2010 Montevetrano

The 2010 Montevetrano is flat-out gorgeous. Vibrant, floral aromatics lead to layers of beautifully delineated fruit in this finely sculpted chiseled Montevetrano. A wine of extraordinary beauty, the 2010 impresses for its clarity and nuance. I don’t think I have ever tasted a young Montevetrano with this much pure silkiness and finesse. There is a level of precision and delineation in the 2010 that is truly marvelous. I can’t wait to see how it ages. The 2010 is also notable for a much higher percentage of Aglianico (30%) than has been common in the past, while the international varieties are less prominent in the blend. In 2010 Montevetrano is 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Aglianico and 20% Merlot, which means the Cabernet Sauvignon now plays a much smaller role in the blend. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030. ||Proprietress Silvia Imparato and long-time oenologist Riccardo Cotarella have done a great job with the 2010 Montevetrano, a wine that may very well go down as one of the best ever made here. Starting in 2011 Montevetrano will have a second wine, Core, 100% Aglianico made in equal parts from the estate’s own vineyards and vineyards in the Benevento district.||A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620 Wine Advocate.February, 2013