2010 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
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Tasting notes
The 2010 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Vecchie Vigne is a total showstopper with its deep, dark, purple, red color. The intense bouquet blends fresh plums with black raspberries, sweet peppery curry, tobacco, leather and balsamic spice. It flows across the palate in silken waves, communicating elegance at the start. Within moments, a tart burst of cranberry and sour cherries combines with nervous acidity to create a juicy impression with riveting tension. The 2010 is rich and potent; it leaves a staining of concentration while remaining incredibly fresh. The balanced bite of tannin that remains creates a classically dry finale. A minute goes by, and dried citrus rinds, hints of coffee grinds and black licorice are still present. This is easily the most moving experience that I’ve ever had with an Emidio Pepe Montepulciano. The 2010 is in a gorgeous place today and has a very bright future.
Critic scores
Average Score
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
More closed than the 2012. Mellow, beefy style on the palate with mulchy bramble fruit. Intriguing and complex with oodles of layers that will peel back with more time. (RH)
This has Selezione Vecchie Vigne (selection of the estate's oldest vines) on the label, which they started to label as such from 2019. This is the first such wine, which was recently decanted and recorked. Eight to nine days on the skins and pigeage only, no pumping over. Chiara, Emidio's granddaughter, explains that 'Montepulciano is very concentrated with plenty of acidity and tannins, so you need to extract very gently. When we have high acidity in cool vintages we prolong maceration by punching down to extract more in order to get a better balance and more concentration, while in warmer years the maceration is shorter.' Bottle number 16,055. Lustrous mid ruby. Pure and concentrated red-fruit nose with a little bit of sweet dark fruit and a touch of stalks, liquorice and spice. With aeration there is a touch of raw meat. Amazing balancing act of plentiful acidity and ripe fruit and with bags of grainy, bitter-sweet tannins. Long, concentrated finish. Super-attractive but really deserves much more bottle age. (WS)
About the producer
Emidio Pepe is a star of the Abruzzo region and one of Italy’s most famous names. Worshipped by natural-wine lovers for its low-intervention approach, this estate makes category-defying, age-worthy examples of Montepulciano, Trebbiano and Cerasolo d’Abruzzo, as well as Pecorino Colli Aprutini.