Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva "Titinge" 2017 Fontefico

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 'Titinge' is the top of the Fontefico's range of Montepulciano wines, aged for at least 6 years before release. A red wine of substance and intensity, it manages to combine elegance and structure, the taste is powerful and authentic. A mixture of well blended aromas, including ripe red fruits and spices, delights the nose, to be drunk on important occasions, accompanied by roasted or grilled meats. The name 'Titinge' comes from its taste, but above all from its colour, which is so rich and intense that it colours the heart. This Riserva is the precious fruit of the oldest vineyard in the Fontefico estate, planted in 1970. It is called Vigna Pàstino and is situated at 115 metres above sea level. The vines are rooted in a soil that is mainly silt, but also contains clay and iron, and is exposed to the north-west, making it very cool, with fewer hours of sunshine per day, and exposed to the mistral winds from the Adriatic Sea. When the harvest comes, the grapes are hand-picked into crates and processed quickly, as the cellar is very close to the vineyards. These two factors limit grape breakage and strong oxidation, favouring the quality and health of the wine, even with less sulphur dioxide input. After destemming and crushing, the must ferments spontaneously in temperature-controlled steel vats in contact with the skins for about 25 days until the liquid separates from the skins. Ageing is a long process, with the wine resting in steel vats for a good two years, followed by another two years in wood. After 48 months, the wine is ready to be bottled, but not to be marketed, in fact it remains in the bottle for another 24 months! The Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 'Titinge' has an intense ruby red colour, on the palate it is soft and elegant to the touch, the tannins are balanced, caressing the palate and providing comfort, in harmony with enveloping and refined nuances of chocolate and spices. On the nose, delicate balsamic notes and aromas of red berries and cherries emerge.