Piantate Lunghe Rosso Conero

Vintage: 2007

Varietal: 100% Montepulciano

I don't really know how to introduce this wine.  It's currently one of my favorites and I think I've opened at least four bottles in the two weeks that I've had it.  Rosso Conero is a small, little known, but very respected (in Italy) DOC in the Marche region of central Italy.  Three friends near the town of Ancona decided to pool their tiny family vineyards in order to make enough wine to sell; about 2000 cases per year.  It's a gem of a wine imported by my friend Warren Fraser and his new company Peter/Warren Selections. 

Aroma: Intense.  It smells like what I want my kitchen to smell like on a sunday afternoon in January; namely, baking spices, cinnamon, raspberry, blueberry (both fresh and cooked), hints of smoke, charred meat, and hints of baking chocolate. 

Palate: Richly textured and with dark fruit, this is a lush and very authentically Italian tasting wine.   The mouth feel is smooth and refined while the flavors are dense blueberry, pepper, and hints of smoke.  It's not a super complex wine, but very well balanced, approachable, and utterly delicious. 

I've had this wine with all manner of food, including Indian creamed spinach and a tomato chickpea dish.   I have yet to find a food that this wine can't handle, but it is ideal with stewed meats or pasta in a meat sauce.  Sometimes you don't want a wine that totally grabs and dominates your attention; sometimes you just want one that's honestly delicious and that's what this wine is to me.

It's also the best wine made from Montepulciano I've ever had.

This is about $20 at the Rosemont on Munjoy Hill, the Freeport Cheese and Wine shop, and Tess's in Brunswick.

Comments

[Roberto Mazzoni]

GREAT!!!! I am the producer of Piantate Lunghe Rosso Conero and I appreciate very much what you have written about my wine!!!!!!
J hope you'll taste the 2010 vintage that Peter has now and the Rossini too. Hope to have you in Ancona, Marche region, Italy to taste with us our wines.
Thank a lot
Roberto Mazzoni

[Ned]

Thank you Roberto! I hope I got the story right. I really do love the wines, but I haven't seen the Rossini yet. I'll ask about it!

Ned

[ed domaney]

do you have a distributor in ma. i own domaneys wines and liquors in great barrington ma and would love to introduce your wine,,....we have customers from new york asking for it! please advise...ed domaney/[email protected]