2018 Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva San Martino Rosso (750ml)

Montepulciano from Abruzzo, Italy

B-21 Top Recommendation
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Described by Antonio Galloni of Vinous as “a reference point producer for rich, internationally styled wines from Abruzzo,” the 94 pt. 2018 Marina Cvetic Riserva San Martino boasts rich, fragrant dark fruit hinting of forest and spice balanced by bright acidity and elegant silky tannins, a lush and delicious expression of Montepulciano grown in the high-altitude terroir above Italy’s Adriatic Coast that delivers outstanding value.

Driven by his vision to transform Abruzzo into a world class wine region, founder Gianni Masciarelli set out to change the reputation and quality of Italy’s second most planted grape from the ground up, introducing the Guyot method of vine training to reduce yields, employing sustainable farming practices and purchasing only optimal vineyard parcels across the region to produce his wines. Making “irrefutable” contributions to Abruzzo’s winemaking according to critic Antonio Galloni including aging in barrels in lieu of concrete, Gianni began with two hectares of his grandfather’s vineyards in 1991 and expanded to over 300 hectares over the next decades, his well-crafted Abruzzo wines gaining international acclaim that has continued under the direction of his wife, Marina Cvetic, for whom the cuvee was named and now joined by their eldest daughter Miriam Lee. Sourced from eight of the estate’s top parcels, the vineyards for the 2018 Marina Cvetic Riserva are planted in a range of soils from calcareous clay to gravelly rocky at 200 to 400 meters above sea level throughout the four provinces of Abruzzo, enjoying a unique microclimate on Abruzzo’s narrow strip of rugged terrain between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea with cooling breezes that moderate temperatures and prevent disease. Fermented in stainless steel to preserve freshness, winemaker Attilio Alfino aged the 2018 Marina Cvetic Riserva San Martino Rosso in French oak barriques for 12 months and another 12 months in bottle before release, creating a dark fruited, opulently textured Montepulciano that’s “silky smooth and juicy in style” according to Eric Guido of Vinous with an “incredibly long, yet remarkably fresh” finish, summing it up as a “fully enjoyable expression of Montepulciano.”

Described as successfully building “on Gianni Mascarelli’s blueprint” by the Wine Advocate’s Monica Larner, the 94 pt. 2018 Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva San Martino Rosso reveals richly concentrated Montepulciano fruit expressing the complexity of its diverse terroir, a superb deal from the lesser heralded Abruzzo region described as “one of Italy’s best kept secrets” by Decanter’s Andrea Briccarello that translates to a great deal on a delicious everyday Italian wine.

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Complex aromas of crushed black fruit, dried lemon peel, kalonji seeds and more if you linger. Full-bodied palate, where the intense fruit coats the medium-grain tannins on the center-palate and continues to push through the wall as the tannins firm up towards the end. The finish is already long and fruity and will only lengthen as the wine matures in bottle. Super quality here. Try from 2024.

94 points, James Suckling (Nov 2021)

The 2018 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva S. Martino Rosso Marina Cvetic is super rich and concentrated but also incredibly smooth and ironed out in terms of texture. The wine does taper down considerably on the palate, offering soft tannins and more reasonable human-sized black fruit concentration. The Masciarelli family does a top-notch job following the winemaking vision of the late and great Gianni Masciarelli.

92 points, Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (Jun 2023)

Aromas of brandy-soaked dark cherry, anise, allspice and chopped mint show depth, concentration and purity in this Montepulciano that sees time in French oak. It's rich in feel on the palate, but counterbalanced by a bright core of acidity that pushes along the dense berry and spice flavors. There's a polish to it all that makes it accessible in the near term, but it would also hold well through 2028.

92 points, Alexander Peartree, Wine Enthusiast (Mar 2021)

Alcohol By Volume: 14.5%

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$19.98

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