. In the southern part of the Italian boot, the Mediterranean climate prevails, with very hot and dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a wide variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of which originated in its own lands. It is a country as complex as its wines, which deserve to be explored!