La Quercia Montepulciano `08 DOC (not TJ's) $13.99 ***

I had a plan when I bought this wine.  I thought that I would cook for "a night of three Montepulcianos" I'd start with my favorite Villa Cerrina ($4.99) then on to this wine ($13.99), then finish the meal with an amazing Vino Noble ($$$) that I have waiting to be opened.  Then I could review the three and the meal built around the wine... umm yeah, plans are GREAT aren't they?

Reality is, Vino Noble is Sangeovese.  oops - wrong wine.  It is 90 degrees here in NYC (has been for a week - it is tropical).  I am exhausted, it has been a rough Summer.  And I use the word ROUGH as a serious understatement and sometimes, you get home on a Friday night, look in the wine closet (yes I have a wine closet) and pull out a random bottle that didn't cost an arm and a leg.

I really like Montepulciano wine, which is funny to me, because I think that Tuscany is overrated, and I love Piemonte. As for Montepulciano, I couldn't pronounce it for months, my brain and tongue would just not coordinate (and I love an Italian). Here it is phonetically: mon-te-pool-CHAH-noh.

Now let's get to the wine.  Upon opening, nice, jammy, yet kind of spicy aromas.  When I poured a glass, slightly acidic, which some people would call "bright" - to me, it is just a reminder that after a couple of glasses, I may get giggly.  It is fresh, easy to drink - there is a savory undertone that some people would call "spice" but to me THAT is the flavor of the wine.  It is like walking past a raspberry bush early in the morning when it is overly ripe and bursting to be picked, it smells fruity but there is a hint heaviness around the edges. 

After I ran this wine through the Vinturi, it was enhanced.  Definitely decant this wine to optimize it.  It smoothed it out, made it seem less acidic.  This is just is a great everyday drinking wine - It's versatile, either as a stand alone or with food wine.  If I weren't so enamored with the Villa Cerrina, this would be a go to wine for me.

It was too hot to cook, so I threw together a salad and it was a nice, light meal, with a good wine.  One day, I will cook my dream "three bottle" meal.  Maybe in the Fall.