2024 Fantini Montepulciano D’Abruzzo DOC, Abruzzo

A bright, fresh wine on the nose, with aromas of ripe cherries, tart blackberries and loads of wild thyme and black olive. On the palate, earth and tang stand up against juicy berries, while acid punches past firm tannins.

89 points Wine Enthusiast

Fantini has built a huge following by doing something surprisingly difficult, making wines that massively overdeliver for the price without losing regional character. Based in Abruzzo, where mountain air rolls down toward the Adriatic, Montepulciano thrives in the warm days and cool nights, giving wines with ripe fruit, softness and plenty of personality.

The 2024 is exactly the sort of red that disappears quickly once opened. Blackberry, plum and black cherry burst out first, followed by dried herbs, liquorice and a dusting of cocoa. There’s plenty of richness, but it stays bright and energetic rather than heavy.

It rolls across the palate with an easy, velvety feel. Dark fruit sits front and centre, backed by soft tannins and just enough acidity to keep things moving. Hints of spice and mocha build through the middle, while the finish hangs on with juicy fruit and a gentle savoury edge.

This is made for proper comfort food and noisy tables. Think slow cooked lamb ragù over pappardelle, smoky meatballs, or a wood fired pizza loaded with spicy salami. It’s also brilliant with eggplant parmigiana, mushroom arancini or charred peppers stuffed with rice and herbs. Nothing too delicate, this wine wants flavour.

Drink it now while all that fruit and softness are front and centre.

There’s a reason wines like this become favourites, generous, unfussy and packed with value, the kind of bottle that makes an ordinary midweek dinner suddenly feel like a good idea.