Carpineto Riserva Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2016

Alana L rated this wine as 94/100 with the following review:

Carpineto Riserva Riserva D.O.C.G. 2016 – Carpineto founded it’s Vino Nobile estate in 1994. With a dry farmed hillside vineyard averaging less than one bottle produced per vine it produces premium wines. Here the Riserva is dry, elegant, smooth and definitely can benefit from decanting an hour before serving. Beautiful ageing potential on this wine! Ruby red in colour, jammy dark red and blue fruit (cherry, raspberry, blueberry), forest floor, black pepper on the nose and palate with some wood and floral notes (violet) showing, the elegance of the 2016 vintage shines here. It’s balanced, elegant and velvety with a long finish. Would pair beautifully with aged cheese and savoury game or duck confit.

Tasted as part of this week’s virtual Vino Nobile di Montepulciano tasting, showcasing the 2016 and 2017 vintages, organized by the Italian Trade Commission and Consorzio Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and hosted by Lauren Power.

Not to be confused with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (often budget-friendly reds made with Montepulciano grapes in the Abruzzo region), Vino Nobile di Montepulciano are premium (DOC, DOCG) Sangiovese-based red wines named after the town Montepulciano in Tuscany.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has a long, and storied, wine history closely associated with Italian nobility (it was only available on their tables) and became a controlled designation of origin (DOC) in 1966 and Italy’s first DOCG wine in 1980. These prized Tuscan wines owe their quality not only to the winemaker’s expertise, but also to the geological features of the vineyards (1,300 hectares are registered for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano) situated between 250 and 600 meters above sea level. Vino Nobile wines must be made up of a required minimum 70% Sangiovese (called ‘Prugnolo Gentile’ in Montepulciano) and a maximum of 30% of other varieties authorized for the Tuscany Region. By law both vinification and ageing must take place in the municipal area of Montepulciano and must be aged for two years (three for Riserva) before being sold.

2016 is considered a 4 star “classical” vintage: intense colors, pronounced aromas, good structure and tannic texture, medium acidity and alcohol – a year with very high quality that will stand out for wines with elegance, finesse and refinement.