For those who don't know, I'm involved with a company selling Italian wine to the rest of the EU. Presently our top selling wine is this one, the Zaccagnini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Tralcetto. We stock Gaja, we stock Planeta, we stock Antinori and yet, this bottle is outselling any of these wines 10:1. Why?One of the reasons is the favourable review given last month by WineSpectator. I was so curious about 10:1 ratio that I decided to take home a few bottles of this wine for Christmas and last night I opened a bottle to see what the deuce the fuss is all about.
Zaccagnini is not exactly an unknown producer, knocking out half a million bottles a year they are the 6th largest producer in Abruzzo but in terms of QPR they come up first. Zaccagnini produces a broad range for their 500,000 bottles. Consider the largest producer in Abruzzo, Farnese, produces 10 million bottles a years then Zaccagnini has a tremendously eclectic range of wines. The award winning Chardonnay and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo aside, the outfit also produce fine Rosè wines, Trebbianos, Cabernets, Rieslings, Cannonau and Pecorino wines. Currently 17 different types of wines are produced by Zaccagnini, that's impressive!
So back to the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Tralcetto. Last nights fish dinner was really not a suitable partner, but the wine played wonderfully with an Italian Christmas dessert that made up my second course. A ricotta and chocolate based cake that is in all the shops at the moment. Actually the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is not meant as a dessert wine, yet the chocolate and coffee that is jumping out of this wine made a wonderful "chance match" and one I'll be repeating again before Christmas. If you like simple wines that taste a little sweet and slip down easily you will love this wine. If you like wines that are almost tannin free and mid bodied, you will like this wine.
If you like fruity wines with a smooth mouthfeel, you will like this wine.
If you like wines that are giving out chocolate and coffee, you will like this wine.
It's not classy, sophisticated or multi dimensional. It doesn't make your want to sit and contemplate, it's simply a delicious wine at a delicious price. That is why it's outselling any other wine we have by 10:1 right now. I apologise for making this a Cellar Door advert today, but when a wine is selling like this and is this cheap then you want to tell folks.
Zaccagnini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Tralcetto 2005 - BUY - €8
Dark deep reddish purple with garnet hues. A subtle nose but clear aromas of coffee and dark chocolate, the wine smells like Tiramisu in a glass. A touch of wood on the palate, a wine of medium bodied with silky tannins and a pleasant mouth feel and a subtle finish, very fresh, and fruity. Great value for money at £5.50. Impressive. - 89 Points
Where can I buy this wine?
Europeans - The Cellar Door - €8
Americans - Astor Wines - $14
Brits - The Cellar Door - £5.50
Question of the Day?
Food and wine mismatch horror stories. I want yours!
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