2001 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo "Cantina Zaccagnini Riserva"

[hotwine]

Picked up a couple of these at Sam's Club today, not planning to sample for a while... but she said we were to have leftover pork loin and ham slices for din-din tonight, with fresh chard and oven fries, and that sounded made to order to preflight this dude. And indeed it was!

Dark and opaque in the glass, with forest floor and 'shrooms in bruised red fruit on the nose.... fruit becomes more complex on the palate, with red currants joining raspberries and a few dark cherries to form a very harmonious blend. Gives way to a moderate finish, not hot at all with only 13% alc/vol. About $12.50.

Bottle has a short (~2") length of grapevine lashed to its neck, the sort of gimmick that usually signifies plonk in my experience.... but not this time. Stock up!

[wdonovan]

We call it "stick wine". I've turned on a few of my friends to this great find. It is replacing Rhones for us once or twice a week. Really rich for $12. Yep, stock up but.... whoever takes the last case, order more.

[hotwine]

"Stick wine" is a good name for it. Picked up the last 10 btls they had this AM. Had to really hunt for 'em, as they had been covered up with other stock.

[hotwine]

Had this with "peasant stew", a chicken-based thingy she came up with a couple of nights ago. Will have another tonight. A very versatile wine.