Tag Archives: montepulciano

Summer in a Can: A Trio of Organic Wines for Summer Fun and Travel

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Great for on the go fun and outdoor activities, these organic wines are made with off the beaten path grapes like Montepulciano, Grillo and Nero d’Avola that come in a travel-ready can. It’s a great addition for any cooler or beach bag, allowing for easy transportation to any summer gathering. (It’s also very incognito, if need be :). They were a beach essential on my recent trip to the Bahamas!

Brand: Tiamo wines are one of the many labels of the pioneering, British husband and wife team of Mel and Janie Master, their son Charlie along with the Sager family. Renowned for bringing great value wines to the US, Mel was responsible for introducing and promoting the wines of Georges Duboeuf in the US. Through the years, the duo has consistently brought fantastic value wines to the US, along with setting up their own wineries [Jordan Winery, Les Jamelles, Tortoise Creek]. All grapes for the Tiamo label are sourced from small growers and cooperatives, the wines are certified organic.

The cans are available in 4-packs with an SRP of $19.99.

Tiamo Organic White Terre Siciliane IGT 2016

Winemaking: Grapes are sourced from organically farmed, hillside vineyards with limestone and sandy soils in Sicily.

Tasting Notes: Light gold in colour with aromas of apple, summer hay and a drizzle of honey. Crisp apple along with a subtle streak of tropical fruit are complimented by fresh acidity and pink grapefruit on the zippy finish. Super easy drinking, great with summer snacks.

Pairing Suggestions from the Winery: Perfect with sunsets, sitting on docks, ball games and as an aperitif or with seafood, pasta or cheese.

100% Grillo
12% Alcohol

Tiamo Organic Rosé Terre di Chieti IGT 2016

Winemaking: Grapes are from organically farmed hillside vineyards with chalky soil, in and around the village of Chiete, in Abruzzo.

Tasting Notes: Pink-coral in colour with light aromas of strawberry and raspberry. Snappy and refreshing, with light, red berry fruits, citrus zest, bright acidity and a dry, crisp fruity finish. Wonderfully gluggable on its own, or with a wide variety of backyard snacks.

Pairing Suggestions from the Winery: Picnics, BBQ, boating, the perfect all-purpose wine, great as an aperitif or with seafood, pasta and cheese.

100% Montepulciano
12% Alcohol

Tiamo Organic Red 2016

Winemaking: Grapes are from organically farmed vineyards in Abruzzo and Sicily.

Tasting Notes: Garnet in colour with aromas of cherry, black cherry, cinnamon white pepper and a floral trace. Plum, cherry and black raspberry with a shake of black pepper, finishing dry and fruity. A light on its feet red that really pops slightly chilled.

40% Montepulciano, 30% Nero d’Avola, 30% Syrah
12.75% Alcohol

 

 

Sample submitted for editorial consideration.

Lammidia Rosato 2016

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Winery: Lammidia [meaning an envy or bad eye in the Abruzzese dialect], was founded by childhood friends Marco Giuliani and David Dear. The winery is in Villa Celiera, a small village at 714 meters above sea level in the Abruzzo region of Italy. The 3 hectares of vines consist of Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Pecorino and Pinot Noir. Dedicated to organic and biodynamic methods, the duo is constantly experimenting and learning. “Study, comparison with other winemakers, tests, experiments, errors (many), synthesized by self-criticism and common sense, have led us to current results and a path of continuous improvement.” They have designed and built specific concrete containers for use in different processes of winemaking. In the cellar, they work with terracotta amphorae, along with steel and fiberglass containers.

Philosophy: Their slogan is: Uva e basta [100% Grape]. “In all transformation processes, from the earth, to the plant, to the grape, to the wine, we try to intervene as little as possible, preserving the natural evolution of nature.”

Winemaking: Organic and biodynamic methods. Grapes were left in contact with the skin for 12 days. Fermented and refined in cement.

Tasting Notes: Red with amber highlights in colour, with mercurial aromas of candied orange, fried sage, strawberry and Brothers Johnson funk. Wild strawberry, pomegranate and sour cherry are framed by good acidity and accented by a dry, savoury finish. Not your traditional rosé, each engaging, unique sip keeps you reaching for more.

100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Italy
Produced & Bottled by PE 5224 Villa Celiera
10.8% Alcohol
$26
Enjoy now

Italo Pietrantonj ‘Cerano’ Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Superiore DOC 2016

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Estate: The Pietrantonj estate has a winemaking history of more than 200 years, documents dated to 1791 chronicle the family’s commitment to viticulture and agriculture. The 100 hectare [60 of which are vineyards] estate is located in Vittorito and Corfinio, in the heart of the Valle Peligna, the birthplace of the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grape. Today the 8th generation passionately preserve the “commitment, traditions, and innovation” of the family’s winegrowing history.

Winemaking: Grapes came from the Cerano Estate vineyard [340 meters in elevation], in Valle Peligna, Vittorito. The soil is medium textured and predominately clay. Matured in steel, then aged in the bottle for 2-3 months.

Tasting Notes: Gem-like, transparent ruby red in colour with aromas of summer ripe strawberry, rose and brambly earth. A fruity explosion of wild strawberry, raspberry and a hint of texture adding, sour cherry seamlessly meld into the silky, clean fruit finish. Fantastic on its own, just brilliant with any dish.

Enjoy between 12 -14°C [54-57°F]

Pairing Suggestions from the Winery: Its impressive structure and full character perfectly suit it for accompanying first courses, lighter meats, mixed boiled meats, and medium-aged cheeses. It is delicious with fish, particularly grilled and fish broth. The adventuresome will enjoy it with pizza.

100% Montepulciano
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Superiore DOC
Italy
Bottled in the production zone by Italo Pietrantonj sas
14% Alcohol
€14 [Average price, currently not available in the US, I was lucky to enjoy this in Dublin, Ireland]
Enjoy now

La Fiera Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC 2015

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Estate: The Botter family has been producing wines under environmentally friendly practices since 1928. Today, the company is managed by the family’s third generation and specializes in wines of the Veneto region of northern Italy. With its association with fairs, the carousel has been the symbol of the Botter family for centuries. The name La Fiera, translates to “The Fair” and refers to the medieval riding fairs in northern Italy. Fairs took place in royal courts and featured lavishly decorated horses and highly skilled riders performing synchronized formations. The carousal with its wooden horses on a rotating platform was developed to replicate the riders at these fairs.

Winemaking: Due to the higher than normal diurnal temperatures of the 2015 growing season, the wine shows a delicate aromatic profile.

Tasting Notes: Red violet in colour with floral aromas laced with cherry, plum, strawberry and summer woods. Morello cherry, cranberry and crushed white peppercorn are accented by floral notes in the medium to full body. Baked cherry and pink pepper infuse the lengthy finish. Dry tannins and good acidity make this a fantastic paring with a wide variety of dishes.

Pairing Suggestions from the Winery: Best with tomato-based pastas, pizza and roasted poultry.

Enjoy at 65-68°F [18-20°C]

100% Montepulciano
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC
Italy
Bottled by Casa Vinicola Botter Carlo & C.S.P.A
13% Alcohol
$8 [average price]
Enjoy now

Rated 84 points by Wine Enthusiast, and a “Best Buy”

 

Sample submitted for review purpose.

Summer in a Can: Tiamo Organic Canned Wines

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I consider myself a very savvy bevvie-on-the-go person. I’m renowned for being able to carry an always cool Rosé wherever I go. When I heard about the new Tiamo organic wine [made with off the beaten path grapes, Montepulciano and Grillo] in a can, I was onboard. I paired them with the beach, popcorn and long walks on the Asbury Park boardwalk. Not only wonderfully incognito and convenient, they taste really good!

Brand: Tiamo wines are one of the many labels of the pioneering, British husband and wife team of Mel and Janie Master, their son Charlie along with the Sager family. Renowned for bringing great value wines to the US, Mel was responsible for introducing and promoting the wines of Georges Duboeuf in the US. Through the years, the duo has consistently brought fantastic value wines to the US, along with setting up their own wineries [Jordan Winery, Les Jamelles, Tortoise Creek].

In addition to the cans, Tiamo Wines also produces bottled, organic Barbera, Chianti, Pinot Grigio and Prosecco from Italy. All the grapes are sourced from small growers and cooperatives.

Tiamo Organic Rosé Terre di Chieti IGT 2016

Winemaking: Grapes are sourced from organically farmed, hillside vineyards with chalky soils in the coastal region of Abruzzo, in and around the village of Chieti, central Italy.

Tasting Notes: Pink with coral highlights in colour, with aromas of candied cherry, strawberry and wildflowers. Fresh cherry and strawberry flavours are accented by a streak of light minerality. Citrus zest lingers on the crisp, dry finish. Refreshing, easy drinking perfect with all summer activities.

Pairing Suggestions from the Winery: Picnics, BBQ, boating, the perfect all-purpose wine, great as an aperitif or with seafood, pasta and cheese.

100% Montepulciano
Terre di Chieti IGT
12% Alcohol
$19.99 for a 4 pack [SRP]

Tiamo Organic White Terre Siciliane IGT 2016

Winemaking: Grapes are sourced from organically farmed, hillside vineyards with limestone and sandy soils in Sicily.

Tasting Notes: Pale gold in colour with aromas of grapefruit, honeysuckle and fresh summer herbs. Light apricot and pear flavours are given tiny drop of honey and complimented by grapefruit and citrus zest on the zippy finish. A friendly, sunny sip.

Pairing Suggestions from the Winery: Perfect with sunsets, sitting on docks, ball games and as an aperitif or with seafood, pasta or cheese.

100% Grillo
Terre Siciliane IGT
12% Alcohol
$19.99 for a 4 pack [SRP]

Sample submitted for review purpose.