{"product_id":"valentini-montepulciano-dabruzzo-2017-75cl","title":"Valentini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2017 - 75cl","description":"\u003cp\u003eValentini is the great secret-that-isn't of Italian wine — a family estate in Loreto Aprutino, in Abruzzo, that farms substantial holdings but bottles only a tiny fraction under its own label, selling off everything that doesn't meet the mark. What's left is a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo unlike any other: dense, savoury, famously slow to reveal itself. The estate holds it back for years, and this 2017 spent at least four before release.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe nose runs deep — ripe blackberry and cherry, sweet spice, tobacco and a curl of woodsmoke, then coffee, plum, chocolate and something earthy and forest-floor beneath. The palate has extraordinary tension: full-bodied yet velvety, a vibrant acidity running right through it, tannins firm but already beautifully knit in. This is Montepulciano taken as seriously as any grand red in the country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePatience is the whole point with Valentini. It's approachable now with a long decant, but the reward is in the keeping — this will drink wonderfully into the 2040s, growing more savoury and unctuous as it goes. Rare, sought-after and priced to match. If you find a bottle, cellar it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow to Serve\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDecant an hour or two ahead and serve at 18°C in a large glass. It's built to age, so if the bottle has years on it, decant gently off the sediment and treat it kindly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhere to Drink It\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrat, Shoreditch — live-fire cooking for a smoky, savoury red.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTrullo, Islington — honest Italian food and a well-chosen list.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe River Cafe, Hammersmith — where a wine this serious belongs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFood Pairings\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrilled or roast lamb with rosemary and garlic, or a rich beef and mushroom stew — the earthy, smoky notes in the wine come alive against it.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"House of Decant","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55376564289860,"sku":"HO26602B17","price":241.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0858\/2551\/9940\/files\/110599520170100750.png?v=1756834355","url":"https:\/\/checkout.houseofdecant.com\/products\/valentini-montepulciano-dabruzzo-2017-75cl","provider":"House of Decant","version":"1.0","type":"link"}