+MUST TRY+
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (by La Braccesca/Antinori)
Italy: Tuscany (near Montepulciano)
Prugnolo Gentile (Sangiovese) 90%, Merlot 10% (red blend)
2005
$23.00
90 pts
This is an excellent Tuscan red, possessing a rich ruby color in the glass, and offering aromas of cherries and some very light oak. The mouth feel is smooth and pleasing (with a medium-light weight), while the taste profile includes wonderful cherries, hints of black pepper, and minerals on the back end. The finish is excellent, with the minerality lingering in your mouth long after swallowing. The tannins are near perfect, soft and gentle, but with good pucker-quality. I suspect the small percentage of Merlot in the blend helps lend the tannins their softness. Just learned that this wine--which Dana and I purchased in Monterosso al Mare (Liguria, Italy) in July of 2009--is available at Binny's Beverage Depot for about $23.00. Not inexpensive, but this delicious wine is worth the cost, and may be just the ticket for entertaining friends on weekends during the cold winter months to come. NOTE: Tasted this wine at room temp, and so I suspect it would perform even better when just a bit cooler.
