This wine will be a revelation for those of you who have yet to be converted to the glories of Montepulciano from Italy’s mountainous core. Terrana is pure Montepulciano, grown on the foggy hillsides in Abruzzo, the true home of this plush and sensual grape and one bottle that couldn’t be more exciting and enticing if it had a one-way ticket to Italy glued to the label.

We love this wine because it is undiluted and pure, the heart and soul of what true Montepulciano should and can be if it is treated with the respect it deserves. No wood here – ripe grapes went from field to steel tank to bottle so that all you get is pure, pure fruit.

While so much of great Italian wine is in its element when at the table, Montepulciano is the ultimate food wine, with its light spice, plush juiciness and soft tannins. It’s a great burger wine, a knockout pasta wine (especially with rich ragus) and an effortless, casual and satisfying glass of red that simply puts a smile on the face of everyone from the first sip. And did we mention it’s an outstanding value, too?

Tuesday, January 31, 2012