Day 15, 2023 Costco Around the World Wines with Licensed Wine Educator Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Day 15 finds us traveling to the eastern edge of central Italy and tasting a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Join me tomorrow for day 16.
Tasting Card: savvynomad.com/wp-content/upl...
Link to the Notes du Vin Tasting Journal: www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLM7XDGL?...
Items to gather for a tasting episode:
Metal Ice Bucket and Stand: amzn.to/3FOsMfJ
Plastic Ice Bag/Bucket: amzn.to/3FF1Df8
Wine Thermometer: amzn.to/3eHbiWN
Stemware, Riedel Vinum Wine Glass, Set of 6: amzn.to/3FJ0MdB
Join me, David Devere, Minnesota's first licensed wine educator, as I guide you through the wonderful world of wine. Let me teach you about wine appreciation while having fun as we grow a wine community here on KZbin. Cheers!
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[@jenniferparsons4810]

Catching up! Mine was very tannic. I smelled plums and hint of chocolate but after a few tastes I tasted dark cherries. No crystals on mine. I visited vineyards in Montepulciano and Montelcino and loved everything about both! I love how that there is no alcohol burn in any of these wines! Someone mentioned a chocolate cake and I think this would be AWESOME with that to bring out that hint of chocolate I first smelled. Pretty color.

[@SavvyNomadTV]

I'd like to go to Montepulciano - I have visited Italy many times but there is so much of Italy still to be seen!

[@yvonnearizzi6618]

I remember this wine previously or actually the label. I so enjoy the video each day. Sarah hair is so beautiful and I really can't wait each day to see how she styles it. I love the wreath in it today. You both make a beautiful couple and the wine tasting is soooo much fun!!!

[@SavvyNomadTV]

Thank you so much!

[@JC-fj7oo]

This MdA is pretty good for an italian table wine. It's going to be really good with some steak or sausage... Berries and dusty oak nose, similar taste, medium-hi acid and a sweet caramel complexity, short finish, medium but very soft tannins, and a bit of alcohol burn which is surprising at 12.5% (supposedly). It's not a long sipper, but this baby was made for eatin'. Now to play the video and compare notes.

[@SavvyNomadTV]

The alcohol % as listed on the labels are all over the map on these wines - I doubt any of them are close to accurate.

[@tracielucaslord2924]

I didn’t get the acidity as much but definitely the tannins. I did not see any crystals. I gave it 14 pts. I enjoyed last years much better.

[@SavvyNomadTV]

I agree, last year's version was better.

[@lettykreger7907]

Okay, we did not notice any crystals at all. As for the wine, we detected the red fruit and orchard fruit, but the tannins and acidity weren’t as pronounced in our opinion. It was a good wine. It went very well with the leftover chocolate birthday cake. By the time I had the last sip after your presentation, it was more watery and not as impressive as it was in the beginning. 🤷‍♀️ Could the fact that we had the wine from day 14 with our meal, immediately followed by this one have influenced our scoring?

[@SavvyNomadTV]

maybe...chocolate cake probably helped this wine a lot by adding the sweetness it needed to feel richer and more luxurious.

[@julieyates5384]

I like a bit of grippy, but this was super grippy. As a new learner, I'm confused by tannins. So if the drying out feeling in the inside of my mouth is caused by tannins, how can the smooth, velvety feel of a wine be also caused by tannins? And - are tannins a result of oak barrels or a result of the grape or both? I did see crystals on the inside side of my glass, like a few mini clumps. This was one bottle I didn't want to finish the next day. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge; I have never heard of this wine before - so interesting to see the region on the map!

[@SavvyNomadTV]

Tannins come mostly from the grape. The mouth feel of tannins range from super grippy to velvety. The more velvety, the smaller or finer the feel, the better quality the wine. Big, rough, super grippy tannins most often result from poor quality or under ripe grapes. If you have a grippy wine, pair it with fatty foods such as: cheese, meats, fired things. The tannins will attach to the fats, making the wine seem smooth and refreshing the mouth at the same time, but now we are getting into wine and food pairing...

[@julieyates5384]

Thanks so much for explaining. I really enjoy these videos! @@SavvyNomadTV

[@SavvyNomadTV]

You are welcome 😁@@julieyates5384

[@andreaandraschko6359]

I was once again disappointed in this one. This is the same label as 2021, but not 2022. I loved the 2021 version (at least that's what my notes sound like) but thought last year's was in like a lion and out like a lamb. I found this one to be the same... Strong aroma (and the chocolate was unexpected), but tasted like tart cherries, was too watery and no finish to speak of. Not what I expect from this wine at all.

[@SavvyNomadTV]

Yeah - vintage is showing its power here.