Villa Gemma Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 2013 75cl

I was lucky to taste two Riservas, side by side, from the 2013 and 2014 vintages. The Masciarelli 2013 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva Villa Gemma is a gorgeous wine with a real sense of precision and balance. Next to the slightly thinner 2014 vintage, this expression from 2013 is more austere and closed, giving you good reason to hope that it will continue a slow and careful bottle evolution. You get dark fruit and plum, with tar, smoke and spice. There is a lot to admire here between the bounty of the mouthfeel and the aromas, resulting in a Montepulciano worthy of a grilled steak. Some 12,000 bottles were made.