A very satisfying drop, this is Montepulciano in its fuller-bodied form. It’s packed with flavour; dark berried fruit, hot earth with a savoury undertone. There’s serious structure and density in the palate. Fruit from favoured vineyard sites is hand-picked, fermented and then aged for 18 months in oak. It’s left unfiltered and is aged in bottle at the estate for a further 12 months before release. 

The region of Abruzzo, and the Montepulciano grape have long been associated with cheap, bulk red wine. Modern producers like La Valentina have changed that. They’re showing that the variety is capable of making serious, detailed reds. Having purchased the estate in 1990, the Di Properzio brothers, they fully took the reins in 1994. They are committed to growing varieties traditional to the region, and to organic practices.