Abruzzo Wine

Masciarelli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2024

Masciarelli is one of Abruzzo’s most celebrated and influential estates, founded by the visionary Gianni Masciarelli in 1981 and today guided by his daughter Marina Cvetič. From their base in San Martino sulla Marrucina, the estate has done more than perhaps any other producer to elevate the reputation of Abruzzo on the world stage — proving that this rugged, sun-drenched region between the Apennines and the Adriatic can produce wines of genuine depth, character, and value.

The Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is the estate’s flagship entry-level red — and a benchmark for the appellation. Montepulciano, Abruzzo’s signature grape, thrives in the region’s warm days and cool nights, producing wines that are naturally rich, fleshy, and deeply colored, with a rustic charm and food-friendliness that make them among Italy’s most versatile reds. The Wall Street Journal calls it “an excellent food wine” — and it’s hard to argue.

The 2024 opens with aromas of ripe dark cherry, blackberry, and plum, with attractive spicy and smoky undertones. The palate is fleshy and full-bodied, with generous dark fruit, soft tannins, and impressive length. A true trattoria red — best enjoyed young, with food, and in good company.

Varietal: Montepulciano
Appellation: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, Abruzzo, Italy
Vintage: 2024
Format: 750ml

James Suckling 90 Points

"Rich yet lifted, offering dark berries, citrus peel, sweet spices and crushed stones on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied and intense, with crunchy acidity and firm tannins shaping a gently exposed structure."

Winemaker Notes

100% Montepulciano grape from the hills of Abruzzo, Italy. Medium purple-red color with violet hues. The nose opens with red berries and spicy nuances of white pepper. On the palate, it develops harmoniously between fruity sweetness and savory freshness, with gentle tannins and refreshing acidity leading to a smooth finish.

About the Wine

Cantina Zaccagnini is one of Italy’s best-known and best-loved producers of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, combining traditional winemaking with a modern approach. The iconic twig tied around the bottle’s neck is their signature — a nod to the vineyard and a mark of authenticity. This is an everyday Italian red that consistently over-delivers for the price.

Tasting & Pairings

Red cherry, plum, black cherry, white pepper, and subtle earthy notes. Medium-bodied with gentle tannins and refreshing acidity. Serve slightly chilled (55–60°F) for a fresh, easygoing red.

• Pizza and pasta with meat sauce — the classic pairing, and the reason this wine exists.
• Grilled meats or charcuterie — the fruit and acidity cut through richness beautifully.
• Aged cheeses or mushroom dishes — the earthy notes and gentle tannins complement savory flavors.

Cora Montepulciano d’Abruzzo — Abruzzo, Italy 2024

The Cora Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is the house Italian red we reach for without hesitation — and the 2024 vintage is its brightest, most energetic expression yet. A proprietary label crafted exclusively for David Bowler Wine, Cora sources fruit from established vineyards in the Abruzzo region, where the rugged Apennine foothills and Adriatic breezes produce Montepulciano of exceptional freshness and drinkability. Fresh, fun, and uncomplicated by design — but built to satisfy exacting standards. At $10.99, it is one of the most compelling everyday values in Italian red wine.

The nose is lively and inviting: brambly cranberry, strawberry blossoms, red apple skin, and rose petals, accented with spicy notes of nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon stick. On the palate, it is crisp and juicy — good acidity keeping it lively and agile, with moderate tannins that drive it energetically into a clean, refreshing finish. A lighter, brighter, snappier rendition of Montepulciano that is as easy at the table as it is on its own.

“Brambly aromas of cranberry, strawberry blossoms, red apple skin and rose petals… Crisp and juicy in the mouth with good acidity keeping it lively and agile. A great wine for pizza and pasta, and just about anything else.” — Bart Hopkins, 67Wine

• Producer: Cora, a proprietary label for David Bowler Wine, Abruzzo, Italy
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC
• Varietal: 100% Montepulciano
• Closure: Screwcap
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Cranberry, strawberry blossom, red apple, rose petal, nutmeg, cloves, crisp acidity, lively finish
• Cellar Potential: Drink now — best enjoyed young and fresh
• Best Paired With: Pizza, pasta, grilled sausages, arancini, casual weeknight dinners, antipasto boards

Bright, juicy, and built for the table — the Cora Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is the benchmark for what everyday Italian red can be at this price.

Podere Castorani · Cadetto · Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC · Abruzzo · Italy · 2022

Podere Castorani is one of Abruzzo’s most compelling estates — a historic family winery in Alanno co-owned by former Formula One driver Jarno Trulli, who brought a racing driver’s obsession with precision and detail to his family’s winemaking heritage. The estate farms organically, without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, letting the terroir of Abruzzo speak clearly in every bottle. Cadetto — meaning “Cadet” — is the estate’s entry-level expression of Montepulciano: pure fruit, freshness, and organic integrity at an exceptional price point.

The 2022 pours a deep ruby with violet notes. The nose is intense and inviting — red fruit, dark cherry, plum, and light hints of spice and chocolate. On the palate, it is full-bodied with mature, smooth tannins, refreshing acidity, and a finish that lingers with spice and cocoa. Approachable now and versatile at the table.

• Producer: Podere Castorani (Jarno Trulli), Alanno, Abruzzo, Italy
• Vintage: 2022
• Appellation: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC
• Varietal: 100% Montepulciano
• Farming: Certified Organic
• Style: Dry red — full-bodied, fruit-forward, smooth tannins
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Dark cherry, red plum, spice, chocolate, mature tannins, refreshing acidity
• Pairings: Grilled chicken, light beef dishes, veal, pasta with tomato or meat sauce, pizza

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC — certified organic, estate-bottled, and co-owned by an F1 champion. Pure Abruzzo character at an unbeatable price.

Fattoria La Valentina | Pecorino Biologico | Colline Pescaresi IGT | Abruzzo, Italy | 2024

Fattoria La Valentina is one of Abruzzo’s most respected organic estates, farming the sun-drenched hills of Pescara with a commitment to minimal intervention and expressive terroir. Pecorino — an ancient indigenous variety long thought extinct, rediscovered in the Apennine foothills — has found one of its finest homes here. La Valentina’s version is 100% Pecorino from the Colline Pescaresi, with a period of lees aging that adds texture and complexity to the variety’s naturally vivid character.

The nose opens fresh and citrusy with lemon, lime, crushed minerals, and saltwater, then turns floral with white flowers and fresh grass. On the palate, bright citrus and tangy acidity carry through to a finish where salinity swells and lingers — saline, precise, and deeply refreshing. A wine that punches well above its price and rewards those who seek out Italy’s most exciting indigenous whites.

• Producer: Fattoria La Valentina
• Appellation: Colline Pescaresi IGT, Abruzzo, Italy
• Grape: 100% Pecorino (Organic)
• Vintage: 2024
• Aging: Sur lie
• Serve: 46–50°F
• Pairings: Clams, mussels, shellfish, Adriatic fish dishes, seafood pasta, aperitivo
• Size: 750ml

Critical Acclaim - Vintage 2024

• Wine Enthusiast — 90 pts (Danielle Callegari): Fresh and citrusy with lemon, lime, minerals and saltwater, then floral with white flowers and grass. Tangy and citrus on the palate; salinity swells on the finish on the back of fierce acidity.

Casata Parini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo — Abruzzo, Italy 2024

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is one of Italy's great everyday reds — a grape and a region that consistently delivers deep color, generous fruit, and food-friendly structure at prices that make it the go-to Italian red for the table. Casata Parini is a reliable, well-made expression of the style: full-bodied, fruit-forward, and built for the kind of casual Italian meals that call for a bottle that doesn't require a second thought. Abruzzo's rugged terrain, warm days, and cool Adriatic-influenced nights produce Montepulciano of genuine character and depth.

The 2024 pours a deep ruby with violet hints. The nose is inviting — ripe raspberry, dark cherry, and a touch of spice. On the palate, it's full-bodied and robust with a pleasantly dry acidity, slightly grippy tannins that soften quickly, and a smooth, clean finish. Quintessentially food-friendly and built for the table — open it, pour it, and enjoy it without ceremony.

"Full-bodied with raspberry notes, robust flavor, slightly tannic palate balanced with a smooth finish — the perfect pairing for classic Italian dishes." — Casata Parini

• Producer: Casata Parini, Abruzzo, Italy
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC
• Varietal: Montepulciano
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Raspberry, dark cherry, spice, full-bodied, dry acidity, smooth finish
• Best Paired With: Tomato-based pasta, pizza, spicy sausages, grilled meats, lasagna, eggplant parmigiana

Italy's most reliable everyday red — deep, fruit-forward, and made for the table at a price that makes every night feel like an Italian dinner.

Warehouse stored item - please allow three to five business days to fulfill.

La Valentina's Bellovedere is the winery's highest expression of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. It is a single-vineyard wine from the subzone of Terre dei Vestini, in the rolling hills near the Abruzzo coast and the city of Pescara. The Bellovedere is intended to demonstrate the great possibilities of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, and as such the wine is produced only in the years with great weather conditions and fully mature grapes. The Bellovedere vineyard takes its name from a park in the center of Spoltore with a view of the vineyards and the ridgeline of the Gran Sasso peaks behind, as shown on the label.

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