2007 Barba Vignafranca Montepulciano

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley
North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net





2007 Barba Vignafranca Montepulciano
#nb-33-12


We are getting ready to head down to our little cottage by the sea on the island of Matlacha, Florida, so there will not be any tasting notes for the next couple of weeks. But, before we go, I have a little treat for you which may last for a few weeks, since the wine is so good, that you might want to read about it again next week!

This 2007 Barba Montepulciano d' Abruzzo is just what you have been looking for as a companion to your Italian style veal dishes. This Vignafranco Montepulciano from Barba has all of the qualities I look for in a Montepulciano, which are big cherry flavors backed up by a firm structure of mellow toasty oak in the finish. My wife, the "Chardonnay Queen', makes the best Veal Marsala this side of Florence, Italy, and the other night we paired her Veal Marsala with a bottle of this wonderful Montepulciano. Oh, Mama Mia, what a delight!

The nose is heady with swirling fragrances of fresh flowers and dark cherries. The flavor can best be described as "cherries and spice and everything nice". The finish sails on and on, with spice and mellow oak, which begs for another sip! The wine was aged in French oak for fourteen months, and comes in at an alcohol level of 13.5%.

Now, you don't have to enjoy this wine with veal, it would pair well with a host of other entrees, but why not go all the way? This is a perfect choice for veal, whether you like parmesan, scaloppini, marsala, or even saltimbocca. If you don't like veal, just fix a big plate of spaghetti, and dive in! Norm's score is 92.

Score: 92
Price: $16 - $20

Norm

Norm's Tasting Notes can also be accessed at his Blog: http://normwine.blogspot.com/

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