2012 Farnese Edizione 14 Cinque Autoctoni, Abruzzo, Puglia

BEST ITALIAN RED 2015 99 points – Luca Maroni

The wine has no appellation or vintage because the grapes are grown in both Apulia and Abruzzi. Montepulciano Primitivo, Negroamaro, Sangiovese and Malvasia Rossa make up the blend. Soft stalk-stripping, maceration-fermentation for 25 days, malolactic fermentation in barriques followed by 13 months maturation – all of this to prove that it is possible to make a great red wine, that is expression of the enormous patrimony of autochthonous vines from Italy, with the best characteristic of taste and fragrance, that seldom can be found in a high level wine like this, for this price.

Very deep garnet red. Very intense and persistent with notes of cherry and blackcurrant, herbs, cinnamon, cloves, cocoa, licorice and hints of minerals. Great structure, good balance between alcohol and freshness, velvety tannins, very persistent with a long finish, ready to drink, or can well be aged for long time. It drinks beautifully with rich first courses, red meat and with medium and long seasoned cheese. Alc: 14%.