Region: Abruzzo, Italy

Varietal: 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

Tasting Notes: This wine exemplifies Masciarelli’s break with historical, commercially minded wines of the region. The resulting silky texture and round tannins fall into harmony with the gorgeously ripe fruit. Deep and dark with lifted seductive aromas of red fruits and spice, powerful ripe red and black fruits wrapped in a structured but lush, elegant frame. Tremendous length and complexity.

Producer: Masciarelli has long been a benchmark producer in Abruzzo, elevating the reputation of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo from a rustic, everyday wine to one of Italy’s most compelling reds. Founded by Gianni Masciarelli in 1981, the winery was instrumental in introducing modern winemaking techniques while maintaining a deep respect for tradition. The Marina Cvetic line, named after Gianni’s wife, represents the estate’s dedication to crafting powerful, age-worthy wines with exceptional structure and depth. This Riserva, one of Masciarelli’s flagship offerings, showcases the potential of Montepulciano at its most refined, earning a loyal following among collectors and connoisseurs alike.

Vineyard & Winemaking: The grapes for this wine come from carefully selected plots across Masciarelli’s estate vineyards, with a focus on low-yield, high-altitude sites that bring intensity and balance to the final wine. Fermented in stainless steel to preserve freshness, the wine undergoes extended maceration to extract deep color and tannin, followed by 12 to 18 months of aging in French oak barriques. The result is a Montepulciano of remarkable richness, structured with fine-grained tannins and lifted by a backbone of acidity. This meticulous approach to viticulture and winemaking ensures that each vintage of Marina Cvetic Montepulciano Riserva expresses both the power and elegance that define Masciarelli’s legacy.