Wine Tasting - Bosco Montepulciano d'Abruzzo "R" 2008

"Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever."

 - Aristophanes

Tiffany brought home a wonderful discovery from our local Publix supermarket last week.  This wine selection was Buy-One-Get-One-Free.  One can buy two delicious bottles of Italian red wine for only $11.19?  Have the folks at Publix corporate gone bonkerz?  I don’t care… Tiffany snagged one heckuva deal!

Have you the time for a quick wine lesson?  Immediately, three things about the wine’s label told Tiffany that she really couldn’t lose with this one.  Three things besides the price, that is.

(1)        Red wine from Italy.  Wine is an Italian family staple.  You can almost universally associate wine, bread and olive oil at an Italian dining table on a nightly basis.  Wine is as old as Italy or is it vice versa?

(2)        The simple words “Montepulciano d’Abruzzo” on the label.  This can be translated as “from the Montepulciano grapes grown in the Abruzzo region of Italy”.  Now answer me this.  If you grew the world’s bet Widget grapes in your backyard to produce some of the finest Widget wine to be found anywhere, would you not brag its accolades?  Well, believe me when I say if Montepulciano grapes from the Abruzzo region weren’t any good, they certainly wouldn’t be boasting it on their labels!

(3)        DOC guarantee.  Each producer is under standards, certification and scrutiny to adhere to a particular set of Italian standards.  The higher they can get their vineyard, grapes and crop production rated, the more money in their pocket.  DO, DOC, and DOCG certifications are not simply given away.  They’re earned.

Chucky's Point Score:  86

Tiffany's Point Score:  85

Bosco Montelpuciano d'Abruzzo "R" 2008

Appellation:  Abruzzo, Italy

Grape Varietal(s):  100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

Quality Assurance:  DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata)

Price:  $5.50 (2 for $11) at Publix Supermarket in February 2012

Vintage: 2008

Producer:  Bosco Nestore & C. s.n.c. - Pescara

Alcohol:  13.0%

Tasting notes as follows.

Chucky's Tasting Sheet

Chucky's Notes:  "The only thing unusual about this selection is that the nose does not match the incredible taste.  Absolutely wonderful, powerful and long lasting on the palate but the nose leads you to believe it’ll be a fruitless wine.  My Balance score lost 1-point because of this.  Taste and Length pack a punch for a wine of this cost ($11.19).  Killer wine.  Just don’t allow your nose to make your selection.  It’s much better than the aroma intensity leads you to believe."

Tiffany's Tasting Sheet

Tiffany's Notes:  "Very light, almost seems a little watered down, but a nice safe soft red wine!  It’s definitely not the bold dark fruity wine that I prefer, but pleasant enough to consume.  I’m curious to see if the second glass makes me pick up other characteristics."

From the label:

“Noble and typical product of Abruzzi, ruby red color with light purple nuances, tending to orange with aging in oak barrels for 10 months, and resting for 12 months in bottles.  Mild, agreeable wine scent, dry, soft flavor.  Excellent with all dishes.  Serve at 17/20°C.”

From the vintner's web site

Tiffany and I both see this wine selection in a different light but meet at the path crossroads when it came to a score.  Once again, where we use different flavor notes they might be interpreted to be the same.  It’s really interesting how she and I can taste the same wine, experience entirely different things, and yet agree upon a score.

Bottom line on this selection?  We both like it and thought it a great value.  Not our particular wine forte (not a big bold red), but worthy of purchase nonetheless.  Let’s call this a pleasant “change of pace” vino selection, shall we?

Hi-dee hi-dee Rome-was-not-built-in-a-day-and-neither-is-a-bottle-of-vino-produced-ho my friend.