For a Monday night, why not have a Md’A that costs less than $25? There is the rest of the week to indulge in pricer wines. I tried two:
2021 Tiberio Montepulciano d’Abruzzo: this is the basic offering in the Tiberio portfolio that I purchased in the low $20s. It has a vibrant acidity and would make for a great pasta wine. It is definitely a food-friendly wine more than a casual sipper based on the acidity. The fruit is redolent of cherry. I feel like it lacks complexity, but that is what you get from an entry-level wine. The acidity is singing on this one, more so than any Md’A I can remember. Very well made.
2020 La Valentina Spelt Riserva: also purchased in the low $20s. I have to give this one the upper hand, but that may be due to the fact that in a Parker-esque way it is easier to go for the bigger wine of the two. It is denser and more brooding. It does not have the acidity of the Tiberio, but it has more depth and stronger tannins. There are flavors of meat and dark red fruit. I think it is an excellent wine for under $25. I would be hard-pressed to tell of a better value for under $25.
I have had the 2018 Archivio and 2018 Colle Vota, and on the basis of those I feel that one gets a meaningful increase in complexity as one moves up the prestige curve with Tiberio. However, the fancier wines also require more cellaring time.
Still, as entry-level Montepulciano goes, many producers would be lucky to have a wine this good.
As for me, I’ve been loving:
2021 Fattoria La Valentina Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Docheio
It’s refined entirely in amphora with half of the bunches left intact and the other half destemmed for fermentation. It’s a crazy wine that’s both ridiculously fresh yet also complex.
Just had the 2022 Umani Ronchi Montepulciano the other night with a simple stir fry. I drink a lot of Montepulciano - and do try to mix them up with a different producer every time. The Umani Ronchi was quite the fat boy, juicy, ripe and just delicious. Probably a $13.00 retail?