Of course Miguel Silva knew of the Montepulciano grape. It is, after all, celebrated in Abruzzo with its own Denominazione di origine controllata — the Italian way of declaring something local, artisanal and very good.
Unfortunately, the Don Angel winemaker had never worked with the varietal. So after acquiring a batch, he called up Pietro Buttatta of Rosa d’Oro.
Buttatta ticked off the flavor profile and send Silva a bottle of Rosa d’Oro Montepulciano as a guide.
“When I was done fermenting it was already very different,” Silva recalled. “For me, it was a big surprise.”
The Don Angel 2012 Montepulciano presents snappy, vibrant fruit. Aromas of cranberry and tart cherry rush from the glass, taunting the more rustic and earthbound notes — leather, toasted spice and a ripple of something floral.
On the palate, the fresh zing of cherry, cranberry and red plum appear anxious for recognition. They burst through the gates, jumping ahead of all other flavors and stick around, as if craving attention. The combination is striking, pleasantly jammy and audacious, yet the fruit cannot obscure completely distant bellows.
A mellow earthiness forms in the background. Its sonorous powers softened by bright fruit, this deep character serves as a simple beat, a rhythmic impression from which fine suggestions of dried flowers, husky tobacco and chipped bark emerge for brief moments.
This last is a restive note, more prevalent on some palates than others. Silva tells of customers calling about the cinnamon wine, which he finds puzzling.
“It’s not tannic,” he said. “To me, I think of a flowery thing — but that’s just me.”
Perhaps the unique nature of the wine comes from Silva’s approach. Rested in a mix of new oak, Montepulciano develops an acrid, earthy base over which swirl hues of dark berry and dried oregano, along with a bit more tannic heft. But Silva allowed his wine to sit in more timorous neutral wood.
A lighter, more festive wine is the result.
“My approach is always neutral oak — let the wine do its thing,” Silva explained, laughing a bit. “I just take it out when it’s ready.”
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
