Lately I’ve been in love with Montepulciano D’Abruzzo. Yes, I feel like I’m being unfaithful to my sweet Dolcetto, my lovely Barbera, my always dependable Chianti, and even my knock-out bombshell Brunello Di Montalcino…but I can not help myself.

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo is a fantastic food wine. Especially if your dinner table looks like mine, with various simple pasta dishes, antipasto plates, salads and rustic artisanal breads. Montepulciano D’Abruzzo pairs perfectly with casual, everyday Italian cuisine. In addition, I would pair it with burgers, chilli dogs, and BBQ. Montepulciano D’ Abruzzo is perfect for that Sunday afternoon cookout or any tailgate party.

Quattro Mani

The Region (from the world encyclopedia of wine) : Abruzzi (Abruzzo in Italian) is a very mountainous region located east of Rome, on the Adriatic Sea. The reputation of this mountainous region rests on a pair of DOC wines, one red and one white. The red, Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, is far more famous of the two. Made from the grape of the same name, it is always a softly plumy, low tannin, easy-going wine with a strange but unmistakable waft of sea air about it. Despite its strong reliability, it has never become expensive on the export markets, and is often a surefire bet for a modestly priced Italian red with more depth than most of its equals. The white, by the way, is Trebbiano D’Abruzzo. It actually contains, in a typically Italian paradox, no Trebbiano at all, but is made from a southern variety named Bombino. Trebbiano D’Abruzzo is a solid dry white wine, perfectly suited for seafood and salad pairings.

The Wine: For this pairing, I opened a bottle of the Quattro Mani Montepulciano D’ Abruzzo 2010.

Tasting Notes: Ruby red with purple hues. On the nose, it is fresh, with aromas of currant, strawberry and raspberry. On the palate the wine is fresh and fruity, well balaned with soft tannins. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks, and a 13% alcohol content, make the Quattro Mani Montepulciano D’ Abruzzo 2010 a wonderfully food-friendly wine. Perfecto!