2018 Tenuta Ulisse Amaranta Montepulciano DOP

Brand	Unknown
Region	Abbruzzi
Varietal	Montepulciano
Size	750ml
Alcohol %	14.0%
Vintage	2018
Country	Italy

We witnessed a rapid-fire sellout of 500 x 6-packs late 2021... many missed the boat and heard the news about how sensational this “Grand CRU” quality Montepulciano is for the money. The winery surprisingly found us a further 500 x 6-packs from European market stocks... as they are eager to grow Exports to NZ. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is the home to wonderfully rich and tasty reds with everyday prices that often belie the quality on offer. This Tenuta Ulisse Amaranta Montepulciano DOP sits in the premium price category for the region with a $39.99 retail. But by wine quality standards across all countries and regions it is clearly a hell of a bargain. It’s premium glass bottle alludes to the superb experience captured inside... that once in your glass and passing your lips is almost certain to impress. And impress it did with top Italian wine critic Luca Maroni who was driven to rate it one point from perfect with a whopping 99/100. Cultivated from older vines in Denominazione di Origine Protetta D.O.P within the Abruzzo appellation. In the winery’s records it is classified as a “Cru” production... “best of the best”. The blend spends 15-20 days post fermentation macerating on skins with daily gentle hand plunging. The resulting extraction of tannin/colour and flavour is luxurious. The final wine spends 9-12 months in a mix of French and American oak. Tenuta Ulisse Amaranta Montepulciano D’Abruzzo is a very concentrated, serious and welcoming red that offers incredible drinking at this early age but clearly has the pedigree and power to age gracefully through 2029+.

Warm aromas of blackberries, black Doris plums, milk chocolate, malt biscuits, black liquorice, vanilla pods and cedar with an exotic array of brown spices.

One sip and your knees will buckle, the unctuous, deep, dark brooding fruit, floods your taste buds with a warming, satisfying effect instantly. The tannins are silky smooth give way to lingering flavours of chocolate, chestnuts and coffee grinds. Every sip is pure heavenly. Drinking well now through 2029, serve with a rich, hearty stew... slow cooked veal with mushrooms. Whatever... something that is bold like the wine.