Both bottles were consumed on the terrace with pizza on a radiant day in this extraordinarily warm April.
MONTEFALCO ROSSO ARQUATA 2004 – Cantina Adanti, Bevagna (PG) ( Sangiovese 70%, Sagrantino 15%, Barbera, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon each 5%). I paid EUR 8 at the estate.
This wine represents for me exactly what I am looking for in an Italian wine to go with simple tasty food. C: Quite deep and brilliant ruby. N: A lovely combination of dark fruit with cherry, anis and garrigue notes. P: Beautifully balanced with the same aromas, bright fruit, savoury acid tang, good flesh and body. Perfect, in its way, right now and superb QPR.
As this bottle emptied quickly, I went back to the cellar and brought up-
“PLANET WAVES” 2002 – Fattoria Le Terrazze, Numana (AN), Marche (Montepulciano 75%, Merlot 25%). I paid EUR 25, I think, at the estate but it is advertised on US sites for up to US$ 79! Wine dedicated to Bob Dylan of whom estate owner Antonio Terni is a big fan.
One glance and one sniff sufficed to tell that this was an “important” wine. C: Deeper and darker than the previous. N: Full ripe red fruit. P: Merlot’s softening and populist influence was strongly apparent on the full, ripe and round palate but Montepulciano contributed liveliness and structure and certain bramble notes on the finish whilst I attribute some, to me, welcome herbaceous notes to the cool vintage. Some vanilla notes were apparent but were well integrated.
Undoubtedly a good wine in a modern style but I prefer Montepulciano with its earthy vigour unadulterated. No doubt, however, Planet Waves will be popular with the crowds, if they can afford it, and with the pointy people.
In an unexpected way the modest sincerity, perfect balance and tastiness of the Montefalco Rosso quite upstaged the much more ambitious and showy Planet Waves.