2019 Art of Earth Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ($12)

This Art of Earth Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is a certified Organic wine. And it’s a 2019. Those two factors make this a very unusual wine. In a good way!

First, this Art of Earth is a wine made from organic grapes. This is a small but growing category of wine. This means there were no synthetic pesticides or herbicides used in the vineyard. Yeast and any other agricultural ingredients used in winemaking aren’t required to be organic, but have to be produced without excluded methods (like genetic engineering). Finally, sulfites may be added to these wines.

Secondly, this is a 2019 vintage. Yes, it’s a less than one year old red wine. Unusual.

On the nose this Art of Earth Montepulciano d’Abruzzo has aromas of bright red fruits. Namely cherry and raspberry. Not surprising for a very young wine. On the palate it’s got very firm tannins. Again, not surprising for a very young wine. But then it’s got this big berry flavor, good acidity and a seemingly strong oak influence. But I had to question myself - a wine that’s less than one year old with strong oak influence? It wasn’t until well after tasting this wine that I reviewed common characteristics of the Montepulciano grape. It was then that I discovered that it is well known for having a ‘smoky sweet finish.’ Exactly! That’s what I was experiencing!

So, if you can’t tell by now, this was a surprisingly good wine. And at a price of $12, a perfect fit for a Behind the Cork™ wine of the week feature. If you can find this one pick up a bottle or two. I think you too will be favorably surprised. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Donna White, Donna White Communications